Thomas Tuchel said that Mehdi Taremi’s spectactular late overhead kick was “lucky”.
Taremi’s injury-time winner was not enough to stop Chelsea advancing to the Champions League semi-finals, but the English side’s manager was still far from effusive in his assessment of the quality of the strike that could not overturn the 2-0 advantage given to Chelsea by Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell in the first leg.
“Until the last lucky, lucky shot in the last minute we did not concede any chances,” the Chelsea manager said. “I was still nervous because a goal can change anything — even if it’s a crazy goal or a bicycle kick like this.
“We deserved a clean sheet again and we deserved a clean sheet in [Saturday’s 4-1 win over] Crystal Palace. This was the key. When you work hard, when you sweat a lot, you cannot be nervous.
“What a young team can always do is fight, run, hang in there and make it like an adventure. It is a big step to be in a semi-final, it’s a big achievement when Chelsea has been last in a [Champions League] semi-final [seven years ago]. We are not used to being there.”
Advertisement
Chelsea will face either Real Madrid or Liverpool, who play the second leg of their quarter-final at Anfield tonight with the Spanish side leading 3-1.
“I don’t wish for anything but in general I like in Champions League not to play against teams in your own league because it gives a bit more the feeling of a European competition,” Tuchel said. “Whoever deserves it, the game is far from over but I will watch it for sure and it is a pleasure to watch it as a semi-finalist.”
Tuchel ticked off the first game in an important fortnight for Chelsea with Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City followed by a key fixture with West Ham United in the race for the Premier League’s top four.
Mateo Kovacic was a late withdrawal for last night’s second leg in Seville after injuring his hamstring, with the former Real midfielder not expected to be available for Saturday.
“We did it for Kova,” Tuchel said. “I think for sure out for the game against City as well, which was very sad for and was a big loss. We don’t have so many experienced players that have played Champions League many times.”
Advertisement
N’Golo Kanté returned from his own hamstring injury to replace Kovacic and completed the 90 minutes which Tuchel did not expect possible.
“N’Golo is incredible, he’s like one-and-a-half or two players,” Tuchel said. “Whenever anybody sees him for the first time they love him. All my family love him when they watch our games now. It’s so nice to have him, he wins so many balls, he gives everybody confidence.
“I’m not sure we make N’Golo start today if we have everybody available but this is perfect and now time to recover.”
