Yahoo Finance Thomas Tuchel plays down Daniel Amartey pennant incident as Chelsea beat Leicester in Stamford Bridge battle
Daniel Amartey was booked following a touchline row
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Thomas Tuchel says his players needed no added motivation to beat Leicester City after watching Daniel Amartey throw a Chelsea pennant following the FA Cup Final.
Leicester star Amartey was filmed on team-mate Wesley Fofana’s Instagram live throwing the ceremonial Chelsea pennant over his head in the Wembley changing rooms after Leicester’s 1-0 Cup Final win at Wembley on Saturday.
The two teams faced off again on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge in a must-win game for both sides given they are fighting for a Premier League top-four finish - and Chelsea took a huge step towards Champions League qualification with a 2-1 win.
The top four rivals clashed repeatedly in the closing stages of the game: Amartey, an unused substitute, was booked for his part in the altercations, with Chelsea players including Antonio Rudiger, Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva all in the thick of an extended melee.
Tuchel insisted, however, he had not even discussed the pennant issue with his squad.
“I did not talk about it; I know there was that incident, but I did not talk about it before the match or in any meetings,” said Tuchel.
“The players were well aware. But I’m not into these things too much, because it can sometimes give you too much energy and feelings of revenge. I don’t like this at all.
“We do what we do and that’s to play football on the highest level possible.
“We need energy and hunger and that makes us a difficult team to play. And there’s nothing more I can say about it.”
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers insisted the officials handled the situation perfectly, and that none of the players overstepped the mark.
“It was two sets of players in a competitive situation, and that’s what happens obviously when you have two games in quick succession and we’re fighting for the points like they are,” said Rodgers.
“The referees and the officials dealt with it well, so it’s okay.”
Additional reporting by PA.
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