Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is positive about his side’s chances and says they have no reason to fear anyone in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says his side should fear no one in the Champions League. These comments come after the Blues secured a spot in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2014 with Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
Goals from Hakim Ziyech and Emerson Palmieri helped Chelsea complete a 3-0 aggregate win and extended their unbeaten run to 13 games in all competitions since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard as coach in January.
Holders Bayern Munich and Premier League leaders Manchester City are among the sides left in the competition, with the draw to be made on Friday. Ahead of the draw, Tuchel says Chelsea deserve their place among Europe’s elite.
“The most important thing is we deserve this,” he said as per the club’s website.
“They play with a special bond and results like this give you a certain edge to achieve special things.”
“I’m sure no one wants to play against us. This will be a difficult challenge … but on we go, no need to be afraid. We take what we get.”
Tuchel was delighted with the way his side controlled the game against the leaders of Spain’s La Liga but said there was still room for improvement.
“We need to improve in counter-attacks, we have to be more forward thinking, use our speed and exploit spaces,” he said. “We are looking to be more clinical and precise.”
Ziyech has fallen short of expectations since his move to Chelsea but Tuchel was impressed by the Morocco international on Wednesday.
“He suffers a bit with our style, he needs to adapt … but I am super happy, this was reliable from him,” he added.
For their next outing, Chelsea will host Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
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