Who will win the UEFA Champions League 2020/21?

[KingKhanWC]

Chelsea have all the attributes to beat city, key area midfield, Kante could boss it

Kante was immense, the man is nothing short of a machine!

He is the only player who can upset the passing game of City. If there are no awful errors from Chelsea, it will take a huge effort to beat them in normal time.

Its a shame Turkey wont be on the green list, a perfect time to head off to Istanbul, weather, food and footy.

 

[topspin]

Only Madrid stands between City and UCL glory now. If they do not turn the tables today, you may as well hand the trophy to Pep now.

City vs Chelsea final would be like Liverpool vs Spurs. There is no way Chelsea will beat City in the UCL final just like there was no chance of Spurs causing an upset.

I really hope you're right but as someone who is rooting for City and is hoping for anyone but Chelsea to win it at the same time, I would rather face Madrid than City.

This Madrid side would get beaten by City 9 times out of 10. Whereas I feel City are capable of beating Chelsea 7 or at most 8 times out of 10.

Just as we saw earlier, there's no way Madrid would be able to keep up with City. As for Chelsea, they are used to the pace of the PL and are on a good run. They know how to beat City especially having beaten them recently in the FA Cup. Everything seems to be going Chelsea's way in this CL. The draw has always favoured them right from the outset. They had the easiest group.

I really hope you're right but I have a horrible feeling Chelsea might just fluke in the final like Pakistan did in the 2017 CT

 

[Manunited18]

Kante was immense, the man is nothing short of a machine!

He is the only player who can upset the passing game of City. If there are no awful errors from Chelsea, it will take a huge effort to beat them in normal time.

Its a shame Turkey wont be on the green list, a perfect time to head off to Istanbul, weather, food and footy.

Yep absolutely, what's place for A show piece, fantastic weather, food, a beutiful country

 

[Mamoon]

I really hope you're right but as someone who is rooting for City and is hoping for anyone but Chelsea to win it at the same time, I would rather face Madrid than City.

This Madrid side would get beaten by City 9 times out of 10. Whereas I feel City are capable of beating Chelsea 7 or at most 8 times out of 10.

Just as we saw earlier, there's no way Madrid would be able to keep up with City. As for Chelsea, they are used to the pace of the PL and are on a good run. They know how to beat City especially having beaten them recently in the FA Cup. Everything seems to be going Chelsea's way in this CL. The draw has always favoured them right from the outset. They had the easiest group.

I really hope you're right but I have a horrible feeling Chelsea might just fluke in the final like Pakistan did in the 2017 CT

Tuchel’s defensive organization is incredible. Completely stifled Madrid who did not look like scoring at any point.

But City and Pep have been waiting for this moment for years. Their confidence is sky high right now and they will make sure that they are 100% switched on in the final.

I expect City to win 2-0 with Fernandinho and Aguero lifting the trophy together.

A fairy-tale ending for Aguero.

 

[PetroDollars]

RM look terrible, just less than LP.

In the final if tuchel sets up defensivly like pep did against PSG, i dont see them losing it, There defensive would have to be at there best though.

 

[MenInG]

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard has apologised for laughing with Chelsea players after his side were knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals.

The former Chelsea man, 30, was seen joking and smiling with his former team-mates at the final whistle.

Hazard said on Instagram it was "not my intention to offend Real Madrid fans".

Hazard was substituted before full-time after failing to have an impact on the game, which the Spanish giants lost 2-0 as Chelsea progressed 3-1 on aggregate.

Hazard, who left Stamford Bridge in 2019, has received much criticism from Real Madrid fans and the Spanish media, with some calling for him to be transferred.

Hazard helped Chelsea, who will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League final, to two Premier League and two Europa League trophies.

The Belgian, who has scored only four goals in 40 appearances for Real, said it was "always my dream to play for Real Madrid and I came here to win".

They are second in La Liga with four games to go, two points behind local rivals Atletico Madrid.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

UEFA will hold talks with the UK government on Monday about moving the UCL final from Istanbul to London

 

[topspin]

[/b]

Tuchel’s defensive organization is incredible. Completely stifled Madrid who did not look like scoring at any point.

But City and Pep have been waiting for this moment for years. Their confidence is sky high right now and they will make sure that they are 100% switched on in the final.

I expect City to win 2-0 with Fernandinho and Aguero lifting the trophy together.

A fairy-tale ending for Aguero.

