The 2021 Champions League final was an all-English battle between Manchester City and Chelsea. But it was Chelsea who won, securing their second Champions League title courtesy of a Kai Havertz winner and a solid defensive show. Thomas Tuchel’s men were the better side on Saturday night, outplaying Pep Guardiola’s City. For City, it was a case of so near and yet so far. Coming into the match, they were the clear favourites. Yet Chelsea outplayed them for the 90 minutes and ran out deserving winners. Indeed, the scoreline doesn’t reflect Chelsea’s dominance.
Here we look at the notable statistics from the Champions League final
- Kai Havertz became the first player to score his maiden Champions League goal in the final since 2013. The last person to do this? Ilkay Gundogan, then of Borussia Dortmund and now at City.
- Mason Mount set up Havertz’s winning goal with a 40-odd yard pass through City’s defence. He thus became the first Englishman to assist a Champions League final goal since 2008. Back then, Wes Brown provided an assist.
- Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy kept 9 cleansheets through the tournament. That is the joint highest number of cleansheets for one single edition. It’s also the most cleansheets by a goalkeeper in his debut CL season.
- The 1-0 loss was Guardiola’s first in a Cup final as City manager. It was also his first cup final loss since the 2011 Copa del Rey with Barcelona.
- City also became the eighth side to lose their first CL final appearance. The others are PSG (2020), Tottenham (2019), Chelsea (2008), Arsenal (2006), AS Monaco (2004), Bayer Leverkusen (2002) and Valencia (2000).
- N’Golo Kante had an insane match, even by his own high standards. The Frenchman comitted no fouls, won the most duels (11) and had the most ball recoveries (10). He also completed 100% of both his tackles and take-ons.
- Chelsea have now won six of the seven European finals they have competed in. This includes the Champions League finals in 2012 and 2021, the Europa League finals in 2013 and 2019, and the Cup Winners Cup finals in 1971 and 1998.
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