toptop
Chelsea
were crowned European champions for the second time as Kai Havertz's first-half
strike sealed a 1-0 victory over a lacklustre Manchester City in Porto.
Thomas Tuchel's side, who lost Thiago Silva to injury in the 39th minute, were
sent on their way just before half-time as Mason Mount's superb pass picked out
the run of Kai Havertz (42), who rounded Ederson and calmly finished into an
empty net for his first Champions League goal.
Man City, who picked an extremely attacking line-up, were far from their fluent
best and their task was made even more difficult when Kevin De Bruyne was forced
off because of a head injury in the 60th minute.
After substitute Christian Pulisic missed a guilt-edged chance to wrap up
victory, City turned to Sergio Aguero for one final time, but an equaliser
proved elusive as Chelsea, who defended heroically, held on to end their season
on a high.
The victory banished memories of their FA Cup final disappointment earlier this
month and seals their first piece of silverware under Tuchel, who replaced Frank
Lampard back in January.
Meanwhile, Champions League success proved elusive once again for Man City and
Pep Guardiola. Despite their Premier League and Carabao Cup successes, their
wait to win Europe's biggest club competition goes on.
How Chelsea sealed a third straight win over
Man City...
The game caught fire early on and it was City who created the first opening,
Ederson measuring a perfect long ball over the top for Sterling, but the England
international's first touch let him down, allowing Reece James to get back and
get a foot to the ball. It forced Sterling wide and Edouard Mendy was out
quickly to make a block from a tight angle.
Guardiola's line-up was clearly designed with attack firmly in mind, but it did
leave them exposed at times without the ball and Chelsea created two good early
chances on the counter. Both fell to Timo Werner, but he was unable to convert
either, first missing his kick in front of goal after being picked out by
Havertz's cut back before shitting a low strike straight at Ederson.
At the other end, City started to find some rhythm and De Bruyne looked to have
laid the ball on a plate for Phil Foden, who was just about to get his shot away
when Antonio Rudiger slid in with a goal-saving sliding tackle.
Chelsea then suffered a blow when Silva landed awkwardly and appeared to pick up
a groin injury. He tried to continue but was eventually forced off in the 39th
minute and replaced by Andreas Christensen.
However, Tuchel's side brushed off the disappointment of losing the Brazilian to
take the lead three minutes before the interval.
Mount's brilliant pass carved opened up the City defence and released Havertz.
Ederson rushed out to meet him at the edge of the area and got a touch but the
German forward kept his composure to regain possession and roll the ball into
the empty net.
After a brighter start to the second half, City's hopes of getting back into the
game were dealt a huge setback just before the hour when De Bruyne was forced
from the field after taking a blow to the head following a collision with
Rudiger.
The Belgian left the field in tears as Gabriel Jesus came on in his place and it
almost got even worse for City when substitute Pulisic, who looked certain to
double his side's lead, chipped the ball over Ederson but wide of the far post
after another swift Chelsea breakaway.
Man City turned to Sergio Aguero for one final time with 15 minutes remaining
and they were inches away in the dying stages of seven minutes of stoppage time
when Riyad Mahrez's strike left Mendy stranded, but the ball clipped the top of
the crossbar.
There was to be no fairy-tale ending for Aguero, who is set to leave City this
summer, as Chelsea held on to take Europe's biggest prize back to west London.
Opta stats - Pep's struggles against Chelsea
continue
Chelsea are the third English side to win the Champions League on two occasions,
after Liverpool (2004-05 and 2018-19) and Manchester United (1998-99 and
2007-08).
Chelsea have lifted the trophy in six of their seven major European finals in
their history - with this their fourth European success in the Roman Abramovich
era alone (Champions League in 2020-21 & 2011-12, Europa League in 2012-13 &
2018-19).
Pep Guardiola has lost more matches against Chelsea in all competitions than
against any other club (8), losing his last three in a row against the Blues.
Indeed, the only other sides that he has lost three in a row against in his
managerial career are Real Madrid (2012-14) and Liverpool (2018).
Guardiola has lost his first cup final as Manchester City manager, with this
loss only his second major cup final defeat of his managerial career (along with
Copa del Rey in 2010-11).
Thomas Tuchel became just the second manager to record three consecutive wins in
all competitions against Pep Guardiola (excl. Barcelona B), after fellow German
Jurgen Klopp did so in 2018 with Liverpool.
Tuchel is the third different German manager to win the UEFA Champions League in
the last three seasons (Jurgen Klopp 2019, Hans-Dieter Flick 2020) - it's the
first time the European Cup/Champions League has been won in three consecutive
years by three different managers of the same nationality since 1979-80 to
1981-82 (Brian Clough, Bob Paisley, Tony Barton).
What's next? Euros, transfer window, 2021/22
key dates
Euro 2020 kicks off on Friday June 11 and runs until Sunday July 11.
The 2021/22 Premier League campaign will start on the weekend of Saturday August
14 - 34 days after that Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
Clubs will be able to start planning for the new term when the top-flight
fixtures are released at 9am on Wednesday, June 16 but transfer business can
start in earnest before then, with the summer transfer window opening on
Wednesday June 9.
The 2021/22 Championship season begins a week before the top-flight one on the
weekend of Saturday August 7. All Sky Bet EFL fixtures will be announced at 9am
on Thursday June 24.
Click Here For UEFA Match Press Kit
Teams
Manchester City Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko,
Gundogan, De Bruyne (Jesus 60), Bernardo (Fernandinho 64), Mahrez, Sterling
(Aguero 77), Foden
Subs Not Used Steffen, Carson, Ake, Lapore, Rodri, Torres,
Mendy, Cancelo, Garcia
Booked Gundogan, Jesus
Goals
Chelsea Mendy, Azpilicueta (C), Silva (Christensen 39),
Rudiger, James, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount (Kovacic 80), Havertz, Werner
(Pulisic 66)
Subs Not Used Kepa, Caballero, Alonso, Emerson, Zouma, Giroud,
Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Gilmour
Booked Rudiger
Goals Havertz 42
Attendance 14,110
Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
VAR Alejandro Hernandez (ESP)