Thomas Tuchel: Criticism of Chelsea amid Russian invasion of Ukraine is 'distracting us'

Chelsea will face Liverpool in Sunday's English Carabao Cup final but have been in headlines for much different reasons following Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this week. 

As noted by Sky Sports, Labour MP Chris Bryant told the government that Chelsea owner and Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich should have his assets seized and possibly be stripped of the right to own a Premier League club due to the existence of a leaked document that allegedly shows Abramovich should not be allowed to be based in the United Kingdom. 

Understandably, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel would've preferred to focus on the football during Friday's media availability but admitted that wasn't possible during lengthy comments. 

"We shouldn't pretend this is not an issue. The situation for everyone here is horrible," Tuchel explained, according to Sky Sports. "Nobody expected this, it's pretty unreal. It's clouding our minds, and our excitement towards the final. It brings huge uncertainty, much more to all people in the moment more involved than us. We send our best wishes and regards to them, obviously.

"Still there are so many uncertainties around the situation of our club, in the UK with scenarios like this, that it makes no sense if I comment on it. We're aware of it, we haven't got so much insight or inside information than you might think, and in the very end, I think it's also the right from the team and staff to be not political, to focus on sports. Not because we are hiding, but the situation is clear, it's horrible, no doubt about it.

"I'd love to take my right not to comment on it until there is a decision made. It's distracting us, it's worrying us, to a certain degree I can understand it, I can understand the critical opinions towards the club and us who represent it. We cannot fully free ourselves from it.

"But maybe people can understand me as the coach, and players as players, we don't have the insight what is going on and how much the owner is involved in all this — we don't feel responsible for what's going on, it's horrible and there can't be a doubt about it, war in Europe is unthinkable for me for a long period of time."

Tuchel added that the situations involving Ukraine and Abramovich are "too big" for the players to shut out of their minds ahead of Sunday's clash. 

Per Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail, Tuchel also said he agrees with UEFA's decision to move this year's Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to Paris. 

Pockets of the international sports community have addressed the invasion and criticized Russia since Wednesday. Russian tennis player and to-be new world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev said he wants "to promote peace all over the world," while fellow Russian Andrey Rublev wrote the phrase "No war please" on a TV camera following his latest victory. 

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin, an outspoken supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the years, pleaded in comments offered Friday: "Please, no more war."