Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has suggested that he does not rank his side as one of the favourites to win the Champions League this season.
The Blues head into their second group game against Juventus as reigning champions, having beaten Manchester City in Porto at the end of the last season for just their second European crown.
Chelsea got the defence of their title off to the best possible start during matchday one with a slender 1-0 victory against Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg.
Despite that, Tuchel has suggested that he does not see his side as being one of the favourites to repeat their success, although some are still touting the Blues to challenge once more.
Talking in his pre-match press conference ahead of a clash with Italian giants Juventus, he said: “We have the experience that there's a higher value to play against us, there's a higher motivation to play against us.
“We have to accept this, it's our fault: we have won this competition.
“It's no secret we like this role to come from an outsider or challenger for this title, which we still are. I don't think we are the favourites but we showed everybody the performances we're capable of.
“And that's now on us, it's very important that we make ourselves free from these expectations, and these expectations do not become our expectations and we stay realistic that we have absolutely clear from us what we demand from us.”
One of those to have given his backing to Chelsea ahead of the campaign was former Tottenham and current Paris Saint-Germain Mauricio Pochettino.
Despite having the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar at his disposal in the French capital, the Argentine instead sees the Blues as the side to be shot at.
Talking ahead of the season, he said: “Of course, it is clear with the names that we have in the team today, it can create the sensation that we are the team to beat but like you said very well, Chelsea is the defending champion of this competition.
“Therefore, I would say that Chelsea are the team to beat. They reinforced their team, have signed players and I would say they have invested financially a lot more than Paris Saint-Germain.”
