Petr Cech full transcript as Chelsea chief talks Tuchel future, contracts and takeover bids

FA Cup clash with Chelsea over the weekend.Chelsea's away fans have been banned from the game, apart from tickets purchased before March 10, due to sanctions against Roman Abramovich. And the Blues had asked for the games to be played behind closed doors to keep the 'integrity'.However, Thomas Tuchel's side were forced to make an embarrassing u-turn after backlash from football fans.

Chelsea, saying that before he was about to sign for Liverpool, the club's owner Roman Abramovich turned up trying to get him to stay.The former England defender, 37, was at Stamford Bridge from 2003 to 2007 having joined from Portsmouth - before he made the move to Anfield. But before he signed on the dotted line, he had Abramovich - who is currently sanctioned for his ties with war aggressor Vladimir Putin - and his entourage at his home, attempting to persuade him to remain with the club.

Vladimir Putin impersonator has bundled a terrified Volodymyr Zelensky lookalike out of war-torn Ukraine — with the help of a Kim Jong-un doppelgänger. The Putin lookalike, Slawek Sobala from Poland, enlisted the help of Howard X, an impersonator of the North Korean despot, to take Umid Isabaev from Kyiv into Poland.The Zelensky lookalike had been working and living in Ukraine before Russia invaded, leaving him fearing for his safety.

Chelsea and claiming that the club "don't understand the seriousness" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was arrested for stealing a trainload of diesel according to BBC Panorama. The Russian oligarch, 55, has seen his assets seized by the UK Government - including Chelsea Football Club - as Boris Johnson orchestrates a crackdown on high-profile businessman with links to Vladimir Putin.

Chelsea supporters have hit out at Jamie Carragher for his Monday Night Football rant about their club - but fans of rival teams have rushed to support him.Liverpool hero Carragher said last week that United should try and tempt Thomas Tuchel to Old Trafford amid the uncertainly at Stamford Bridge.Having told presenter David Jones that he was had some heated conversations with Chelsea fans at their ground on Sunday - he explained why he believes they were being hypocritical.His views have been panned by Chelsea followers on social media, but supporters of others think he couldn't have been more accurate.One Twitter user wrote: "Carragher and Gary Neville need a brain scan. Not because there's anything wrong with their brains, just to check if they even have one."With a second adding: "Carragher has just done a MASSIVE disservice to the unbelievable work the academy does."A third said: "Carragher just lost the little bit respect Chelsea fans had for him.

Jamie Carragher has hit back after being slammed for suggesting Chelsea's rivals should try and take advantage of the current uncertainty surrounding Roman Abramovich. The 55-year-old confirmed his plans to walk away from the Blues earlier this month - just days before he was slapped with sanctions by the UK Government in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea could have the support of trillionaire backers should the Saudi Media Group be successful in their bid to buy the club from Roman Abramovich.Stamford Bridge chiefs have had interest from hundreds of potential backers following the news that Abramovich had chosen to sell before being frozen out after Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion begun.Having been linked to Todd Boehly and Nick Candy among others, the Saudi Media Group have put in a bid worth £2.7billion with Blues fan Mohamed Alkhereiji leading the pirate consortium.Although Alkhereiji's net worth is said to be in the region of around £1.7bn, the bid is said to have the backing of Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud.CBS Sports report that Khalid Al Saud, who is a member of the House of Saud, has offered up his support.The House of Saud are thought to have assets worth an astonishing £1.19trillion - which is far more than both Newcastle and Manchester City have at their disposal.While City owners the Abu Dhabi Group alongside Sheikh Mansour are thought to have a net worth of around £9.2billion, Newcastle's Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have around £500bn.However, there is one huge caveat to the Chelsea links - with Khalid Al Saud said to be involved in a supportive way to help find funding - and not funding a move himself.Will Chelsea win a major trophy this season? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionWith talks ongoing at Stamford Bridge, Roman Abramovich was seen for the first time in public after having his assets frozen by the UK government.The Russian oligarch was spotted in the VIP lounge at Ben Gurion International airport in Lod, Israel sporting a grey beard and glasses.Although he is barred from entering the UK due to long-standing visa

Vladimir Putin's number one fan has been slapped with a restraining order by his glam Russian wife less than a year after they got hitched. Self-proclaimed "freedom fighter" Simeon Boikov married Ekaterina Olshannikova, 25, also known as Katia Boikova, in a traditional orthodox ceremony last year.The New South Wales Police in Australia have issued an Apprehended Violence Order for Olshannikova to stop her estranged husband from assaulting, threatening, stalking and harassing her.As part of the conditions, crazed Boikov was ordered not to harm "an animal that belongs to or is in the possession" of his wife, reports Mail Online.Just two weeks before the AVO was issued, Boikov filmed a beach trip with Ekaterina which saw him comment on how happy they were together."That's Mrs Cossack, she's looking fine as usual," he commented in the video."It's great that we can celebrate one day a year with a bit of patriotism...

