Chelsea's decision to sack Tuchel labelled 'very brutal' as Malouda questions former club's strategy

• Tuchel sacked on Wednesday
• Malouda left confused by decision
• Admits to being worried about what's next

WHAT HAPPENED? Despite new ownership, the Blues are still taking a no-nonsense approach when it comes to their decision-making. Malouda will be well aware of the revolving-door nature of the job having worked under eight different managers during his six-year stay at Chelsea, but he feels that Tuchel's sacking wasn't necessarily justified despite a loss to Dinamo Zagreb the day before.

WHAT HE SAID: Speaking to BBC Sport, the Frenchman said: "It has been a successful era, I am talking about the coach. I have witnessed a lot of finals and a lot of finals won, that shows you the level of performance you have to give. You don’t have time, this is the reality. It is very brutal. That is my first impression.

"I am curious about what comes next but also worried. We are talking about a top coach who made a huge impact but it is like it didn’t last. It is not about who is guilty, it is about where we are going next."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The statement released by Chelsea in the aftermath of their decision highlights that it wasn't purely on-field matters that led to their decision. A breakdown behind the scenes between Tuchel and the club's new hierarchy was perhaps the final straw as far as Todd Boehly and Co were concerned.

STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA: The search for a new manager looks set to be a very brief one. Multiple reports have stated that Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino are the frontrunners with the former already said to be in negotiations with the club.