Champions League Final: Chelsea Are Champions of Europe

Chelsea are champions of Europe after defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League final. Kai Havertz scored the winning goal, navigating past Manchester goalkeeper Ederson after receiving an expertly placed through ball from Mason Mount in the 42nd minute.

Thanks Kai.#ChelseaChampions #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/HoR4tr8Ao6

— Champions of Europe 🏆 (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2021

Chelsea joins Liverpool and Manchester United as Premier League clubs to win multiple Champions League trophies as the London club added to its 2012 title. The victory for Chelsea was a third in six weeks over Manchester City as Thomas Tuchel, who lost in last year’s Champions League final while managing PSG, joined Jurgen Klopp as the only managers to defeat Pep Guardiola three consecutive times since the current City manager began managing first division football. Guardiola again faced criticism for his line-up decisions in major matches, choosing on Saturday to play an attack oriented starting eleven, leaving defensive midfielders Rodri and Fernandino on the bench. One or both of those defensive specialists had played in 60 of Manchester City’s 61 previous matches this season and their absence seemed to disrupt the flow of City’s team. The play of Ilkay Gundogan, the club’s leading scorer entering the match, and Kevn De Bruyne, the club’s leading assists man, seemed affected by uncertainty regarding their altered roles in the revised line-up. Meanwhile, the insertion of slumping forward Raheem Sterling into the line-up brought no dividend as Chelsea defender Reese James thwarted Sterling’s every effort. Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante dominated midfield play while Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy recorded a ninth clean sheet in 12 Champions League matches, matching the tournament record. Neither of the two Premier League clubs was able to put a shot on target after Havertz’s goal despite City’s second half substitution of strikers Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero and the second half appearance of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic. Chelsea had the better of the match’s few chances with Pulisic missing a second half opportunity to ice the game while snake bitten Timo Werner missed on two scoring opportunities preceding the Havertz goal. Pulisic became the first American to play in a Champions League final. Aguero’s second half substitute appearance marked his final appearance in a Manchester City shirt. Tuchel becomes the third consecutive German manager to win the Champions League after Hansi Flick won with Bayern Munich last year and Klopp and Liverpool were victorious in 2019.