Chelsea boss Tuchel says crackdown on Abramovich is no excuse to flop in Lille

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel vowed on Tuesday that his players would set aside the club's crippling off-field woes as they take on Lille in their pursuit of Champions League glory.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel says he will not allow his players to use the uncertainty surrounding the club's future to hamper their performance against Lille in the Champions League. AP - Neil Hall

The west Londoners go into Wednesday night's game at the Stade Pierre Mauroy nursing a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Stamford Bridge:

That game took place on 22 February. Two days later the Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his country's troops into neighbouring Ukraine.

Thousands of civilians and soldiers have died in the ensuing conflict and western governments have cracked down on wealthy Russian businessmen who they say have links to Putin.

The Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was drawn into the net and his assets were frozen five days ago throwing the club into administrative chaos.

Focus

"We must focus on what we can influence," said Tuchel on the eve of the second leg.

 "Things that are normally there ... are no longer there. There are limits on hotel rooms but we have to deal with it."

Tuchel's counterpart, Jocelyn Gourvennec, on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that the uncertainty swirling around the club would harm their performance.

"Look, they've been playing with these problems for a while and they've been winning games. You don't get the impression that they've been affected."

Success

Chelsea won European club football's most prestigious competition for the second time last May. They beat Manchester City 1-0 in the final courtesy of a strike from Kai Havertz.

 "Everyone knows it's a kind of a stange situation for everyone at the club right now," said Havertz who scored the opener in the first leg.

"But we are the footballers and we have to concentrate on playing the matches and that's the best we can do.

"All the other stuff ... the club has to sort that out. That's not for the players."

Tuchel says his side will have to be vigilant against a team who will go into the game as underdogs.

"Lille played a good match in the first leg," said Tuchel. "They were physical and went on the front foot. They pressed very well and played with lots of courage.

"I'm sure it will be the same in Lille."

Touching on his time as boss of Paris Saint-Germain, Tuchel added: "I know what kind of atmosphere they can get in the stadium.

"The team has nothing to lose and everything to win and I know Lille love this kind of scenario.

"They will not hesitate to ask questions of us with their direct style. We'll have to be prepared for that but we too have our qualities. It's half-time. No match is over at 2-0. We've seen that recently.

"We'll have to play well again to get past them."