Roman Abramovich was slapped with sanctions, Chelsea Football Club was up for sale.Russian oligarch Abramovich has overseen the most successful period in the club's history and has massively increased its value to potential investors in the 19 years he has owned the club. He faces sanctions due to his connections with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president responsible for thousands of dead soldiers and civilians in Ukraine.

Chelsea by lodging a whopping £2.7billion bid.The Blues are up for sale after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government over his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.Several parties have gone public with their interest in buying the club since Abramovich announced his intention to sell the club following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The reigning European champions are currently operating on a day-to-day basis after government sanctions imposed on Abramovich and the club resulted in the Blues' revenue streams being put on hold.According to CBS, the Saudi Media Group have now launched a bid to buy the Premier League giants, lodging a £2.7billion for the club.The leader of the private consortium, Mohamed Alkhereiji is said to be a Chelsea fan and his bid has no direct links to the Saudi government.Newcastle United were purchased by a consortium fronted by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund back in October last year.However, Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family, is reportedly in support of finding funding and partners for the bid.Will Chelsea qualify for the Champions League this season? Let us know in the comments section below.Despite this, he has not yet backed the bid financially, according to CBS, and is also the chair of the Saudi Telecom Company [STC].STC is a state-owned Saudi corporation, with Newcastle's new owners still having a share in the business, although they did sell some in December.As a result, STC would be prevented from being a part of any consortium bidding to buy Chelsea due to the links with Newcastle.British billionaire property developer Nick Candy is one of a number of other potential buyers understood to have an interest in buying the club.Candy

Roman Abramovich has had all of his UK assets frozen after the Chelsea FC owner was slapped with big government sanctions.The Russian oligarch has a number of UK properties and is also said to owe the Queen £10,000 in rent.Due to his links with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Abramovich was sanctioned after the government highlighted his stakes in the steel company Evraz.It is claimed that Evraz steel has been used in the making of Russian tanks, currently engaged in the war in Ukraine, in which thousands have died and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

Rebel Wilson was the source of a few memorable moments at this year's BAFTA film awards, including a shock comment about estranged royals Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.The comments followed on from her performance in 2021, in which she took a dig at the disgraced Prince Andrew.Andrew - who this year paid damages to Virginia Giuffre, who accused the royal of sexually assaulting her - was unsurprisingly the butt of some of Rebel's jokes as she addressed the glitz and glamour in front of her.Andrew has always denied Giuffre's claims.She said: "So I was going to do a musical number as host, it was about Prince Andrew though. Um, no guys, it's no, it's not what you think."It was on roller skates, it's called Pizza Express.

Chelsea handed out huge fees to agents right before Roman Abramovich was sanctioned on March 10.Data from February 2021 via the FA show that they paid £35million to intermediaries last year, the highest of any Premier League club.And fees this year were paid just days before Abramovich had his assets in the UK frozen over links to Russia president Vladimir Putin.Agents paid will have included the likes of Mino Raiola, who represents summer signing Romelu Lukaku.According to The Athletic, Chelsea usually make commission payments biannually, with intermediaries ordinarily paid in September and February.The most recent payment date would have fallen shortly before the sanction saga began, which has caused huge financial worry for Chelsea, the team, the staff, and the fans.Additionally, some 1,000 jobs are on the line owing to the sanctions currently put on the club by the UK government. Technical director Petr Cech even admitted he “didn’t have the answers” about whether the side would be able to pay staff.The club are operating but only under a special licence from the government that makes them functional as a sports team rather than as an enterprise.What do you think the future holds for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments section.The club’s oligarch owner is looking to sell the club amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Chelsea owner Ken Bates has blasted the impact of government’s sanctions against Roman Abramovich, joking that president Vladimir Putin would be “s****** himself” in response to the latest measures.Abramovich had his assets frozen in the UK after being sanctioned on March 10, forcing Chelsea to operate under a special sporting licence which limits what they can do.The Russian oligarch was in the process of selling the club, with several interested parties understood to be lining up bids, but those plans were brought to a grinding halt by the sanctions imposed on the Russian.Under the terms of the licence, European champions Chelsea cannot sell tickets or merchandise, buy or sell players, or offer new contracts until May 31 — leaving the club facing an uncertain future as they struggle to cope with their weekly costs.Bates bought Chelsea for £1 in 1982 before selling to Abramovich in July 2003 for around £140million, and the club have experienced a successful period under his ownership with 21 trophies in 19 years.And the 90-year-old, who now resides in tax haven Monte Carlo, was critical of the measures implemented that have left Chelsea potentially facing financial ruin. “The fact that you can't buy a Chelsea match programme must mean that Putin is s*****g himself and all the ordinary people of Moscow are hiding in their cellars because they can't see a Chelsea match on TV,” he told the Daily Mail.“As usual it is the ordinary people who are suffering.

BAFTA 2022 Film Awards are taking place amid Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. And Millie Mackintosh showed solidarity with war-torn Ukraine as she wore a blue and yellow ribbon as she graced the red carpet at London's Albert Hall on Sunday. The Made in Chelsea star, 32, was the picture of elegance in a stunning blush one-shoulder gown, which featured a dramatic puff sleeve and a large bow cascading down her pencil skirt.

