Thomas Tuchel has reacted to Chelsea’s Champions League group stage draw which saw them drawn against AC Milan, FC Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb in Thursday’s draw.
Chelsea were handed trips to Italy, Austria and Croatia for their 2022/23 European group stage campaign, with the ties set to take place over the course of September, October and November prior to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The two-time winners learned their Champions League opponents in the draw on Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey which they will now fancy their chances of progressing into the knockout stages.
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However, as Tuchel readies and prepares his side for the beginning of their European adventure which starts in two weeks time, he is not taking any game lightly and insists no group is ever an easy group.
“It is always a difficult group,” responded the Chelsea boss prior to their Premier League clash against Leicester City.
“I have never experienced an easy group in the Champions League. I don’t care about names, which league, if this is our level or not. If we have to, we want to go through.
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"I have only experienced difficult group phases even if it looks from outside if it’s easy and clear.
“These matches are tough. It’s the toughest competition. I am happy I will play against teams and in stadiums I have never played before. From there we go.”
Tuchel made a joke towards Mateo Kovacic who will be heading back to his homeland Croatia, as well as to Italy to Milan, where he played for AC’s rivals Inter.
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The Chelsea head coach added: “I cannot care less about all the other groups! I only care about our group. I think we need to be fast with away tickets because the family of Mateo Kovacic is buying all that we have because it is in Austria, Croatia and his former city when he played for Inter and we are playing AC. I think he is buying all the tickets that are available so this is where the focus is for our players to get tickets for family and friends!”
When will the ties take place?
Matchday 1: 6/7 September
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Matchday 2: 13/14 September
Matchday 3: 4/5 October
Matchday 4: 11/12 October
Matchday 5: 25/26 October
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Matchday 6: 1/2 November
Topics: Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea, Champions League, AC Milan, Football
Matthew Debono