Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has declared that today’s Premier League clash against Leicester City is more important than the FA Cup.
The Blues lost the final to Leicester at Wembley on Saturday and will face them again in the league just over 72 hours later.
The match has huge ramifications for the top-four race, with Chelsea one point in front of fifth-placed Liverpool and Leicester three points ahead of the Reds.
“It would look like I am a bad loser if I say ‘yes’,” Tuchel said. “I am not a good loser but I want to be a respectful loser and I am not here to play the match down because of financial reasons.
“We lost a big match, it was a huge match for us, we put out the best team possible, we did not rest anybody because we had the feeling that this game tomorrow is more important.
“But, but there is a but. Do we want to play Champions League next season? Yes, this is the target when I stepped into this club I want to be very clear – the task was ‘let’s try everything to be in the top four’.
“The task was not ‘let’s try everything to win the FA Cup’ because the FA Cup, as big as it is, does not bring you to Champions League football next season. It’s top four that brings us that. So, yes, tomorrow is another huge game but, like I said, this game was big for us. It was a final.
“Once you can collect silverware you try everything because simply out of respect. And me and the players – be very sure about this – we think zero about how much money we earn. This is not in our heads.”
