Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said his team was brilliant and robbed of not just a win but a clean sheet in the Blues’ 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea led on goals by Kalidou Koulibaly and Reece James, but Tuchel and his staff clashed with Antonio Conte and Chelsea’s group after Tottenham’s first equalizer and at the final whistle.
The final clash earned Tuchel a red card as he refused to let go of Conte’s hand after the handshake, pointing to his eyes not unlike Robert DeNiro in “Meet The Parents.”
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“I thought that when we shake hands we look into each other’s eyes but he had other opinions,” Tuchel said after the game. “It was not necessary but a lot of things weren’t necessary. Another bad decision from the ref.”
That was just the tip of the post-match fury iceberg for Tuchel.
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Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel fight at the final whistle.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) August 14, 2022
Absolute chaos here at Stamford Bridge!
Battle of the Bridge 2022 ™️#CFC 2-2 #THFC #CHETOT pic.twitter.com/R75IxA60ir
Thomas Tuchel reaction: Neither Spurs goal should’ve stood
The Champions League winner said neither of Tottenham’s goals should’ve withstood VAR review. Rodrigo Betancur chopped down Kai Havertz well before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored.
Tuchel wanted the clear foul called. Failing that, he thinks Richarlison should’ve been adjudged to be offside and interfering with Edouard Mendy’s line of sight when the Dane shot toward goal.
And he cannot fathom -- like many of us -- how video could review Cristian Romero pulling Marc Cucurella down by the hair and not give a foul.“We were absolutely brilliant,” Tuchel said. “Both goals cannot stand. One team deserves to win: It’s us. I’m sorry for my team that they don’t get what they deserve.
“Clear foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up. Clear offside from Richarlison. He’s in the line of the shot. He goes toward the shot. Since when can we pull hair on the football field? And we check it and nothing happens? it’s ridiculous.”
"When you shake hands, you look into each others eyes. Antonio had a different opinion."
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 14, 2022
Thomas Tuchel speaks after his confrontation with Conte, and discusses why he was not happy with either of Tottenham's goals. #MyPLMorning | #CHETOT pic.twitter.com/mE1aR77kEO
