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Tuchel reveals Chelsea trio key to setting the right tone against Porto

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Porto...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

16.24 12 Apr 2021


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Tuchel reveals Chelsea trio ke...

Tuchel reveals Chelsea trio key to setting the right tone against Porto

Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

16.24 12 Apr 2021


Share this article


Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Porto should hold no fear for his players.

The sides resume hostilities at Seville's Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Tuesday night, six-days after Chelsea won their nominal away leg 2-0.

Despite the relative comfort of their lead, Tuchel insists his charges won't be tempted to take the passive route to the semi-finals.

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"We don't approach games like this," the German told his pre-match press conference, "To talk about the result we have and then change the approach to our game.

"It's important to be fully focused on us, play the best game possible again because this increases all chances of a result.

"I think in terms of adapting to the result, it's easier for Porto because they know very, very well what they need to do to go through, they need to score three goals if they want to go through.

"For us if we start adapting we could easily lose our heads.

"Because what does it mean? That's it's enough to lose one-zero? It's good to have a draw, or better to have one-zero for us.

"Why should we enter into this thinking? This is the challenge to not lose your head.

"I hope we embrace the challenge, I hope we have the feeling this is a match everyone waits for since they were a little kid.

"Everybody wants to play CL, everybody wants to be part of it, everybody wants to have a decisive match. But forget the result, we have to deliver. If we don't deliver, you cannot expect any results.

"We should rely on what we do well and what we do best, and we will not change our approach to the game because of the result we had last week.

"We have a certain way of playing and we will try to bring it to the best levels, because the game will ask many questions that we cannot think about right now.

"And we have to be free in our minds to react to the situations on the pitch."

Key trio

When Chelsea used to frequent the choppy waters of Champions League knockout football in the naughties, their dressing room was peppered with names like Terry, Lampard and Drogba.

So who, according to Tuchel, are the current crop who can set the right emotional pitch before a big game?

"Well honestly, you don’t want to be in a fight with Toni Rudiger, Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] and Kova [Mateo Kovacic]. It is in their nature to show it on the pitch and to protect the interests of our team which is very important."

Tuchel added, "It is in their nature. I can totally rely on them. I think that for me, when I was a player, when you have big matches that you look around the dressing room, look around you and who is next to you, that you are very comfortable with them and you can rely on them.

"They are all out there together, everybody on the pitch will help each other and we will help from the bench and the stands.

"We will push hard to get the best out of them, you can be absolutely sure of that.

"There are 90 minutes to fight for."

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Antonio Rudiger Cesar Azpilicueta Champions League Chelsea Mateo Kovačić Toni Rudiger UEFA Champions League

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