In reality, this isn’t Thomas Tuchel’s club. He didn’t bring aboard any of those who are performing for him as manager of Chelsea. He wasn’t involved in any of the transfer decisions, didn’t recommend or recruit a single one of their high-priced signings. And yet, with each passing week, every mounting result, Chelsea is becoming Tuchel’s squad. The players are clearly buying into what he’s selling, and it’s working for them on the pitch.

The stunning ouster of Spanish power Atletico Madrid from the Round of 16 in the Champions League put all the other sides on notice that Chelsea is worthy of reckoning for any club which draws them in the quarter-finals. Indeed the latest Champions League betting lines show the Stamford Bridge side as the fifth choice in the odds to win the title at +800.

Finally Moving On

The Champions League Round of 16 had developed into a brick wall for Chelsea, one that continually was proving to be too slick to climb and too tall to scale. This week’s move to the quarter-finals was the first for the club since 2013-14.