Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel hit back at reporters on Tuesday as they continued to question him over the subjects of war and club owner Roman Abramovich
Thomas Tuchel has snapped at reporters over their incessant questioning of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the ‘horrors of war’.
The German manager lost his cool during Tuesday’s press conference while speaking ahead of the Blues’ FA Cup 5th Round encounter with Luton Town.
Tuchel initially shared some thoughts on Abramovich, whose ownership of the club has been called into question over recent days, before exploding after the intense grilling continued.
The 48-year-old demanded reporters “stop” with their questioning, which centred on Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, before refusing to offer answers on the subject of Chelsea’s owner and war.
When asked whether Abramovich’s ownership of Chelsea is a ‘problem’ given his close ties to Russia president Vladimir Putin, Tuchel responded by saying: “It is a bit too much for me to answer.
“I am not aware of any details and I’m not aware of the whole situation. There are situations that are much, much more important than football.
“This will never change. Situations like war are so much more important.
“Everyone in Europe has noise in their head that nobody likes. Still you try to come to work and try to do the best in your job as possible.”
However, as reporters continued to probe on the ‘horrors of war’ and Abramovich’s connections, Tuchel grew increasingly incensed, before launching into a scathing tirade.
“Listen, listen, listen… You have to stop. I’m not a politician. You have to stop, honestly. I can only repeat it. And I even feel bad to repeat it, because I’ve never experienced war.
“So even to talk about it, I feel bad, because I am very privileged. I sit here in peace.
“I do the best I can, but you have to stop asking me these questions. I have no answers for you.”
Chelsea have found themselves in the spotlight over the past week due to Abramovich’s close ties with Putin.
The Russian billionaire then released a rare statement less than 24 hours before the Blues’ Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
Abramovich declared that he intended to hand over the ‘stewardship and care’ of the club to their charitable foundation.
However, this offer has reportedly been met with reluctance by the foundation’s trustees, with some holding reservations about their involvement in the exchange.
The 55-year-old has since found himself further embroiled in the Russia situation following reports that Ukraine have approached him in an attempt to encourage him to broker peace between the two nations.
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