Thomas Tuchel would welcome ‘a message for peace’ on Chelsea shirts

Telecommunications company Three announced the suspension of its partnership with the Blues on Thursday

Three have suspended their deal with the club (Getty Images)

Thomas Tuchel would be open to Chelsea wearing "a message for peace" on their shirts after sponsor Three suspended their deal with the club following the sanctions against owner Roman Abramovich.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich's UK assets - including Chelsea - are now frozen, with the west London club handed a special licence to continue with "football-related activities".

Telecommunications company Three announced the suspension of its partnership with the Blues on Thursday, including the removal of its branding from club strips.

And Tuchel, speaking after the Blues' win over Norwich on Thursday evening, said there should always be room for a peaceful message.

“You can always wear a message for peace and it can never be the wrong message,” he said. “Of course maybe the worry is to find enough shirts that we can play with the sanctions! But as long as we have enough shirts and as long as the bus is full of fuel we will arrive and we will be competitive.

"This is what everybody can be sure of and what we demand of ourselves. When it’s a big storm you dig in and you are all together.”

Goals from Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz earned Chelsea all three points at Carrow Road as the team put the off-field drama to one side for the evening.

Tuchel though admits the “noise” surrounding the club is impossible for players and staff to ignore.

“It’s always the best way, to carry on winning,” he added. “It’s maybe a bit more difficult because of the noise. Some players will feel uncertainty, some will maybe be a bit frightened, some will be concerned.

"It’s normal and it’s also not only about the players. We have a lot of people in the staff and the club who are also maybe also worried and scared and uncertain.”

Chelsea’s next outing comes against newly Saudi-backed Newcastle, a game which could be the last for the foreseeable future where non-season ticket holders will be allowed to attend under the terms of the government licence.

Asked if neutral fans will want neither team to win on Sunday, Tuchel replied: “Maybe, but I don’t care, I want us to win. I tell you it will be a difficult one because Newcastle is strong; very, very strong.

“It’s a different Newcastle and they produce a lot of results. So I’m expecting a very, very tough game. Sorry, but I don’t care so much what the neutral spectators think about who should win.

“I think in the end, everybody wants to be excited to watch games and want to be entertained and this is what we’re up to.

“In the moment we try to have the focus right and tried to have the attitude right and the guys do this in a very impressive way and we need it on Sunday.”