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Blues taste Europe glory after nine years

31 May 2021

Compiled by Ranjika Perera

[caption id="attachment_139619" align="alignleft" width="508"] Chelsea reached the pinnacle of the 2020/21 European football lifting the Champions League trophy after nine years, beating Man City 1-0 in Portugal on Saturday (29)[/caption]    

* After nine years, Chelsea taste European success

* Tuchel took over when they were ninth in Premier League

* Now Chelsea are the true European champions

The pinnacle of the 2020/21 European football season came to a glorious close on Saturday (29). The two English clubs, Manchester City and Chelsea, entered the Porto Stadium in Portugal with the hope of lifting the biggest trophy in European soccer. It was Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea who came out victorious.

Tuchel had the better of Pep Guardiola twice this season. It was interesting to see how the latter was to react on Saturday.

[caption id="attachment_139621" align="alignleft" width="300"] Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola explains why he is planning on staying at the club for the long term[/caption]

He reacted in a massive change in formation. Leading up to the final, Pep faced a question between Fernandinho and Rodri in defensive midfield. He chose neither.

Many attacking midfielders

And, in the absence of a proper No. 9, Pep fielded a line-up loaded with attacking midfielders and wingers.

Oleksandr Zinchenko stepped from left-back into midfield. Phil Foden stayed behind De Bruyne, who played up front, with Bernardo Silva on the right of Ilkay Gündogan, the deepest sitting midfielder, and Mahrez and Raheem Sterling providing the width.

Tuchel showed clear plan

[caption id="attachment_139620" align="alignleft" width="487"] Kai Lukas Haverts (left) after scoring his 42nd-minute goal. On right is Chelsea Manager Thomas Tuchel[/caption]

Tuchel showed a clear plan with his team. No surprises in the final as he forged a brick wall in front of goal. Rudiger, Thiago, and Skipper Azpilicuetta put their bodies on the line at the back while Werner, Chillwell, and Kai Lukas Haverts created a well-structured attacking approach, choosing the right moments to transition.

It was matter of execution and it was the Blues who did it to perfection.

Havertz’s 42nd minute goal

The City’s formation was way off and it led to the decisive goal in the first half. The move started with Édouard Mendy and, when Mason Mount looked up after a Chilwell lay-off, the pass was on for Havertz.

Werner’s run had created the space and Havertz got there ahead of the onrushing Ederson, catching a little break off the goalkeeper before rolling it into the empty net. That was in the 42nd minute of the match.

Last-ditch attempt by Mahrez

City needed a strong second half but their misery was shown in the tears of their Captain, Kevin De Bruyne, after he was forced off on 59 minutes following a cynical body-check by Rüdiger.

It was tough to imagine City making a comeback beyond this moment.

However, during the seven minutes of injury time, Riyad Mahrez lifted a shot just off target for City and the passionate Blues supporters breathed a sigh of relief. Then they exploded in joy. Their team was to lift the coveted Champions League after nine long years.

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