After City's defeat yesterday, has your prediction changed?

 

[Mamoon]

After City's defeat yesterday, has your prediction changed?

No, because it was a weakened City side.

A full-strength City team with every player fully switched on will be a different beast in the Champions League Final.

There is no doubt that Tuchel’s Chelsea is an extremely well-drilled side and they will compete very well in the final,

but like the 2011 final between Barcelona and United, the 2013 final between Bayern and BVB, the 2014 and 2016 finals between Real and Atletico, the 2015 final between Barca and Juventus and the 2019 final between Liverpool and Spurs, there is a feeling of inevitability about this final as well.

You know the underdog will play well and rise to the occasions, but at the end of the 90 or 120 mins, you can only see the favorites (City on this occasion) lift the trophy.

 

[OMB]

heart says chelsea but head says MC.

 

[MenInG]

Uefa is set to decide by Wednesday whether to switch the Champions League final to Wembley from Istanbul because of travel restrictions.

European football's governing body will meet with UK government officials and the Football Association on Monday to discuss options for the final.

Chelsea face Manchester City in the final on 29 May.

But fans have been told not to travel after Turkey was put on England's travel red list.

Northern Ireland liaising with Uefa over scheduled friendly in Turkey
There is a fixture issue to resolve, as Wembley is scheduled to stage the Championship play-off final on 29 May. However, it is understood the EFL would consider moving the match if asked by Uefa, and its board would make the final call.

UK citizens returning from red list countries are required to quarantine at a government-approved hotel for 10 days.

Such a quarantine would have an impact on players involved in Euro 2020, which starts on 11 June.

Moving the final to Wembley would require the UK government to be flexible in allowing people into England, given the various stakeholders who would expect to attend.

It is understood one of the issues under consideration is possible quarantine exemptions, but no decisions have yet been made.

On Friday, transport secretary Grant Shapps said Covid-19 red list countries "should not be visited except in the most extreme circumstances".

He added that the government was open to hosting the game in the UK.

Uefa had hoped to give both clubs a minimum of 4,000 tickets each for the game at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

Schapps said that the Football Association was in talks with Uefa about switching the game, but that it is "ultimately a decision for Uefa".

Chelsea Supporters Trust has said it will meet Uefa and will request that the final is moved to the UK, while Manchester City fan groups said they will be renewing their calls to move the game from Istanbul.

BBC

 

[Hasan123]

I'm going with a Manchester City win.

 

[MenInG]

Portugal is set to host the Champions League final after Uefa failed to receive the guarantees of exemptions it wants if it is to move the game to Wembley.

Uefa, UK government officials and the Football Association met on Monday to discuss moving the game between Chelsea and Manchester City from Istanbul.

Uefa has decided it will be moved after Turkey was put on England's red travel list meaning fans cannot travel. Portugal is on the green list so fans would be allowed to attend on 29 May.

Porto's Estadio do Dragao is expected to be named as the venueon Thursday because Uefa would prefer not to stage the match in Lisbon, which hosted last year's final.

European football's governing body believes holding the match in Portugal will make it easier to gain access for sponsors and broadcasters, who would need to be compensated if they were unable to attend the game.

However, Uefa is still not in a position to confirm the switch, which would see Istanbul given the 2023 final, having originally been due to host last year before the move to Lisbon.

The match could still be played at Wembley but it would require a major shift from the UK government, which has so far failed to reach an agreement with Uefa.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

The Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City on 29 May will take place in Portugal with 6,000 fans from each club able to attend.

The game has been moved from Turkey to the Portuguese city of Porto because of coronavirus restrictions.

Portugal is on England's green list so players and fans can attend without having to quarantine on their return home. Turkey is on the red list.

The final had been due to be staged at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

"To deprive supporters of the chance to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found," said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.

Uefa, UK government officials and the Football Association met to talk about Wembley hosting the game but no agreement could be reached on quarantine exemptions for sponsors, VIPs and broadcasters.

"Fans have had to suffer more than 12 months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football," added Ceferin.

"After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don't have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season."

Both Chelsea and Manchester City say they are in discussions with Uefa and other stakeholders over ticketing and travel arrangements.

City say they will offer fans a day-trip travel package from Manchester to Porto for the 20:00 BST match.

The sale of tickets to the general public will start on 24 May 2021 at 13:00 BST.

It is the second successive year the final has been held in Portugal with Lisbon the location for the delayed final stages of last season's competition, won by Bayern Munich.

