Tuchel insists he will use 'no comment' method on referees as Chelsea boss finds ban 'difficult to accept'

Thomas Tuchel has once again spoken out about Premier League referees as the Chelsea boss admitted his touchline ban was 'difficult to accept'.

Tuchel expects his appeal against his one-game ban on the touchline to fail, so he won't be in the dugout for Chelsea's game against Leicester on Saturday.

The German was fined £35,000 and given a suspended ban after his spat with Antonio Conte earlier this month in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Spurs.

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An independent disciplinary committee has suspended the sideline ban pending a possible appeal from Chelsea, allowing Tuchel to be in the dugout in Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Leeds.

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Tuchel challenged this decision after receiving the written reasons for the sanction, but the German coach does not hold any hope that the appeal will be overturned.

Conte was only fined £15,000 over Tuchel's punishment, leaving the Blues boss questioning the disparity.

Disciplinary chiefs described Tuchel's extended handshake with Conte as 'very provocative', but the Chelsea boss had other views.

“I think there are two sides to this, one is that I received a red card and behaved in a way that is not appropriate and I regret it”, said Tuchel.

"But it was out of passion and I don't think it's aggressive. But I can accept if I get a red card that there is a sideline ban.

"What's hard to accept is the context, the fact that I don't think I started the attack and that it started earlier. And we both got a red card.< /p>

"And for a firm handshake at the end of the game, a coach is banned, it's very difficult to accept, but I have to accept it.

"In the future, you won't hear any comments from me about referees. No matter how small, that's obviously what they want."

Tuchel continues to await the outcome of another FA disciplinary charge, to bring the game into disrepute for his comments on referee Anthony Taylor.

Tuchel said 'maybe it would be better' if Taylor no longer referees Chelsea after Tottenham's draw, lamenting a number of decisions that went against the Blues.

VAR manager Mike Dean later admitted in a newspaper column that he should have ordered Taylor to review Cristian Romero's haircut on Marc Cucurella, which went unpunished.

Harry Kane headed home from the resulting corner to rob Tottenham of a controversial 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, sparking nasty side-line scenes that led to Conte and Tuchel being sent off.< /p>

When asked if he had appealed his sideline ban, Tuchel replied: "Yeah, we answered and we are waiting for the final answer. But I don't think it will change anything. either.

"So for now, I think I'm going to be banned from the sidelines, and that's it.

"And we are trying to have a solution for this scenario that we have. The team will be well prepared and it will not be an excuse.

"I don't think I'll be on the bench so it's not 100% sure; we're awaiting the final response.

"I think I can't be on the sidelines as it seems, but I can be in the locker room."