Chelsea take on Lille in the Champions League round of 16 next month, with French authorities making it clear any unvaccinated players will be prohibited from taking park
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Tuchel previews Tottenham clash
Thomas Tuchel admits Chelsea’s unjabbed stars are ready for the “consequences” with UEFA set to rule them out of the away leg of their Champions League tie at Lille.
The Blues face the French champions at Stamford Bridge on February 22 with the return leg in northern France on March 16.
But France has hardened its Covid rules to make clear that all professional athletes competing in the country will need to be vaccinated against Covid.
Tuchel, whose men face Spurs on Sunday, said: “They [the players] are aware of it.
“And at some point, everybody who is not vaccinated will face some consequences. Does that make it wrong that they are not?
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“I’m not so sure about it. I simply don’t know, I took my decision for myself. For us isolated as a club, isolated as a football team, there can be huge consequences.
“For example, if players are not allowed to travel to France, this can create problems for us in not being able to use key players.
“We are aware of it. It is a constant noise, a constant sound.”
Chelsea remain in constant talks with UEFA over a potential exemption. European football’s rulers are due to meet again next week on the issue.
Despite the concerns, Tuchel will not place any restrictions on his players as they head into their winter break after Sunday’s game.
“We tell them to be careful and to be fair, all of them fully aware of the situation,” he said. “But although there will be recommendations they will be free citizens.”
Chelsea host Tottenham on the back of a winless, four-match Premier League run for the first time in Tuchel’s time at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have also kept just two clean sheets in their last 13 top flight matches.
And with his side defending at times like pulling teeth, Tuchel revealed he took one of his two days off this week to switch off to focus on himself.
“I was at the dentist,” he smiled. “Maybe it was a good thing because you really connect when you’re in the dentist’s chair. It’s hard to think about football when you’re at the dentist.
“We needed [the days off], all of us. This is always a team effort and I felt they mentally tired which I could understand.
“They were disappointed and really frustrated after the result at Manchester City and Brighton.
“It’s harder for us to overcome the obstacles that are normal in periods like this. There are reasons for it, reasons that we talked about. Reasons for which we cannot be blamed.
“Maybe we lacked a bit of freshness and the mental ability to step up again and not accept it.
“But now it’s on us now to use our time to be absolutely in the right attitude for Sunday.”
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