The final capacity limit at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto is still to be fixed.

Ceferin acknowledged that the UK government's decision to place Turkey on the red list for travel was made in good faith but said it also left the governing body with "a major challenge".

"The difficulties of moving the final are great and the FA and the authorities made every effort to try to stage the match in England, and I would like to thank them for their work in trying to make it happen," he added.

"The Turkish Football Federation and the authorities have always been reliable partners of Uefa and I hope to be in Istanbul and Turkey for a Champions League final and many other events in the near future.

"I hope the final will be a symbol of hope at the re-emergence of Europe from a difficult period and that the fans who travel to the game will once again be able to lend their voices to showcase this final as the best in club football."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

English fans attending the Champions League final in Porto between Manchester City and Chelsea will have to fly in and out of the country on the day of the match, the Portuguese government said.

They will also need to stay in a 'bubble' while in the city.

Uefa announced on Thursday that 6,000 fans from each club will be able to attend the final on 29 May.

The final was moved from Turkey because of coronavirus restrictions.

Portugal is on England's green list so players and fans can attend without having to quarantine on their return home. Turkey is on the red list.

Portugal's cabinet affairs minister Mariana Vieira da Silva said a set of rules had been put in place for those fans attending the final.

"Those who come to the final of the Champions League will come and return on the same day, with a test done, in a bubble situation, on charter flights," she said.

"There will be two fan zones and from there they will be moved to the stadium and from the stadium to the airport, being in Portugal less than 24 hours.

"Obviously those coming by plane [to be in Porto while the match is on but do not actually go the stadium] will comply with the established rules and security measures will be put in place as happened in Lisbon last year."

She said the restrictions put in place were to ensure that Covid rates remain low in Portugal.

Vieira da Silva said that the local health authority was in charge of selecting seats for fans to ensure social distancing and that tickets were non-transferable.

Manchester City said on their website that the club would be "offering qualifying supporters an official day trip travel package from Manchester to Porto".

The final had been due to be staged at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

"To deprive supporters of the chance to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found," said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.

Uefa, UK government officials and the Football Association met to talk about Wembley hosting the game but no agreement could be reached on quarantine exemptions for sponsors, VIPs and broadcasters.

"Fans have had to suffer more than 12 months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football," added Ceferin.

"After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don't have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season."

Both Chelsea and Manchester City say they are in discussions with Uefa and other stakeholders over ticketing and travel arrangements.

City say they will offer fans a day-trip travel package from Manchester to Porto for the 20:00 BST match.

The sale of tickets to the general public will start on 24 May 2021 at 13:00 BST.

It is the second successive year the final has been held in Portugal with Lisbon the location for the delayed final stages of last season's competition, won by Bayern Munich.

The final capacity limit at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto is still to be fixed.

Ceferin acknowledged that the UK government's decision to place Turkey on the red list for travel was made in good faith but said it also left the governing body with "a major challenge".

"The difficulties of moving the final are great and the FA and the authorities made every effort to try to stage the match in England, and I would like to thank them for their work in trying to make it happen," he added.

"The Turkish Football Federation and the authorities have always been reliable partners of Uefa and I hope to be in Istanbul and Turkey for a Champions League final and many other events in the near future.

"I hope the final will be a symbol of hope at the re-emergence of Europe from a difficult period and that the fans who travel to the game will once again be able to lend their voices to showcase this final as the best in club football."

BBC

 

[Firebat]

Man City signed off the domestic season with a dominant 5-0 win to take the Premier League title by 12 points.

Chelsea signed off with a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa full of horrific finishing, and luckily scraped 4th place due to a late implosion by Leicester.

Tuchel may have done a lot of good work so far, but Pep and Man City are a cut above any other team in Europe at the moment. On paper, this is not much of a contest. Having said that, this is a one-off final which means anything and everything can happen. Pressure games such as this one do not often follow logic, and it's not unreasonable to think Man City might choke a little in their first ever UCL final.

 

[Firebat]

It's an all-English Champions League final - but will it be Manchester City or Chelsea who will be crowned champions of Europe on Saturday?

Premier League champions City are looking to win the prestigious competition for the first time.

Chelsea, European champions in 2012, have beaten Pep Guardiola's side twice in the league and FA Cup in 2020-21.

Up to 16,500 people will be allowed inside Porto's Estadio do Dragao ground to watch.

