Thomas Tuchel sacked by Chelsea in meeting that ‘lasted three to five minutes’

Sat, 01 Apr, 2023 - 08:28

By PA Sport Staff

Thomas Tuchel has revealed he was sacked by Chelsea last year during a ‘three to five-minute’ meeting.

Tuchel won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during a 20-month spell as Chelsea boss but was dismissed in September by the club’s new owners.

The 49-year-old, who also guided the Blues to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals in 2021 and 2022 respectively, was recently appointed as Julian Nagelsmann’s replacement at Bayern Munich.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly moved on from Thomas Tuchel in September (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Bayern take on Tuchel’s former club Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in his first game in charge.

When asked about his departure from Chelsea, Tuchel told a press conference: “It was a shock. I felt it, strangely, when I drove to the training centre.

“The meeting we had felt unusual – and it turned out to be a very short meeting. It was 8am, or something, and it lasted three to five minutes. I was also not in the mood to talk longer.

“The decision had been made and, honestly, it was a shock for all of us. We had a feeling that we were in the right spot at the right time. We felt that we could achieve big things and we wanted to stay longer – it was as simple as that.”

🗣️ Tuchel: "It's a big game. We want to be league leaders again. Winning the game won't make us league champions, nor will the title be out of the picture if we don't win."#FCBBVB pic.twitter.com/LJEbKBdc4D

— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) March 31, 2023

Tuchel said he had built “huge relationships” with the staff at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

“How long did it take me to get over? It still hurts in a way – I’m not able to see these people on a daily basis,” he said. “I love this job. I have a passion for it, I can tell you.

“We built an extraordinary bond in the circumstances. We started there during Covid, during Brexit – then came the change of ownership.

“We were a strong, strong group (at Cobham). It wasn’t in my hands to take this decision. I was no longer part of this group, a group that felt like a family.”