LUTON, England (Reuters) – Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and his players emerged from a tumultuous day with victory on the pitch on Wednesday but their 3-2 FA Cup win at Luton Town was a side-show after Russian owner Roman Abramovich announced he was selling the club.
Abramovich has not only transformed Chelsea into a trophy-winning machine during his 19 years as owner, he also changed the landscape of English football.
But after Russia invaded Ukraine last week and the country’s oligarchs were targeted with sanctions in response, the metals magnate announced before kickoff at Luton that he was selling the European and world champions “in the club’s best interests”.
Chelsea’s fans sang Abramovich’s name at Kenilworth Road and their new favourite chant “We’ve Won it All”.
Luton’s fans responded by singing “You Bought it All” — a reference to the reported 1.5 billion pounds in Abramovich loans that enabled Chelsea to scoop up the world’s best talent.
Tuchel said he was focused on his job of winning football matches on a seismic day for the London side who have won five Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues since 2003.
“Even if I want to answer I don’t exactly know what it means in the very short term I think for us as a team, staff and players,” Tuchel said. “Hopefully, not too much or maybe it will change even maybe nothing.
“But yeah, it’s a big situation and (the players) can understand it. So there will be a lot of reports but we try to do what we do to cancel the noise and to stay focused which is not always easy.”
Speculation is rife about what happens next at Chelsea.
Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss was quoted by newspaper Blick saying he was considering buying the club.
“It’s big news and will be big change, but I am also never afraid of change and I’ll focus on what I can influence,” Tuchel, the 11th full-time manager hired by Abramovich, said. “I’m not worried. I feel privileged and in a good place.
“I’m not a person who worries about things I can’t influence It’s big news and a big change but I am not scared of change.”
Asked by reporters whether he would speak to the players about the situation, Tuchel said: Me personally? I don’t think I have to talk about it. I do not know as much as maybe you think.
“I’m not a CEO or a member of the board. I am very sure the club will speak to us and to the players and it’s also necessary. I cannot clarify the situation.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