The final will be decided on the day, with 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties if required.

Each side will be allowed five substitutions, with a sixth permitted for each side if the final goes to extra time.

The video assistant referee (VAR) system will be used, while City have been designated the 'home' team, which means they will play in their traditional sky blue and white colours.

This year's final will air in over 200 countries around the world, with the opening ceremony taking place about 10 minutes before the biggest game in European club football kicks off.

City's Spanish boss Pep Guardiola is looking to win the Champions League for a third time after steering Barcelona to triumphs in 2009 and 2011.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is seeking his first Champions League success. Last season, the German took Paris St-Germain to the final, losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/57268064

 

[ChTab]

City much stronger side in attack & in defense. If we go for player-to-player comparison City is far ahead of Chelsea in fact IMO only Kante can claim a place in the current City XI.

On top of that Guardiola has only lost 1 major final if I'm not wrong & that was in 2011 Copa Del Ray vs Madrid. Tuchel's record is pretty poor in the finals.

So there's no doubt in my mind that City will win this year's UCL.

 

[MenInG]

City’s high line

The problem historically for Pep Guardiola sides in Europe has been the high line that he operates, which means that if the press goes awry, his teams can be vulnerable to balls in behind them – as happened for Bayern against Real Madrid in 2014 and against Barcelona in 2015, and for City against Monaco in 2017, Liverpool in 2018 and Lyon last year. It was a problem for City domestically last season – notably against Norwich, Wolves, Manchester United and in the defeat at Chelsea that handed Liverpool the title – and even early in this campaign, in the 5-2 home defeat to Leicester and the reverse at Tottenham. Guardiola’s great success from December has been adjusting the balance of the press to combat a potential vulnerability that is inevitable with his approach, but United exposed City in that way and so, most pertinently, did Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final in which Timo Werner’s runs from deep were a persistent source of menace. Werner was also a threat in Chelsea’s league victory over City, although the lessons of that game were probably less relevant given it was a much-weakened City selection.

Preventing Chelsea’s counters

Given there will always be space behind City’s defensive line, how can they minimise the danger posed by balls played in behind them? It’s all about positioning. First of all, the team need to be compact from back to front, which means it’s easier to retain possession, particularly playing at the slightly slower pace City have this season, because the distances between players are smaller and so passes between them less risky – it’s effectively trying to transform the game into something as close to a rondo, the pre-match drills in which players in a circle try to keep the ball away from two other players in the middle.

A compact shape also means that when possession is lost, there are usually two or perhaps more players in position to close down the opponent who has just come into possession. But where City have really improved this season is in ensuring that, as far as possible, they always have one more defender than the opposition has forwards ready to spring forward in the counter – in practice usually two v one or three v two. City almost always have five men behind the ball, something that differentiates them from the more gung-ho pressing style of the German school, so that leaves them with three or two players in the next band up the pitch, positioned either to pounce on the opposing creative midfielder or to block passing lanes.

City’s false nine

False nines have existed since the late 19th century but the modern popularisation of the role can probably be attributed to Guardiola (even if Luciano Spalletti’s use of Francesco Totti at Roma and Alex Ferguson’s of Cristiano Ronaldo predated his deployment of Lionel Messi). It’s remarkable how, in a little over a decade, the position, which once seemed so radical, has become normalised to the point there are now numerous variants of false nine. What is striking now about the Barcelona of 2009, is how many natural goalscorers they had, with a front three of Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi in the withdrawn central role. This City effectively play without a forward, other than Riyad Mahrez, City’s most in-form goalscorer, stationed high on the right. Phil Foden will drift in from the left, but it’s not even clear whether it will be Bernardo Silva or Kevin De Bruyne as the false nine, with the other deeper and Ilkay Gündogan, City’s leading scorer, breaking forward from midfield. N’Golo Kanté successfully stifled De Bruyne in that Cup semi-final; trying to liberate the Belgian may be key to Guardiola’s set-up.

Chelsea’s defensive shape

The advantage of Chelsea’s back three against a forward line as protean as City’s is that it offers greater natural flexibility than a back four. Assuming Mason Mount is used as one of the two more creative midfielders with Mateo Kovacic or Jorginho alongside Kanté in front of the back three, there is a basic trapezoid base that can be tweaked to adjust to whatever City do. The problem would appear to be on the Chelsea left, where the high starting position of Riyad Mahrez puts immediate pressure on Ben Chilwell, assuming he is preferred to Marcos Alonso. That, at the very least, will put a doubt in Chilwell’s mind and may make him less effective in joining the attack than he has been in recent weeks – and that in turn could reduce the threat Chelsea can offer.

