Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel criticized referee Anthony Taylor and VAR for their decisions in their 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, saying his side deserved to win.
Harry Kane’s last-gasp header earned Tottenham a point in a torrid draw that ended with red cards for Tuchel and Spurs manager Antonio Conte.
Tuchel said he felt Kai Havertz had been fouled in the build-up to Tottenham’s first equaliser, and that Richarlison was offside and blocking goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s view.
He added that Tottenham centre-back Christian Romero had pulled the hair of new signing Marco Cucurello shortly before Kane’s dramatic equaliser.
“Trade someone for their hair, stay on the pitch and attack the last corner. This is without any explanation for me, and I don’t want to accept it,” Tuchel told reporters.
“Both goals shouldn’t have stood and it’s a fair result because we were brilliant, deserved to win. This is my point of view.”
An online petition calling for Taylor not to be refereed at Chelsea was launched on change.org shortly after the draw and has received more than 64,000 signatures.
When asked about the opinion of Chelsea fans that Taylor should not be allowed to referee the club’s matches in the future, Tuchel said: “Maybe it would be better that way.”
“But to be honest, we also have VAR to help make the right decision,” added Tuchel, who could face sanctions for criticizing the referee. “If he doesn’t see it, I don’t blame him. I didn’t see it.
“But we have people in VAR checking it. Then you see it and how can it not be a free kick and a red card? In this case, it is not even relevant to the arbitrator.
“A huge, huge misinterpretation of situations. I’m happy to release the game, but release it in every direction please, not like this. I don’t even know if I will now be punished for my sentences.”
When told he was likely to miss Chelsea’s next Championship match against Leeds United on August 21, Tuchel said: “So… good. I can’t coach, but the referee can blow the whistle for the next game.”
