The Russian billionaire was one of seven oligarchs targeted
Thursday by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, all
described as part of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
Abramovich last week announced he was selling the club but
now his UK assets have been frozen, with strict restrictions placed on Chelsea,
including over the signing of new players and ticket sales.
Tuchel, as the face of Chelsea, has found himself in the
position of de facto club spokesman on the Abramovich situation in recent
weeks.
Guardiola, speaking to the reporters, conceded it was an
awkward situation for a football manager to deal with.
“When there was Covid we were asked to talk like doctors on
the medicine, the vaccines,” he said. “It looks like when we speak here we have
to know absolutely everything.
“We are the face of the club, we are right here every three
days, so you ask whatever you want, but you have to understand that there are
subjects we don’t know, and we don’t have a one-hour lesson to speak or talk
about what you are asking for.
“It’s uncomfortable and I feel sorry for them because they
are there to do the jobs as well as possible.”
The sanctions cast uncertainty over the immediate future of
Chelsea, who had been linked with a series of potential new billionaire owners
over the past week.
Asked about the implications of a Premier League rival being
so dramatically hampered, Guardiola would only say: “I don’t have enough
opinions, sorry. I saw the headlines but I don’t know exactly the reason why
what happened.
“The reason why there is this ban? I don’t know the reason
why. For something wrong with the club? For the war in Ukraine? Europe? Russia?
I don’t know.”
AFP