Azpilicueta and/or James

In Chelsea’s last three games, Reece James has been used on the right side of the back three, with César Azpilicueta at right wing-back. That was apparently aimed at matching James against the pace of Jamie Vardy in the two fixtures against Leicester and it was something of a surprise when Thomas Tuchel retained it on Sunday against Aston Villa. It’s possible that Andreas Christensen could come in as the right-sided centre-back, but far more likely Azpilicueta will return to the middle with James at wing-back. It’s not with pace that City could trouble Chelsea through the centre, while Azpilicueta offers nothing like the attacking threat of James – and James will be of vital importance in offering width going forward, particularly if Chilwell on the opposite flank is occupied by trying to negate Mahrez.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...could-be-won-and-lost-manchester-city-chelsea

 

[OMB]

Porto locals’ anger as Covid rules eased for Champions League final fans

Residents fear spike of infections as English supporters arrive


A last-minute decision to relax Covid-19 safety rules for Saturday’s Champions League final has angered locals as hundreds of English fans not wearing masks packed Porto’s riverside bars on Friday night.

European football’s governing body Uefa moved the final between English clubs Manchester City and Chelsea from Istanbul to Porto to allow fans to travel to the match under Covid-19 restrictions. Some Porto residents fear a spike in infections because of the highly contagious coronavirus variant spreading in parts of England after first being identified in India. Others are upset that foreign fans can go into the stadium but locals have been banned from attending matches for months.

“If they open [the stadiums] for the English, they should open [them] for all,” said Alexandre Magalhaes, walking through Porto, which was packed with fans.

Portugal’s government initially said English fans must fly in only on the day of the match, stay in a “bubble” and fly home straight after the game. But authorities dropped the requirement for fans to stay in bubbles on Thursday and lifted restrictions on movement. “If these [new rules] are true I will not comply with any more lockdowns,” one Twitter user wrote. Another wrote: “This is a shame for everyone who continues to comply with health rules.”

Portugal imposed a lockdown in January after a surge in cases but rules have since been eased. Some 16,500 fans will be allowed into the stadium. Many others have come to support their teams outside.

Hundreds of maskless fans flooded the bars by Porto’s Douro river on Friday night, drinking beer and chanting team slogans as police officers kept a close eye on them. There were minor scuffles between the supporters. Although the fans breached coronavirus rules in place to reduce the risk of contagion, which make it compulsory to wear a mask in crowded areas, police officers on the ground did not enforce mask-wearing.

Police commander Paula Peneda told a news conference that authorities were expecting many English fans without a ticket in the city on Saturday but could not specify a number. Authorities said they could not stop fans moving around because British tourists are now allowed in and out of Portugal if they present a negative PCR test.

Metropolitan police superintendent Lysander Strong said two fan zones with a capacity for 6,000 people each – one for both teams – would be set up in the city. From 8am to 6pm, the fan zones will only be open to ticket holders who will then be transported to the stadium. The zones will then open to those without a ticket. Consumption of beer is allowed and all supporters must present a negative Covid-19 test to access the fan zones. “We encourage all English supporters here to contribute to an orderly environment,” Strong said.

Porto Mayor Rui Moreira said the city was ready for the final despite having had just two weeks to prepare. “Portuguese people adjust … We are quite efficient at improvising,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/29/porto-locals-anger-as-covid-rules-eased-for-champions-league-final-fans

 

[MenInG]

All set for the final.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Warm evening in Portugal, should be a cracker of a match!

 

[MenInG]

Exciting game coming up

 

[MenInG]

HALF-TIME
Man City 0-1 Chelsea

Very little to show for from Man City but surely they can do better than this?

 

[OldWarHorse]

Mount has been terrific

 

[Last Monetarist]

Chelsea lead merited, City froze after the first 15 minutes. Guardiola should be concerned about the space being provided to Chilwell, Mount, and Werner.

 

[OMB]

Chelsea tbh should have been 2-0, Werner missed twice

 

[Last Monetarist]

Fin:

Chelsea 1 Manchester City 0

Chelsea win the Champions League for the second time in their history.

 

[in_cutter]

Congratulations Chelsea

This was coming. Pep exposed & choked.

