Thomas Tuchel does not understand that there are still only three substitutions in the Premier League and that there is no winter break due to the overcrowded program. Within the Chelsea squad, the German manager has not yet had to contend with a corona outbreak, but he hopes that it will soon be possible to use five substitutions during matches.
Chelsea will face Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening, while it also played against Aston Villa (1-3 win) on Boxing Day on Sunday. Tuchel has no problem with the overcrowded schedule, but is baffled by the unwillingness to again allow five substitutions during a game, which was allowed at the height of the corona pandemic last season. “I absolutely cannot understand, zero percent, why we are the only league to continue in the winter and we are the only league to have three substitutions in a period of severe, severe corona threat and situations,” Tuchel said at the run-up press conference. to the Brighton duel.
“It makes absolutely no sense,” continued the German coach. “The current situation is worrying. The game schedule is not the problem, we like the schedule. Those five substitutions were allowed in England when the corona virus emerged. Now that we’re in the middle of it, I get the feeling that everyone is refusing to think about it. For me it makes sense to allow this, because the coronavirus affects everyone. You need more options to protect the players and divide the playing minutes among them.”
The league organizer decided last week to play football on Boxing Day, despite 103 players and staff members testing positive for the coronavirus last week. Due to the many corona cases, various selections are struggling with a shortage of players. Three Premier League matches were lost on Boxing Day, while Arsenal – Wolverhampton and Leeds – Aston Villa could not continue on Tuesday. There will also be a line through Everton – Newcastle United next Thursday.