The Blues have been in great form recently, emerging victorious in 11 of our last 12 fixtures in all competitions, with the only exception being the penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

The Champions League last-16 win over Lille on Wednesday evening made it five consecutive victories for Chelsea, a run of results and performances made even more impressive by the uncertainty and distraction created by Government sanctions and the potential for new owners coming in at the club.

However, our head coach believes that the standards demanded of anyone at Chelsea, along with the football-first mentality of the club, meant it was almost a given he and his players would be able to stay focused on maintaining their high levels.

‘I would actually say that surprised is the wrong word for me because I demanded it from myself and I felt the culture inside the building always very focused on football,’ said Tuchel. ‘Petr Cech is a perfect example of how you manage to be a player and what it takes to be a player for Chelsea. It’s on a daily basis, so actually I demand it more or less and I expected it almost, that we could do it.

‘That’s a part of it and it affects my mentality once you’re in this building and it brings out the very competitive attitude in you. If you play for Chelsea, if you have a contract with Chelsea, it makes you already special in what you do. We pointed that out to the players very clearly.

‘It makes you already special, it tells you already that you are competitive on a very high level of what you do and now is the moment to show it, now is the moment to dig in an prove it. So surprised is the wrong word. I am impressed but at the same time I demand it and expect it.’

Tuchel further explained that the club’s culture and the attitude of both staff and players at Chelsea made his job of keeping the team performing in such an unexpected situation easier, allowing him just to make sure the winning mentality already in place continued unhindered.

‘It is not so hard maybe as you think and the big help was that the mentality was already installed. I sometimes compare it maybe with if you go sailing on a long trip and if everything is organised you can make it through a storm, but if you start organising and reshaping your mentality while you are in the middle of the storm I think you are in trouble.

‘That’s why for me the culture of the club I found here, the football-first mentality from day one, and leaders like Petr, for example, who just live on a daily basis here around the team and make it clear to everybody what it takes to be a legend, is so important.

‘And then having captains and leaders like Thiago, like Azpi, like Jorginho, like Toni, all these guys, who do this on a daily basis. Then you know in good times and in calm times you are better prepared for uncertain times. Nobody knew that it would be this level of uncertainty and distraction, but still we are prepared in the best way possible.

‘This is maybe where the coach kicks in. I try to protect this kind of atmosphere and I try to install a certain atmosphere, but it’s the foundations, the people and the mindset and the culture of the people who work here. That’s why I’ve said many times the level of support and the quality of support and the culture in the club is exceptional.’