 

[topspin]

Pep messed up with the tactics and starting XI. Couldn't understand why he made so many changes from what has worked for him this season.

As soon as I saw the formation and team sheet, I knew City were in trouble.

 

[The_KING]

No Messi, no Champions League for Baldiola.

Congrats to Chelsea and especially Thomas Tuckel. What a manager he is!

 

[PetroDollars]

Chelsea could have won by 3/4 nil, Pep clueless again, over rated manager

 

[IAJ]

Chelsea were better prepared and Tuchel has really transformed this team.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Pep is a great manager, but this loss is on him. Playing Sterling who has been in awful form most of the season. Not starting Rodri or Fernandino. This is Pep's problem, always tinkering, always overthinking.

 

[SangasCoverDrive]

[/b]

Tuchel’s defensive organization is incredible. Completely stifled Madrid who did not look like scoring at any point.

But City and Pep have been waiting for this moment for years. Their confidence is sky high right now and they will make sure that they are 100% switched on in the final.

I expect City to win 2-0 with Fernandinho and Aguero lifting the trophy together.

A fairy-tale ending for Aguero.

Couldn't get any wronger here.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

City need to get a striker for next season. They should do whatever it takes to get either Haaland or Kane.

 

[in_cutter]

All hail the expert on PP.

Lol [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] .. the guy bigs up Pep like no tomorrow.

Da greatesssstest manager on earth didn’t even select a holding midfielder. What a ‘genius’.

Choker.

 

[PetroDollars]

Lol [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] .. the guy bigs up Pep like no tomorrow.

Da greatesssstest manager on earth didn’t even select a holding midfielder. What a ‘genius’.

Choker.

He misjudged Tuchel and though he was going to park the bus, should have changed it, which is on him.

 

[Manunited18]

Not surprised with Chelsea win, Tuchel is excellent tactically and he has peps number

 

[Saj]

Chelsea won the Champions League for the second time with a fully deserved victory over Manchester City in the all-Premier League confrontation in Porto.

Thomas Tuchel got the better of his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola for the third time since succeeding sacked Frank Lampard in January to bring European club football's biggest prize back to Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2012.

Kai Havertz, blossoming after a slow start to his Chelsea career, got the winner three minutes before half-time when he collected a defence-splitting pass from Mason Mount to round City goalkeeper Ederson and score.

It leaves City still searching for the Champions League, the trophy that has always eluded them, and Guardiola cannot escape scrutiny for his part in this defeat after taking a tactical gamble which backfired.

Guardiola surprisingly decided against utilising either Rodri or Fernandinho as a defensive midfielder, leaving City with a muddled game plan that reduced their effectiveness and rarely presented Chelsea with any problems.

Chelsea had the better opportunities throughout, Timo Werner wasting two good chances before Havertz struck and substitute Christian Pulisic squandering another in the second half.

City, who lost Kevin De Bruyne to injury midway through the second half, threw on Sergio Aguero for his final appearance but there was no fairytale ending for the club's greatest goalscorer as Chelsea closed out the win.

And for Tuchel it was elation after the disappointment of losing last year's final as manager of Paris St-Germain.

 

[OldWarHorse]

Well deserved Chelsea. Clearly the better team.

Pep made it about himself yet again. Stupid selections. Enjoying the tears

 

[Saj]

Tactical masterclass by Tuchel. He allowed the City key players no space at all throughout the match.

A few City players way below par tonight, but Chelsea were superb and deserved winners.

 

[IAJ]

Nope. City were awful.

Bro, I am just typing as a neutral football fan. The poster said Chelsea could have won 3/4 nil and that is not correct. The final score reflects the match perfectly in a sensez if Chelsea could score 4 then City could score 2. That was my point.

 

[PetroDollars]

You are saying Chelsea should have won 3/4-0. That is as wrong as it can get. City had also chances to score a few. Football is not what you want it to look like, it is there for everyone. Read what you typed and read what I replied.

As I said, after you were crazily defending Sunny you just want to capitalize on Pep’s defeat.

Nope, they were terrible, like i said take of your tinted glasses, chelsea could have wrapped the game up in the first half,

im not capitalising on anything, my pridiction is on this same thread before the match,

 

[PetroDollars]

RM look terrible, just less than LP.

In the final if tuchel sets up defensivly like pep did against PSG, i dont see them losing it, There defensive would have to be at there best though.

