Tuchel and Lijnders back Champions League move ahead of EFL Cup final

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and Liverpool’s Pep Lijnders were in agreement as they backed UEFA’s decision to move the Champions League final from St Petersburg.

Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday and that conflict escalated on Friday, with reports suggesting the fighting has now reached the capital of Kiev.

In response, many countries and organisations around the world have imposed sanctions on Russia, as well as Russian entities and individuals.

UEFA acted by moving the Champions League final to the Stade de France in Paris, a decision that The Russian Football Union (RFU) denounced, accusing UEFA of failing to detach sport from politics.

But Tuchel and Liverpool assistant Lijnders, whose sides face off in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, both shared the same opinion that it was the only decision to take.

When asked about moving the Champions League final, Tuchel – whose side won the competition last season – responded: “Yes. A clear yes, and sadly I think it’s the worse reason to change a location. 

“The absolutely worst reason. We feel horrible about it in general, it clouds our minds and focus, of course. We can absolutely understand the decision.

“At the moment, we don’t think so much about it [the Champions League final]. It’s nice you mentioned it and it’s like this the last two [years] because of coronavirus. We thought that this was not good news and now we have even worse news.

“There are things more important the focus from us, in general, sporting and globally speaking is not on the [Champions League] final.”

The 2021/22 #UCLfinal will move from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

Full statement 

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 25, 2022

Lijnders also echoed Tuchel’s thoughts, telling reporters: “What happens at the moment is truly awful, so serious, and as a football coach sitting here in front of sports journalists it is not a time to speak my personal opinion. 

“It doesn’t feel appropriate. What I can say is I’m a father, a brother, a son, a human being, a husband. It’s hard for all those people there and it’s just really frightening at the moment. 

“And of course it’s the right decision to move the Champions League final. I think each war is a true disappointment for human kind.”