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Thomas Tuchel urges Chelsea FC squad to keep focus in pursuit of triple targets: ‘We’ve won nothing yet’

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Thomas Tuchel has told his Chelsea players “you have won nothing yet”, as they stand on the brink of a Champions League and FA Cup double.

Ahead of tonight’s game against Arsenal, which could see the German move a step closer to securing a top-four finish, the Blues boss insisted his team still need to get the job done.

Chelsea face Leicester in the Cup Final on Saturday and Manchester City for the right to be crowned champions of Europe two weeks later.

But despite a potentially spectacular end to the season, Tuchel is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

“We haven’t won anything yet and it doesn’t help if we talk about it,” he said. “We have to play two finals and finish in the top four. This is the challenge and it’s not finished.

“If the pressure mounts and mounts and increases all the time it can be a huge next step to keep the level up. This is what we do in the moment and this is what the surrounding forces us to do, because all three challenges are big.

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

“We are in the middle of the race for top four, we have two finals to come and you can only achieve it if you are on a consistently high level mentally and physically, with a good atmosphere, and this is what we try to keep now.

“Nobody is allowed now to drop one per cent, because that’s what makes it special right now. But now is not finished. It is not the time for praise, not the time for reflection, it is the time to continue and finish the job.”

A win tonight would move Chelsea back up to third and within touching distance of achieving Tuchel’s minimum requirement when brought in of securing Champions League qualification.

It would also heap more misery on ninth-placed Arsenal and Tuchel’s opposite number, Mikel Arteta.

“I know what I’m going through when I don’t win and when we don’t win, it’s the most horrible situation for any coach in the world, you can be sure about this,” added Tuchel. “No matter if you train in the park or in professional football. That will never change, it’s the worst feeling on the weekend or during the week, and so this is pretty much the same for everybody.

“We are fully focused on ourselves, so it’s not on me to comment on any situation [at Arsenal]. Nothing [about this League] surprises me anymore, because anything can happen here.”

Andreas Christensen and Mateo Kovacic will both miss the game tonight through injury, but have not yet been ruled out of the Cup Final.

Christensen damaged a tendon in Saturday’s win against City, while Kovacic has been out since last month with a hamstring problem.

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

“It was better than we feared,” Tuchel said of Christensen. “The [scans] yesterday were much better. We hope he’ll be back for one of the two Leicester games. It will be a tough one, but the season isn’t finished for him, hopefully. We have realistic hopes the latest he can come back is Aston Villa.”

Kovacic has not played since April 10 and Tuchel added: “We have to postpone his personal race, it’s on to try to make it into the squad for Wembley.

“Kova is a big loss, with his ability to drive with balls, with his speed on the ball, without the ball, and he is such a positive character and such an unique player, a fighter, on whom you can always rely in training and games, has big experience, although he’s still young.

“I can’t wait until he is back in full team training. He did some steps in the right direction and I hope he can join team training after Arsenal.”

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