There you go, if you have difficulties in finding it

so dont give me that capitalising nonsense.

 

[Manunited18]

Chelsea Chelsea, Tinkerman pep a bottle job in the champions league

 

[The Viper]

Champions of Europe again! What a tactical masterclass by Tuchel, he completely outfoxed Pep. Yes, Pep did overthink again, but I felt we were defensively solid bad we created enough chances. Ngolo Kante is one of the most clutch players ever! He has won everything now except for the Euros.

Pretty crazy to think that a few months ago we were 9th in the league and most people backed Atletico Madrid to beat us, which was fair at the time.

Tuchel deserves huge credit for changing our season around. Epic manager, hopefully this is the first of many trophies under him! Happy for the older lot like Giroud, Silva, Azpi and Kante because they probably won’t get much more chances to win.

 

[MenInG]

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was at pains to stress this Champions League final was about so much more than his tactical and personal battle with Manchester City's Pep Guardiola - and yet the story of this showpiece will have both cast as its central characters.

Tuchel, a loser with Paris St-Germain against Bayern Munich in last season's final, made no mistake with his second chance as he prepared and plotted to perfection to produce a finely tuned, intensely committed Chelsea side fully deserving the victory that saw them crowned champions of Europe for a second time.

In contrast, Guardiola chose to select a starting 11 he had never picked before in his time as City manager, gambling on an array of attacking talent to compensate for his decision not to use either of his outstanding midfield anchors Fernandinho or Rodri.

It was a move that left City riddled with confusion, lacking fluency and attacking threat - in other words it was a selection that deprived the Premier League champions, so outstanding this season, of some of the elements that make them so special.

As Tuchel celebrated with his family in front of joyous Chelsea fans gathered in Porto's Estadio Do Dragao, owner Roman Abramovich beamed from the stands at yet another example of how his club turns the game's normal rules upside down.

In Chelsea's world, out of instability comes success. Managerial dismissals bring trophies, as they have done so regularly.

As it has done with Tuchel winning the Champions League after replacing Frank Lampard in January, and as it did when Roberto Di Matteo replaced Andre Villas-Boas in 2012 and won this tournament for the first time.

Chelsea's fans had warmly embraced their German manager even before kick-off, huge cheers greeting his appearance for pre-match media duties.

And in the closing stages Chelsea's followers responded with deafening noise when Tuchel turned to them and waved his arms demanding more noise to get his players over the line on this night of glory.

Chelsea had heroes everywhere, none more so than the magnificent N'Golo Kante, who delivered the complete midfield performance, this game's great manipulator and controller.

Reece James has found himself dragged into the debate about England's right-back slot for the Euros and the potential exclusion of Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold but he stated his case eloquently, snuffing out the threat of a struggling Raheem Sterling to such an extent that it was no surprise when Manchester City's forward was substituted.

And in match winner Kai Havertz, Chelsea have an elegant, dangerous weapon who is now flourishing after a slow start to his Stamford Bridge career.

Mason Mount produced yet another mature masterclass that illustrated why he is a certain midfield starter for England in the forthcoming Euros.

It is Tuchel, however, who must take the greatest credit for restoring self-belief, confidence and organisation to Chelsea after Lampard's departure, especially by making the common sense moves of putting the combative, edgy Antonio Rudiger back into the heart of defence and putting Kante in the midfield position where he operates to such world-class game-changing effect.

The champagne-soaked Tuchel was wearing a smile that looked like it might have to be surgically removed as he celebrated and why not? He suffered the pain of defeat in last season's Champions League final. Here in Porto, he stood among the litter of blue and silver glitter as a winner, the mastermind of a triumph that writes his name in Chelsea history.

What a contrast it was to the despair of Guardiola and Manchester City, who will leave Porto accompanied by bitter disappointment and regrets after a night in which they failed to produce the goods.

Guardiola was hoping to write history of his own, putting his name alongside Liverpool's Bob Paisley, Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan and Real Madrid, plus Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane, by winning this tournament for a third time.

He last won it with Barcelona a decade ago and cut a despondent figure as he strolled past the giant silver trophy that remains tantalisingly out of reach for City despite all their spectacular domestic achievements.

One of Guardiola's great qualities as a manager is his determination to fashion the beautiful game accompanied by attacking football - but maybe the in-built instincts got the better of him when he chose a line-up that raised eyebrows as soon as the teamsheets landed.

