GUNNAR GET YOU
Tuchel chasing revenge for his ‘darkest hour’ and a Zlat reunion gave Solskjaer a birthday shocker
OLE Gunnar Solskjaer unwrapped two nasty surprises on his birthday yesterday.
Manchester United oldboy Zlatan Ibrahimovic is coming back to haunt him and Thomas Tuchel is promising revenge for his “darkest hour”.
The Reds were drawn against AC Milan in the Europa League last-16, meaning they will have to stop former favourite Ibrahimovic to keep their Euro dream alive.
And Chelsea boss Tuchel is also gunning for United when they meet tomorrow, after revealing they inflicted the worst
THOMAS TUCHEL has revealed Manchester United inflicted the worst defeat of his managerial career to date.
Tuchel admitted he was left in a “dark place” and could not even speak to anyone after his former club, Paris Saint-germain, lost to United in the Champions League round of 16 on away goals in March 2019, following Marcus Rashford’s 94th-minute penalty.
The Blues boss faces United again tomorrow at Stamford Bridge in what he describes as a “huge” game for Chelsea, as they try to hunt down Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team in the race for a top-four spot.
Tuchel said: “I didn’t experience anything like that ever again or before. After that match, I was for two days in a very dark place. I was not able to speak to anybody.
“It was the circumstances – the pressure around the club concerning the round of 16, the history before, the result of the first match (2-0 to PSG), and the way the second match went with the VAR decision in the last minute.
“It can teach you that you have to stand up and accept that a defeat is sometimes necessary to grow and to ask yourself decisive questions.
That can hurt and the reward was one year later when we arrived in the final. It was through adversity and it’s often said that it makes you stronger.
“We all know that defeats are hard to digest. Am I a good loser? So, so.
“But I love to turn it around. We love the competition and we love to win and love a good fight for it, and this is what we will hopefully get on Sunday.” Tuchel – who lost one and won one when PSG played United in this season’s Champions League group stage – also sees Solskjaer’s men as a huge test for his evolving Chelsea team.
“If we get a win out of this game, it is huge for us, and if they get a win, it is huge for them to increase the difference between us,” said Tuchel.
“It’s not out of reach, there are still many games to play.
“It can be a huge step, but you absolutely don’t want to lose against a direct opponent that are six points ahead of us.”
The German also admitted he wants to be “expressive” with his players in training – even if sometimes he struggles to hide his emotions.
Tuchel added: “It can be very positive – but they also see my anger sometimes!
“I can only be me because there’s no right or wrong in coaching, only the belief and the strength to do it your way.
“This is me being expressive – to be direct and to make them feel instantly what I like and what I don’t.”