Thomas Tuchel
That was a huge win, did that feel more than just three points?
Thomas Tuchel said “It felt like a huge effort and a top performance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a big step but it’s only a step, it’s not done yet. We have to get over the line on Sunday. It was a team effort full of intensity, full of hunger and ambition. We played many, many minutes with a lot of quality. It was in my opinion a well-deserved win but it’s not the time for praise and celebration. It’s not the time about philosophy and whether this is more than three points. There’s another game to catch on Sunday we’ll be prepared and aware to finish the job.”
How much of the energy in your performance was created by the fans?
Thomas Tuchel said “It was a completely different match. Football with spectators and without spectators, you can’t compare. It was amazing and I said to your colleagues it’s exactly what we want. We want everybody happy that comes to the stadium and feels the energy from the team. This is what this team can deliver. I strongly believe that as a supporter, you come for energy in the stadium, not just fancy moves, goals and outstanding individual performances. You come to feel the energy and it has to be easy to support, you want the spectators on the front foot and you want to excite them This team is doing this. They have hunger and ambition and leave everything. Sometimes we struggle with decisions and we don’t reward ourselves but this team is always on the edge of work-rate and what they give. This is very important and makes the spectators happy. They push us and it was a huge, huge boost.”
What’s the injury situation with N’Golo Kante and what did you make of Antonio Rudiger’s performance?
Thomas Tuchel said “N’Golo is not injured. He told me – and I understood him right in French – he went out before an injury. He felt his hamstrings and was worried that he would get injured if he continued to play. So we put Kova in and that was a risk because he was more or less on the bench for 20 minutes, but he played 60. We took some risks but it was the moment to take risks as it was a game of the highest importance at the end of the season. I am happy it worked out. Hopefully, NG will come back as we are a different team with NG and without NG. We compensated very well without him today. For Toni, I am absolutely happy that he scored for us. He was very good, very reliable. I feel uncomfortable today to talk about single players because now is to stay strong as a group and to bring it together as a group. We need to refocus for Sunday. It’s not the time for celebration.”
Thomas Tuchel said “I did not talk about it. I know there was an incident but I didn’t talk about it before the match or in any meetings, I don’t do this but I think the players were well aware. I’m not into these things too much because it can sometimes give you too much energy, too much a feeling for revenge. I don’t like this at all. We prepared for a super important match and did what we do, how we play football. We wanted to do it at the highest level possible and this is what we did. We needed the intensity and hunger that make us a difficult team to play. There’s nothing more I can say about it.”
How are you feeling at the moment with the VAR decisions that are going against you?
Thomas Tuchel said “We are frustrated with the decisions. Against Arsenal we were denied a clear goal with the hand, two or three metres from the line it was a handball rather than a goal and VAR is not checking. Then we lose a final at Wembley because of a handball from Leicester that led to a goal. Today we have a clear penalty and it’s suddenly we have a foul against Timo Werner. It’s a bit hard to overcome these decisions in every match. Then we have another handball and an offside, whatever. With handball and offside there are hopefully no discussions but today there was an offside goal against Man United that didn’t get overruled by VAR. Anything can happen. I am totally for VAR and for having clear decisions when they are needed. At the moment, these three crucial decisions against us are very hard to understand.”
