The Chelsea footballers won the Champions League for the second time. In the decisive match in Porto, they defeated Manchester City 1: 0. The third purely English final in the history of the competition was decided in the 42nd minute by the German midfielder Kai Havertz.
“It’s an incredible feeling. I’ve been waiting a long time and now I’ve been able to do it. I’ve been working for 15 years to experience this,” 21-year-old Havertz, whom Chelsea acquired from Leverkusen before the season, told BT Sport.
“He deserves it. He’s had a tough season, but he has a fantastic mentality. He’s already a star,” Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta told Havertz.
The London team dominated the Champions League as in 2012, four years earlier it was not enough for Manchester United. Petr Čech, the current advisor to the sports and technical department of Chelsea, caught both finals at the time. The reigning English champions “Citizens” failed in their premiere final.
“Blues” was led to triumph by German coach Thomas Tuchel, who replaced the dismissed Frank Lampard in January. Tuchel is the first coach to reach the Champions League final in two consecutive seasons with two clubs. Last year he failed with Paris St. Germain v Bayern Munich. At the time of the defeat of the French team was the current Chelsea stopper Thiago Silva.
“The players were determined to win. We wanted to torment our opponents. We encouraged the players to be bolder and go on dangerous counterattacks. It was a physically demanding match. We had to help each other,” Tuchel said.
Due to the unfavorable coronavirus situation in Turkey, the final moved from Istanbul to Porto, where 14,110 spectators came to the stadium. Last year, the Champions League culminated in the “Final Eight” tournament also in Portugal, Lisbon, without the presence of fans. Istanbul lost the organization for the second year in a row.
The match started cautiously. In the 10th minute, Werner did not finish in an advantageous position in the lime. A moment later, in the penalty area, he got the ball under his foot and his ground shot was easily stopped by goalkeeper Ederson. The German representative immediately set fire to the side net.
The only serious opportunity for “Citizens” in the opening act was born in the 27th minute, but stopper Rüdiger threw himself into Foden’s close-up in time and blocked him. In the 39th minute, the match ended for Thiag Silva, who was replaced by Christensen.
Three minutes before the end of the half, Chelsea struck. Mount found Havertz, who disengaged from Zincenko, went around the run-out Ederson, and ended up in an empty goal. In his 20th match in the Champions League, the German national team rejoiced at the premiere shot.
In the 56th minute, the captain of City De Bruyne collided with Rüdiger and the match ended for him. Chelsea could add a fuse, but the alternating Pulisic ended up in the lime right next door. Manchester failed to create a more significant chance, in the setting only Mahriz fired from the top of the sixteen. The City footballers lost for the first time this season in the thirteenth duel in the Champions League.
As coach of Mainz and Dortmund, Tuchel was unable to beat Guardiola with Bayern in any of the five matches, but as Chelsea’s coach he defeated him in the third competitive duel. In April, the “Blues” eliminated Manchester City in the semifinals of the English Cup and beat him three weeks ago on his course in the English League.
Champions League Final in Porto:
Manchester City – Chelsea 0:1 (0:1)
Branka: 42. Havertz. Judges: Mateu Lahoz – Cebrián Devís, Del Palomar – Hernández (video, all Šp.). ZK: Gundogan, Jesus – Rüdiger. Attendance: 14,110 (limited number).
Manchester: Ederson – Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinčenko – B. Silva (64. Fernandinho), Gündogan, Foden – Mahriz, De Bruyne (60. Jesus), Sterling (77. Agüero). Trenér: Guardiola.
Chelsea: Mendy – Azpilicueta, T. Silva (39. Christensen), Rüdiger – James, Jorginho, Kanté, Chilwell – Havertz, Mount (80. Kovacic) – Werner (66. Pulisic). Coach: Tuchel.
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