“DEVASTATED” Thomas Tuchel has broken his silence following his Chelsea sacking.
And the German revealed his pain at writing the statement “many years” earlier than he had hoped.
Tuchel, 49, was sacked on Wednesday morning, hours after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
He begged with the new owners to be kept on and given more time in a brief ten-minute meeting but Boehly and his team had already made their decision.
Tuchel – who will get a £13million pay-off just a year after winning the European Cup – said: “This is one of the most difficult statements I have ever had to write – and it is one which I hoped I would not need to do for many years.
“I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end.
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“This is a club where I felt at home, both professionally and personally.
“Thank you so much to all the staff, the players and the supporters for making me feel very welcome from the start.
“The pride and joy I felt at helping the team to win the Champions League and the Club World Cup will stay with me forever.
“I am honoured to have been a part of this club’s history and whatever the future holds for me, the memories of the last 18 months will always have a special place in my heart.”
Chelsea wasted no time in replacing Tuchel as they paid Graham Potter’s compensation fee to Brighton and landed the Englishman.
Potter, 47, signed a five-year deal worth £10m per season at Stamford Bridge and is viewed as the man to lead the Boehly era in the long term with his fine tactics and impressive man management.
The former Ostersunds and Swansea boss penned an open letter to Seagulls supporters, published on Sunday morning, to explain his decision and thank the Amex club for three successful years on and off the pitch.
Potter said: “I bid farewell to a great club and one that will always mean so much to me and my family.
“For some, I recognise that the change that comes so suddenly in football can be hard to accept.
“I may not be able to persuade you all to forgive my departure – but I would at least like to take the chance to say thank you.
“I hope that you will understand that at this stage of my career, I felt I had to grasp a new opportunity.”
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It remains unclear when and where Potter will take charge of his first game as Chelsea manager.
The Blues are due to host Liverpool on Sunday afternoon but with The Queen’s funeral in London on Monday, it could be moved to Anfield or even postponed due to the strain on the Metropolitan Police.
