Football

Thomas Tuchel’s warning to Graham Potter about Carlo Ancelotti as Chelsea draw Real Madrid

Thomas Tuchel has warned Graham Potter to be wary of Carlo Ancelotti's capabilities ahead of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid.

The Blues face the Spanish giants over two legs this month, with the first leg taking place at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Tuchel, who succeeded Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager in January, knows his former Paris Saint-Germain boss Ancelotti well, having worked under him during his spell in the French capital.

And the German has warned Potter, who recently replaced Ancelotti as manager of Brighton, that the 60-year-old is one of the most experienced and successful managers in the world.

“Carlo has a lot of experience in the Champions League, he has a lot of big titles in his career,” Tuchel said.

“He was my coach in Paris and he is one of the best coaches in the world, so it's a great challenge for us to play against him.

“It's a great opportunity for us to play against one of the most experienced and successful coaches in the world. It will be a great experience for us.”

Tuchel also took the time to praise Ancelotti's side and admitted that they will pose a huge threat to Chelsea's hopes of reaching the Champions League final.

“Real Madrid are a very experienced team, they have a lot of big players, a lot of big names, a lot of big stars,” he added.

“They know how to win, they know how to defend, they know how to attack and they have a lot of quality.”

The first leg of the semi-final takes place at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, with the second leg scheduled for the Santiago Bernabeu a week later.