Thomas Tuchel has promised Chelsea will “hunt” Manchester City from the opening day of next season in a push to close the 20-point gap that currently separates the sides in the Premier League.
Chelsea have a chance to show that chasm is not a true reflection of their relative quality when they face City in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final. Tuchel believes they can be the league leaders’ equals at Wembley but wants that to apply in the longer term too.
“We have to accept there is a gap between us and Manchester City,” he said. “If you look at the fixture in the Premier League [when City won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in January] and the fixtures in the last years, we have to accept this. And it’s important we accept this without making ourselves too small.
“So from next year on, from day one of next season we will hunt them, we will try to close the gap between us. And this is the benchmark. For me in Europe there are two teams who are the benchmark: Bayern Munich and Manchester City.”
Tuchel is yet to record a win over Pep Guardiola, whom he encountered in Germany when managing Mainz and Borussia Dortmund during his colleague’s time at Bayern Munich, and said “yes and no” when asked whether this was the first time they met as equals. But he thinks Chelsea, who could face as many as 12 games on European and domestic fronts over the next six weeks and could face City in the Champions League final, can repeat their recent form on Saturday.
“I don’t believe in how big clubs are, how tough or are we equal or not,” he said. “We have to admit there is a gap but for 90 minutes we are very self-aware and very self-confident that we believe we can close the gap tomorrow for one game.”
Given the range of outcomes still available to Chelsea this season, Tuchel said it was hard to say what they must do to offer City stiffer competition. “I will tell you maybe after the season where we are and where we need to improve and what the situation can be because the crucial moments come now,” he said.
“From next year on we will start like everybody expects from us and I expect from myself. We will [aim] to win the very first match, and from there prepare for every match to win it, then we will see how consistent we are and how good we are.”
Describing the semi-final as “the right moment for us to face a challenge like this”, Tuchel outlined how Chelsea could go toe to toe with Guardiola’s team. “I expect a very high-intensity, demanding match,” he said. “City define themselves with a clear DNA and style. They want the ball, high possession, high ball recoveries. We want that too so we have to fight for these moments and make them suffer. We need to be very brave, play with courage, be adventurous and do what’s needed.”
Tuchel described Guardiola as “a huge influence” and recalled an animated meeting between the pair in December 2014, when they had dinner in Munich and “used what was on the table” to discuss tactical ideas.
“It was about positions on the field and what he did with Barcelona,” he said. “He explained it to me and we had some drawings we used on the table to go through the positions and the tactical situations on the field.
“We were talking about how he changed Barcelona when he bought [Cesc] Fàbregas and what changed with the team. Just like two coaches talking normal stuff.”
Tuchel has nurtured his own style and it has resonated with the forward Hakim Ziyech, who is still accustoming himself to the manager’s animated touchline presence.
“I’ve never had a coach who has been like this,” Ziyech said. “But this is his style of managing and we personally have no problems with it. I think it’s only good for the players, to keep them sharp, and that’s the most important. Most of the time we are playing the game but he’s also really in it [with us] emotional-wise. Sometimes it’s good but sometimes you think, ‘Ooh, calm down’, but I think it’s good for everybody.”
N’Golo Kanté has been passed fit to play, but Mateo Kovacic is still absent with a hamstring injury. Andreas Christensen also remains on the sidelines.