Seven games into the Premier League season, Chelsea sacked Thomas Tuchel after a series of underwhelming performances, the latest being a 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Tuchel, who took charge last year in January, is the third high-profile sacking, preceded by Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech, as the new ownership led by Todd Boehly wants to erase the legacy of Roman Abrahomovic’s era.
Tuchel has reportedly lost the confidence of the dressing room because of his very authoritative approach. As per the DailyMail, Tuchel’s personal life was on the lips of Chelsea players, especially his love affair following his divorce.
Last year Tuchel confirmed a divorce with his now ex-wife Sissi after 13 years of marriage. Soon after the divorce, Tuchel was spotted with his new girlfriend Natalie Max in Sardinia, where they stayed in a £20,000-a-night villa.
Tourists who saw the couple in Sardinia told they were seen chilling in the swimming pool, and had dinner in the nearby restaurant, before heading to a private boat on Caprera Island.
Natalie is based out of London, where she lives in a posh villa and runs a very successful business. She has two children from her previous marriage.
It is believed that Tuchel’s private life changed the perception of Chelsea players in the dressing room. The players also realized the tactical ineptitude and saw Tuchel succumbing to pressure.
Chelsea spent a heft sum to acquire Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan, but he never managed to leave his impression in the entire season, and he is already back in Italy. Timo Werner is another striker who failed to blossom under Tuchel’s era, while his compatriot Kai Havertz has been far from fluent.
Despite the failures in the Premier League, Tuchel will be remembered fondly by the fans, as he is one of the two managers in the club’s history to win the Champions League. Chelsea is looking for replacements, and their first target is Brighton’s current manager Graham Potter. They will be in action this Saturday for an away clash versus the newly promoted Fulham FC.
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