No Rodri. No Fernandinho. No protection. Attack-minded players everywhere.

Chelsea seized on City's uncertainty.

Mount and Ben Chilwell overran City down the left and, to the naked eye, it appeared that even seasoned, experienced operators such as Kevin de Bruyne - whose final was cut short by a very heavy illegal hit from Rudiger that left him with a swollen eye - Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, seemed uncertain of what their actual roles were.

Guardiola's strategy was high risk and the outcome suggests it was fatally flawed. He cannot escape scrutiny on his own part in a desperate night for City.

He is one of the great coaches and managers who has shaped the way modern football is played, influenced so many other coaches, but this was a night when the old questions about over-thinking were asked again.

It is hard to criticise a manager who has won the Premier League for three of the last four seasons but he tried a line-up he had never used before in arguably the biggest game in City's history after a season of domestic domination.

Rodri and Fernandinho have figured in 60 out of 61 games for City this season, either individually or as a pair. Why change the strategy so radically and use this system in a match of such huge significance?

Guardiola's plan failed and he will have to accept the criticism that will inevitably come his way.

Tuchel has now beaten Guardiola three times since he was appointed in January, in the FA Cup semi-final and in the Premier League at Etihad Stadium.

This was, by some margin, the sweetest victory of all. This is the victory that means Tuchel has already made an indelible mark at Chelsea despite only being at the club a matter of months.

Tuchel has reached The Holy Grail in quickfire time. For Guardiola and Manchester City, the wait goes on. The pain will be acute because they will know they are capable of so much better.

Chelsea are the champions of Europe - a statement that might have been ridiculed on the day Tuchel walked through the doors of Stamford Bridge not so long ago.

 

[Manunited18]

Chelsea have all the attributes to beat city, key area midfield, Kante could boss it

 

[ChTab]

Incredible win for Chelsea. Despite winning the PL I'd say this season was a failure for Coty & especially Pep.

 

[OMB]

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Good call.
Some of us did select Chelsea in the poll.

 

[WC-Passion]

My most proud moment as a fan was last night. Man Kante is an absolute cheat code. Seeing the media and everyone online write us off really just made me feel even more quietly confident that we'd win. City were completely played off the park, Sterling, Mahrez, Foden, KBD (before the sad injury) etc did next to nothing that our CBs couldn't handle.

It honestly still feels surreal and like a dream. I'm not sure how long it'll sink in that we've won the UCL. I think the reason why it feels so dreamy is purely because the team is still at the 2nd phase of building (if last season was the 1st) and Tuchel has only been here 5 months. Logically we should be nowhere near this trophy. The team spirit and cohesion is the best I've ever seen, our PL top scorer is Jorginho with 7 and we've had our struggles in defence before, yet we've came together to play like our lives were on the line. Simply incredible what Tuchel has done to this team to make them the levels of defensively drilled that were the 14/15 and 16/17 Chelsea teams. 4 goals conceded in the UCL and I believe 9 out of 11 clean sheets for Mendy.

I have no doubt that if we can get a striker of the level of Lewandowski, Haaland, Kane, Lukaku etc then we will be able to compete for the PL next season. It would have to really be an implosion with the board, Tuchel and the dressing room for that not to happen or some freak injuries like Liverpool suffered this season.

 

[Firebat]

The difference between the 2 teams last night was N'Golo Kante. City got exposed defensively by not playing Fernandinho, meanwhile Chelsea had the best midfielder in the world right now hoovering up any attacking flame City had.

Kante was just unreal. He was everywhere making ball recoveries and tackles and didn't get dribbled past once. MOTM in both legs of the semi-final, then drops one of the most outstanding midfield displays you'll ever see in a European final. I truly believe we are witnessing ATG performances.

 

[Manunited18]

Good call.
Some of us did select Chelsea in the poll.

Seems as Tuchel has got in peps head, hence tactics change by pep.

 

[Manunited18]

The difference between the 2 teams last night was N'Golo Kante. City got exposed defensively by not playing Fernandinho, meanwhile Chelsea had the best midfielder in the world right now hoovering up any attacking flame City had.

Kante was just unreal. He was everywhere making ball recoveries and tackles and didn't get dribbled past once. MOTM in both legs of the semi-final, then drops one of the most outstanding midfield displays you'll ever see in a European final. I truly believe we are witnessing ATG performances.

Agree on Kante, he's arguably the best ever in that position