Guardiola’s blunder, tireless Kante… 5 takeaways from Champions League final

Chelsea are the 2021 UEFA Champions League (UCL) winners. They stood their ground against a persistent Manchester City side. Thomas Tuchel got the better of Pep Guardiola one final time this season. 

It ended 1-0. The Cityzens cried. The Pride of London roared with ferocity as they bagged the second UCL in the club’s history. 

Here are five takeaways from the match:

Chelsea in good hands with Tuchel or Another Di Matteo?

In less than six months, Tuchel turned a plummeting Chelsea side into champions of Europe. Many credit Frank Lampard, his predecessor, for creating a reliable skeleton of a team that aided Tuchel’s success. But none can deny that the German breathed life into the side.

Antonio Rudiger, already frozen out of the team under Lampard, was revived; creating a phenomenal backline combination with mercurial Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta. Mount’s game finally achieved the neat edge it lacked. Christian Pulisic’s reputation began soaring as a ‘super-sub.’ Chelsea became unstoppable. 

Tuchel got them a Champions League ticket for next season. Only lost the FA Cup in the final to Leicester City. Now, he’s redeemed himself and went one further by conquering Europe.

In 2012, Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League after taking over just a few months before, but he was sacked as quickly as he was appointed after unimpressive results. Will Tuchel follow his downward spiral or produce magic with this brilliant team?

Guardiola undid himself once again

He’s been accused of overcalculating, excessive tinkering and, on Saturday, that became his downfall. On the biggest stage, the Spaniard’s tactical nonconformity hurt him greatly.

He opted to start the game with no defensive midfielder sitting as the anchor in the front of the back four. A tactical tweak that proved most devastating for his team.

Mason Mount’s pass that set up Kai Havertz for the only goal of the game was threaded through the hole that would have been plugged by a defensive midfielder.

The nightmare persists for Guardiola. Despite all the domination he’s achieved since he left Barcelona, a UCL triumph remains elusive. On a night he could have kept his strategy simple and basic, he overcomplicated tactics to his detriment.

Adios Sergio

It certainly isn’t the farewell Sergio Aguero wanted. But it’s what he’s got. His final kick for Man City was a chipped cross that was snatched up by the long arms of Eduaord Mendy. An unremarkable end to a City career that resonated with brilliant impacts on the biggest of occasions. 

After 260 goals in five English Premier League (EPL) triumphs, the end has finally come. It came with tears. 

There are reports that the Argentine is nearer to joining Lionel Messi, his longtime friend, at Barcelona. 

Tireless Kante

Ngolo Kante. The workaholic varve that pumped Chelsea to Champions League triumph. He powered them past Real Madrid in the semi-final. He outplayed Madrid’s midfield trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Casemiro over two legs. 

In the final, he produced another man-of-the-match performance. He burst his lungs from one end of the pitch to the other, throughout the game. From pegging Kelvin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva to being the first outlet during Chelsea’s counterattacks, Kante’s tirelessness was vital to his team’s triumph. 

Havertz making it count on the big stage

When Chelsea shelled £70m on Havertz last summer, critics faulted the deal. Many said the amount dwarfs the German’s talent. The words looked truer when Havertz couldn’t adapt quickly at Stamford Bridge. Under Lampard, he faltered and his languid style of play looked out of depth amid the fast-paced football in England. 

However, since Tuchel took over, he’s begun showing the glimpses of brilliance for which Chelsea had coughed out that huge sum of money. On Saturday, he took the headline. Just one chance and he etched his name amongst the greats.