"A bit of sadness at the moment" - Chelsea star says Thomas Tuchel was 'frustrated' after being sacked as Blues manager
Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has addressed the departure of former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel. The German tactician was relieved of his duties last week after Chelsea fell to a 1-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Speaking after the Blues' 1-1 draw against RB Salzburg, the veteran forward told Hayters TV (reported via Metro):
"Everyone knows the relationship that I had with Thomas. It’s always sad when someone leaves the club. Obviously, I just saw him for a few days. When you play football you have to adapt very quickly to some moments in the season, this can happen."
When asked if he has reached out to Tuchel, Aubameyang said:
"Not yet. I think he was a bit frustrated and sad, obviously, I will try to talk to him as soon as possible. It’s been a crazy week for all of us, that’s part of life, we have to adapt, I think it’s a bit of sadness at the moment, hopefully, we’ll get back to better days soon."
He added:
"Obviously, I think it’s a bit strange for everybody, not only for me, but as I said, this is football, you have to adapt, when you play for Chelsea you need results as soon as possible, that’s why I’m a bit frustrated today."
Graham Potter has replaced Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea
Tuchel was replaced by Graham Potter. He took charge of his first match for the Blues against Salzburg. Aubameyang started upfront for the Blues and was replaced by Armando Broja in the second half.
Speaking about the nature and tactical setup of his new boss, the former Barcelona forward said:
"I think he’s a person who’s really positive, he’s a great character so we will try to learn with him, to win as soon as possible. I think his idea is very clear, so I think it’s going to be easy. Obviously it takes time to adapt to each other."
Graham Potter's reaction after tonight's #UCL draw with Salzburg... 🎙
With Chelsea's weekend fixture against Liverpool postponed due to the death of UK monarch Elizabeth II, the Blues will next be seen in action post the international break. They will visit Crystal Palace on Saturday, October 1.
Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II before tonight’s game with a minute’s silence. https://t.co/nXsPTggj41