Timo Werner and Mason Mount scored for Chelsea as they defeated Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate to set up an English UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City.
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For the second time in three years, the UEFA Champions League final will be an all-England affair. After Manchester City beat PSG, Chelsea put on a clinical show to beat Real Madrid 2-0 and enter the final. Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount helped Chelsea came within touching distance of repeating their feat of 2012. In the past, there have been two editions that have seen both sides from the Premier League.
In 2007/08, Chelsea squared off against Manchester United. After being tied 1-1, the match went into penalties. In sudden death, Manchester United won 6-5 on penalties to secure the UEFA Champions League after nine years. Chelsea, though, would get redemption in 2011/12 when they defeated Bayern Munich 4-3 on penalties. In 2018/19, the final was an all-England affair with Liverpool getting the better of Tottenham Hotspur.
Manchester City have never won the UEFA Champions League. Pep Guardiola would be aiming to get the better of Thomas Tuchel, who also has a point to prove.
Chelsea were the more dominant team for most parts of the match. The Real Madrid defence crumbled under the relentless pressure. In the 28th minute, Kai Havertz’s initial effort came off the crossbar but Werner was there to head it into the goal. With only five minutes remaining from time, Mount had a simple tap-in and the result was beyond doubt.
Real Madrid’s over-reliance on Karim Benzema was evident as he was kept quiet. Coach Zinedine Zidane admitted that there were no clear chances created by the Real Madrid team while Chelsea made a lot of changes. N’Golo Kante was the star as he created chances and regularly troubled Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian keeper, who was initially with Chelsea but moved to Real Madrid in 2018, denied some chances but he could not stop Chelsea’s march.
Chelsea have now kept 18 clean sheets in 24 games since the appointment of Tuchel turned their season around. Fired by Paris Saint-Germain on Christmas Eve after leading the French champions to their first ever final in this competition last season, Tuchel is headed back to the Champions League showpiece match for a second consecutive season. It will be like adding salt to the wounds of Paris Saint-Germain, who were thrashed by Manchester City in the first semi-final.
However, whether Chelsea make it to the next edition of the UEFA Champions League is still in doubt. Chelsea are in fourth spot and they are only three points ahead of West Ham and two behind Leicester City.
