FA makes Thomas Tuchel decision ahead of Chelsea vs Leicester City clash

Thomas Tuchel has been banned from the touchline for Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, it has been confirmed.

The Chelsea boss will not be on the touchline with Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers after his appeal was rejected by the FA following his altercation with Spurs boss Antonio Conte during their 2-2 draw at
Stamford Bridge earlier in August.

Tuchel was given a £35,000 fine and a suspended one-game touchline ban, but that will now come into effect on Saturday when the Foxes make the trip to the capital.

A statement by the FA on Friday evening read: “Thomas Tuchel will be banned from the touchline for Chelsea FC’s Premier League match against Leicester City FC on Saturday 27 August 2022.

“The manager admitted that his behaviour after the final whistle of the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 14 August 2022 was improper.

“An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently ordered for him to be fined £35,000 and suspended from the touchline for one fixture during a hearing.

“Thomas Tuchel appealed against these sanctions, but this has been dismissed by an Appeal Board today.”

During his pre-match press conference of the game on Friday afternoon, Tuchel was waiting to hear from the FA, who have now given their decision, and he offered his assessment of the ban.

He said: “No, I think I can do the same as always, arrive in the stadium and be in the changing room for sure. I cannot be on the sideline, it seems but we need to wait for the final answer because we responded to the written response.

“We are waiting for the answer today. I think I can be not on the sideline but in the dressing room and at half-time.”

After being handed the written reasons for the ban , Tuchel’s verdict of it was: “I think there’s two sides to it. The one side to it is that I got the red card and behaved in a game which is not appropriate and which I regret, but it was out of passion. It was not too aggressive, it was out of passion.

“I can accept if I get a red card during the match I have a touchline ban and I’m fined. This is one side to it, I don’t dispute it and accept it.

“What’s hard to accept is the context. I don’t think I started the aggression, it started earlier. I don’t think I was the only person involved. We both got a red card. A player pulled another player by its hair two minutes earlier. He can play on, he is not banned.

“For a firm handshake at the end of the match, one coach is banned. This is very hard to accept. It’s hard to accept it. Putting it into context, I cannot understand.

”I don’t say further, you have my opinion on that. In the future there is no comment from me. I will not comment anymore on any referee’s decisions. No matter how big it is, this is obviously what we want and what you get.”

He continued: “My understanding was that we both had our impact in this situation and both got sent off. I can understand that I get a ban, I get a fine.

“What I don’t understand is that the other coach does not get the same punishment. Is hard to understand for me.”