Football

Tuchel unhappy with changes in Champions League

(FILES) This file photo taken on April 29, 2019 during a press conference at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye shows German coach Thomas Tuchel who has been sacked as Paris Saint-Germain's head coach on December 24, 2020. - The French champions declined to make any comment when contacted by AFP to confirm the reports carried by L'Equipe newspaper and RMC and German tabloid Bild. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)

(FILES) This file photo taken on April 29, 2019 during a press conference at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye shows German coach Thomas Tuchel who has been sacked as Paris Saint-Germain’s head coach on December 24, 2020. – The French champions declined to make any comment when contacted by AFP to confirm the reports carried by L’Equipe newspaper and RMC and German tabloid Bild. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is less than pleased with changes to the Champions League.
The new changes will see clubs playing more matches in the group stage.
Chelsea will play a minimum of 58 matches this season and a maximum of 59 if they reach the UEFA Champions League final.
That figure would be increased with four extra matches added to the group phase of the Champions League from 2024.
Along with UEFA’s revamped Nations League and FIFA’s new Club World Cup tournament proposals, Tuchel believes that players at the top clubs are being pushed beyond their physical limits.
“I am not sure if I like it because I can only see many more games in the schedule that we have. It is very hard for me to get excited about it,” Tuchel said ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
“With these discussions about the Super League, we forget that we now have a new format in the Champions League. Did they ask any coach about it? I don’t think so. Did they ask any players about it? I don’t think so.
“We have a Nations League, a new championship for the clubs, so much more stuff and so many more games, European Championships in the summer, it is just more and more games. Who should play these games?
“At the same time, we have only three substitutes per game here in the Premier League. No, I am not happy about this format.”