Tuchel struggling to accept referee Mike Dean’s apology 

Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, has been left unimpressed by referee Mike Dean admitting he made a mistake on Cristian Romero’s hair pull on Marc Cucurella.

Tuchel revealed he was underwhelmed by VAR official Dean’s comments accepting he should have ordered a review of Romero’s tussle with Cucurella in Chelsea’s Premier League 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Romero had pulled Cucurella to the ground by his hair before Harry Kane headed in an added-time leveller at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel and Tottenham coach Antonio Conte were both sent off at full-time in the fall-out, with the Blues coach immediately lamenting Kane’s goal standing.

However, Dean admitted to Sportsmail that he should have asked referee Anthony Taylor to review the Romero-Cucurella incident on the pitchside monitors, which might have allowed Chelsea to play out a 2-1 victory against Spurs.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League tie with Leeds United on Sunday, Tuchel admitted he could not take much solace in Dean admitting a mistake over an incident he considered so clear and obvious at the time.

Tuchel said, “Well hopefully I’m not too honest, but if the mistake is that big and that obvious what is the point of not admitting it if the whole world sees it?.

“I struggle to be fully impressed by the statement. It’s so clear and obvious I cannot understand how a referee cannot make the right decision.”