Thomas Tuchel discusses how he's preparing for the FA Cup final
By Max Parsons
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he uses meditation to relax himself in preparation for big matches and jokingly claimed he can 'fly 20 or 30 centimetres off the floor'.
While the German cuts a stern figure on the touchline during games, and off of it for the most part too, he's revealed that pre-game he meditates to deal with the pressure of working at the highest level.
"I try to wake up early and do some sports and some meditation and then be ready to prepare the first meeting," Tuchel said (via The Mirror). "Just 20 §minutes breathe in, breathe out. And try hard to do nothing.
"Some years ago I came into this. It helped me and it was a nice experience. When I was a coach at Dortmund. Sometimes I do it twice a day, other times I forget and go without it for a couple of weeks. Usually I fly 20 or 30 centimetres off the floor. I glide around the room. No, it is nothing special. It is breathing and trying hard to do nothing.”
Tuchel has been Chelsea boss since January, after the sacking of Frank Lampard. The former PSG coach has done a fantastic job up to this point, so far overseeing 26 games as Chelsea boss, bagging 17 wins and elevating them into the Premier League top four. And the German believes that beating Leicester in Saturday's FA Cup final could be integral to the long-term success of the club.
"Given the fact we are a young team, it could be a huge step to overcome this obstacle and make the last step and have this experience together," he added. "It could be absolutely crucial. They can be crucial moments and in terms of development it can be a huge boost.
"We have some quite impressive memories now together with this squad. They are very reliable in crucial moments. We had a tough semi-final so yeah, we have all the right to be confident and are fully aware that we need another big step to fulfil our dream. We are Chelsea and we are about winning and we want to win titles, and as many as possible."
Tuchel will lead his players out to another final later this month, as Chelsea face Manchester City, who they overcame in the FA Cup semi final, to decide the Champions League crown on May 29.