Kai Havertz’s late first half strike handed Chelsea the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League title after defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the final in Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal.
Both teams saw chances go begging in an entertaining first half but Mason Mount suddenly unleashed a long through ball in the 42nd minute, finding Havertz to round Ederson and fire in the winning goal.
City tried to repeatedly force their way back into this final despite losing Kevin De Bruyne in the 59th minute to a suspected concussion, as Chelsea defended robustly in a disciplined display to seal victory and their second Champions League title, having defeated Bayern Munich on penalties in the 2012 Final.
Sergio Aguero meanwhile made his final-ever appearance for Man City as a substitute as the Argentinean now departs the Citizens for pastures new after a decade playing for the club.
Speaking to BT Sport post match on scoring his first goal in Europe’s premier competition, Havertz said: “I don’t know what to say. I really don’t know what to say. I waited a long time.
“I’ve waited 15 years for this moment and now it’s here.”
City made an excellent start to the first half as they instantly pressured Antonio Rudiger who conceded a throw-in after just 20 seconds, which was swiftly cleared as Chelsea played a tight defensive game.
Havertz produced Chelsea’ first proper chance when he picked up a pullback pass from Timo Werner, only to race towards the goal line up the right and hit a tightly angled shot which was saved by Ederson.
Raheem Sterling immediately responded for City as he met Ederson’s long ball towards left and raced into the box, until Reece James was able to deflect wide as the England forward tried to create his shot.
Werner minutes later was involved in four wasted chances in four minutes as he fumbled his tenth minute shot from Havertz’s pass, before intercepting John Stones’ poor 12th minute header which he teed up to N’Golo Kante but the ball was cleared with the German then seeing two shots denied just two minutes later.
Kante saw a 17th minute header go wide from Ben Chilwell’s cross as City began to assert authority but the Citizens lacked quality in the final third, with their best chance of the opening 30 minutes falling to Phil Foden whose shot was excellently blocked by Rudiger as it looked destined for the bottom right corner.
Riyad Mahrez then saw a tightly worked shot go begging as he fired straight into Edouard Mendy’s arms, before Thiago Silva was substituted with a groin injury just moments later as Andreas Christiansen replaced the Brazilian.
Chelsea however refused to let the enforced them impact them as they carved City’s defence apart just minutes later with a long through ball from Mount on the left flank diagonally towards the centre, allowing Havertz to round Ederson and score his maiden Champions League goal putting the Blues ahead at half time.
Both teams made scrappy starts to the second half but the game ultimately changed in Chelsea’s favour when De Bruyne collided with Rudiger, sending both players to ground with the Belgian appearing to have suffered a suspected concussion and bruise to his left eye forcing him off the pitch as a precaution in tears.
Once the action restarted, City harshly saw penalty appeals for handball denied by both Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz and VAR after Sterling’s shot struck James in-between his right arm and chest.
City thereafter struggled to break Chelsea down despite trying a mix of creative passes and crosses, whilst Christian Pulisic and Mount both dragged shots wide of the bottom left corner for Thomas Tuchel’s Blues just three minutes apart.
Aguero soon afterwards came on for his 390th and final appearance for Pep Guardiola’s Citizens but couldn’t find an equaliser to force extra time, despite seeing his chipped 85th minute cross towards top right corner saved by Mendy.
Chelsea eventually clung on with a disciplined defensive display to clinch their second Champions League title, with Christiansen making a vital clearance in the 90th minute of Riyad Mahrez’s pullback pass for Foden to tap in.
For Chelsea, this victory also represents their seventh overall crown in all UEFA competitions and Thomas Tuchel’s first as a manager, having fallen short at this stage with PSG last season before his surprise mid-season sacking over Xmas which led him to take the Chelsea job a month later after Frank Lampard’s exit.
Reflecting on his experience of contrasting fortunes in consecutive Champions League Finals with BT Sport post match, Tuchel said: “I was so grateful to arrive a second time [in the final]. I felt different. We were somehow… You could feel it getting closer.”
City’s Pep Guardiola meanwhile tasted defeat as manager in a Champions League Final for the very first time which was his third Champions League final against English opposition, after previously winning this competition with Barcelona in 2009 & 11 against Manchester United.
Speaking post match to BT Sport, Guardiola praised Chelsea for giving his team a cracking contest, saying: “It was a tight game. We had chances. We were brilliant in the second half, we were brave and we could not convert the chances as they were so strong. The players were exceptional.
The Spaniard has refused to rule out a potential return to the Final in future, adding: “We come back maybe one day again!”
Guardiola also discussed his immediate plans for next season, commenting: “The ambition now is to rest but then prepare for the next season.”
Chelsea will now play UEFA Europa League winners, Villarreal in the Super Cup on 11 August 2021 after the Spanish team stunned Man Utd 11-10 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s (26 May) Final.
Teams
Manchester City: Ederson, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kevin De Bruyne (Jesus 60′), Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva (Fernandinho 64′), Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling (Aguero 77′), Phil Foden
Subs: Nathan Ake, Gabriel Jesus, Sergio Aguero, Zack Steffen (GK), Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Ferran Torres, Benjamin Mendy, Fernandinho, Joao Cancelo, Scott Carson (GK), Eric Garcia
Chelsea: Edouard Mendy, Reece James, Thiago Silva (Christiansen 39′), Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ben Chilwell, Mason Mount (Kovacic 80′), Kai Havertz, Timo Werner (Pulisic 66′)
Subs: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Marcos Alonso, Andreas Christiansen, Christian Pulisic, Willy Caballero, Kurt Zouma, Mateo Kovacic, Olivier Giroud, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech, Billy Gilmour, Emerson Palmieri
Player of Match: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Leave a Reply