Chelsea fans following a bizarre piece of defending against Newcastle.With the club looking for a vital winning goal with only 30 minutes remaining, the ball rolled towards the Chelsea touchline with Miguel Almiron giving chase.Instead of just tapping the ball back to Edouard Mendy without fuss, the German international defender did a hop, skip and jump to the bemusement of supporters.After going on to win 1-0 thanks to a piece of brilliance from Kai Havertz, the actions of Rudiger seemed more entertaining - with many reacting on social media.One fan wrote on Twitter: "He wants to become a logo or something."With a second asking: "What goes through Rudiger’s mind man."A third continued: "Nearly all Chelsea fans look forward to some gimmick like this from Rudiger every matchday."With a fourth concluding: "Who doesn’t love watching this man play for my club."Would Antonio Rudiger be the biggest loss to Chelsea this summer? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionDespite the love for Rudiger from supporters, he could leave the club on a free transfer this summer if current rules regarding spending are not altered.Thomas Tuchel said of his defender earlier in the season: "We absolutely accept and are fully aware of the importance of Toni and the role that he’s playing on and off the pitch."There is no doubt about that."It’s true that nobody is bigger than the club and this is a team effort and a strong club. "It’s not only about Toni and I mean that in the best way because we know what he’s doing and we’re fully aware of it."In the end, we need a bit of patience.

Thomas Tuchel has insisted he'll "drive a seven-seater" if that's what it takes to ensure Chelsea fulfil their Champions League fixture with Lille on Wednesday night.The Blues were slapped with a number of restrictions this week following the UK Government's decision to sanction club owner Roman Abramovich and freeze his assets.Among the limitations, the European champions have been prohibited from spending any more than £20,000 on travel to any away fixture.Some Chelsea fans joked in the week that the club's squad may have to take the Megabus to France to fulfil their Champions League clash with Lille, but Tuchel has himself pitched an alternative means of transport.Following the Blues 1-0 success over Newcastle on Sunday, the German addressed the uncertainty surrounding travel arrangements and quipped that he would "drive a seven-seater" himself in order to ensure Chelsea played the second leg."My last information is we have a plane and we can go by plane and come back by plane," Tuchel declared."If not we go by train, if not by bus, if not I will drive a seven-seater.Will Chelsea make it through to the Champions League quarter-finals this week? Give us your thoughts in the comments section"If you asked me 30 years ago if I could join a Champions League match at the sideline, I'd say when do I need to be there and how do I need to be there."The Blues hold a 2-0 advantage heading into the second leg with Lille, courtesy of strikes from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic at Stamford Bridge, three weeks' ago.Despite uncertainty surrounding his future, Tuchel was clearly in a jovial mood after Havertz hit a superb late winner against the Magpies on Sunday.Discussing said future, the Chelsea manager confirmed he would stay

Chelsea owner Nick Candy was spotted in the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after he explained why he is so keen to save the club.The lifelong Blues fan is said to be organising a consortium with a view of taking over the club while making sure fans have a bigger involvement going forward.The proposal is said to include a £1.5billion rebuild of Stamford Bridge, in a deal that could be worth a total of £2.5bn.That update came before Candy was spotted entering and sitting in the crowd at Stamford Bridge to watch their 1-0 Premier League victory over Newcastle.Candy himself told Sky Sports at the game: "I’ve supported Chelsea since the age of four. "My dad was asked to play for Chelsea.

Do you think Chelsea will be able to complete the season despite their current financial restraints? Let us know in the comments section.Mason Mount has become an integral part of this Chelsea squad since breaking through under Frank Lampard.Since Tuchel arrived at Stamford Bridge, his status as the Blues' main man has only heightened - and it's fair to say the German has a lot of trust in his English superstar.So much so, that he took a risk for this game and deployed Mount in an unfamiliar deeper role, with Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz given the nod to form an attacking trio.That meant Mount played in a three-man midfield alongside N'Golo Kante and Jorginho, but Tuchel's tactical switch-up saw the Three Lions star endure a frustrating afternoon.He got forward on occasions - and was close to opening the scoring in the first half - but he wasn't able to have a huge impact on the game.Indeed, Mount was replaced in the 63rd minute after enduring a difficult afternoon. Romelu Lukaku's recent struggles have been well documented - but Chelsea could have done with the big Belgian on the pitch for longer than 30 minutes.

Chelsea for the foreseeable future with those close with the player blasting recent suggestions of a move away as ‘bulls***t.’ Reports in Italy emerged last week purporting that the Blues striker was hoping to forge a move back to Inter Milan even if it meant a lower salary. But the Daily Star has been told that such reports are not true, with a source close to the player slamming the stories as ‘bullsh**t to sell papers.’ Reports had suggested that the former Everton attacker was willing to lower his wages in order to jump ship back to Inter, but this has been vehemently denied by those close to Lukaku, with his eyes firmly set on continuing his second tenure at Chelsea.