BEVERLY HILLS, May 05, (THEWILL) – Finally, after fixtures of the 66th season that began in the Group stages on Tuesday, October 20 last year, the final two have emerged for the epic final game of the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League competition after English Premier League side Chelsea produced another disciplined performance to run away 2-0 winners against La Liga giants Real Madrid.
The Thomas Tuchel defensive compactness was once more evident, keeping things tight at the back to make sure the attacking pair of Karim Benzema, who was repeatedly thwarted by Eduard Mendy in the Chelsea goal, and returning Chelsea striker of yesteryear, Eden Hazard, were not able to make inroads enough to get on the scoresheet.
It was another clean sheet for the Blues, which comes up to the 18th in 25 matches for their German manager since he took over the reins of the club from former coach and Chelsea legend, Frank Lampard in January, this year. And, with that, Tuchel has helped the London club reach their third UCL finals, to add to these previous finals in 2008 and 2012.
Their victory over Real now sets the stage for an all-English final, after fellow English side Manchester City confirmed their slot with victory over Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain. This makes it the third time English sides will compete against each other since Manchester United versus Chelsea in 2007/2008 and Liverpool versus Tottenham Hotspur in 2018/2019, making certain that whichever side wins, the trophy will return to England for the second time in three years.
The last time Chelsea played in a Champions League Final, they defeated Bavarian side Bayern Munich 4-3 on penalties, in the 2011/2012 season. As with that side, Guardiola’s City will provide a formidable challenge. The men from the Etihad are unbeaten in 11 Champions League games this season and have only given up three goals in six knockout stage matches.
Yet, Tuchel knows how to handle tough sides and has beaten Guardiola in a difficult encounter recently, when they scaled past City to the FA Cup final last month. Tuchel has been in the side for only 99 days but is into his second final game of two serious competitions. And, that is enough evidence to demonstrate that it promises to be an encounter to look forward to, a clash of tacticians and dedicated unit of football teams.
While Chelsea and Manchester City will determine the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League champion when they meet at Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul on May 29, there will also be another Chelsea final in Europe because they have become the first European side to qualify their men and women’s teams for the final in the same year for the first time ever.
The women’s side of Chelsea, in an unprecedented quadruple chase, will contest the UEFA Women’s Champions League final against staunch opposition in the equally formidable Asisat Oshoala’s Barcelona Femini of Spain.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
