August 2021

Five Chelsea players have been included in UEFA's Champions League awards shortlists following their 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in last season's final.

Kai Havertz's strike saw Chelsea win last season's trophy, their second European Cup to date, as they beat Pep Guardiola's side in the final at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto.

Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger joined City's Ruben Dias as contenders for the best defender award.

Jorginho, who also won Euro 2020 with Italy after his Champions League success earlier this year, along with N'Golo Kante, were shortlisted for the best midfielder award along with City's Kevin De Bruyne.

Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois, City's Ederson and Chelsea's Edouard Mendy are in line to win the prize for best goalkeeper.

Chelsea won the Super Cup in dramatic circumstances as Kepa Arrizabalaga came off the bench to be the penalty hero against Villarreal.

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, who has 20 goals in 16 Champions League appearances so far during his career, led the scoring charts last season with 10 goals in his side's run to the quarter-finals, two more than Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, whose team reached the last four.

Bayern Munich talisman Robert Lewandowksi, the winner of the 2019/20 award in the category as the Bavarian giants won the Champions League, notched five goals last season.

The winners will be announced on August 26 during the 2021/22 Champions League group stage draw which takes place in Istanbul. The Turkish city was originally meant to host this year's final but due to coronavirus concerns the venue was moved to Portugal.

The nominees were selected by a jury of 32 coaches from last season's Champions League participants and 55 journalists chosen by the European Sports Media group.

UEFA are set to announce awards for the best women's players in last season's competition on the same day.

Champions Barcelona had eight players shortlisted overall and the best women's forward is sure to be from their team as Caroline Graham Hansen, Jennifer Hermoso and Lieke Martens were nominated.