Thomas Tuchel has claimed that it is easier to manage Romelu Lukaku than Neymar or Kylian Mbappe as the Chelsea boss aimed a dig at his former club, Paris Saint-Germain.
Tuchel, 48, spent two years with the French giants, taking them to the Champions League final in 2019, only to fall at the final hurdle to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
The Parisians dismissed the German coach last December, and he has since gone on to win the Champions League with Chelsea and has transformed the club into title contenders this campaign.
And during an appearance at the 'Festival dello Sport', organised by Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tuchel shared his thoughts on Chelsea, PSG and managing star players.
The Italian outlet has released some of the interview in advance of its release in their 'Sportsweek' magazine, in which the German compared new £97million signing Lukaku to PSG stars Neymar and Mbappe.
'It's easier to coach Lukaku than Neymar or Mbappe,' he said via BeSoccer.
On the differences between Chelsea and PSG, Tuchel added that he needed to use his diplomacy skills while in Paris.
'They are two completely different clubs with regards to style and organisation,' he said.
'At PSG, I felt I was the Minister for Sport. I had to also manage family members and friends of the stars.
'At Chelsea, I work much more calmly.'
The Blues currently sit atop the Premier League table after eight games, holding a one-point lead over rivals Liverpool ahead of their clash with Norwich on Saturday.