Abramovich to remain Chelsea owner, despite handing over stewardship and care to trustees

Abramovich will still be able to invest his money in the club - as things stand

Roman Abramovich will reportedly remain as Chelsea owner, despite the release of a dramatic statement which confirmed he would be relinquishing the stewardship and care of the club to trustees of its charitable foundation. The statement, released on Saturday evening, comes at the end of a week in which the UK government placed sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Some reports earlier in the day had suggested Chelsea faced the possibility of going out of business should their owner find himself the subject of any such sanctions. Although Saturday's statement appeared to mark a significant step for Abramovich, The Telegraph report that he will remain Chelsea's owner and - assuming he is not hit with any sanctions - will still be permitted to invest money in the club. The decision means the trustees of the club's charitable foundation, headed by chairman Bruce Buck, will be handed the running of the club. Chelsea remain insistent that this does not mean the club is for sale or that it will be for sale in the near future. They also claim that the decision was not an attempt to avoid sanctions but to protect the club from reputational and strategic damage. The move comes on the eve of the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, where Chelsea take on Liverpool. Manager Thomas Tuchel admitted on Friday that the situation in Ukraine was "clouding" the minds of his players and staff but that he understood why the club may be the subject of criticism as a result of the invasion. "Still there are so many uncertainties around the situation of our club, in the UK with scenarios like this, that it makes no sense if I comment on it," he said. "We're aware of it, we haven't got so much insight or inside information than you might think, and in the very end, I think it's also the right from the team and staff to be not political, to focus on sports. Not because we are hiding, but the situation is clear, it's horrible, no doubt about it. "I'd love to take my right not to comment on it until there is a decision made. It's distracting us, it's worrying us, to a certain degree I can understand it, I can understand the critical opinions towards the club and us who represent it. We cannot fully free ourselves from it." Related links:

• Roman Abramovich hands over stewardship and care of Chelsea
• Chelsea could go out of business if Roman Abramovich faces sanctions
• Roman Abramovich’s daughter makes anti-Putin post on Instagram