If some imagined an unbalanced Champions League final, on May 29, Chelsea has (again) proved its ability to upset the biggest teams in Europe, this Saturday.
After eliminating Real Madrid in the semi-final of C1, the proteges of former PSG coach Thomas Tuchel overthrew Manchester City (2-1) at the Etihad Stadium.
Led 1-0 at the break, the Blues outrageously dominated the second half to win, get on the podium with three days to go, and delay the Citizens' seventh title in the Premier League.
Only a victory would indeed have ensured the coronation of Pep Guardiola's men.
WHAT A COMEBACK.
WHAT A WIN !!!
đź‘Ś # MCICHE pic.twitter.com/y3Z71AOf4M
- Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 8, 2021
The Spanish coach - who conceded two consecutive defeats at home for the first time in his career on a bench - will certainly think back to the two turns of this game for a long time: a missed penalty and a penalty… certainly forgotten.
After 44 minutes overall controlled by City, Raheem Sterling scored at the conclusion of a nice collective movement (1-0) and, two minutes later, Gabriel Jesus got a logical penalty.
Sergio AgĂĽero took care of it.
But the club's top scorer, who will leave Manchester at the end of the season, split a panenka that did not surprise Edouard Mendy (45th + 3) at all.
Three goals denied at Chelsea
The other key moment is this penalty very clearly forgotten on Raheem Sterling, after a clear contact with the French Kurt Zouma (88th).
The score was still 1-1, and the refereeing error robbed City of an early title.
Worse, three minutes later, it was Chelsea who took advantage of the opposing frustration to take the advantage in the last moments (90th + 2) through Marcos Alonso, mounted high to take over a center from Timo Werner ( 2-1).
Psychologically, Chelsea has therefore struck a blow, three weeks of even more important reunion.
The score may seem balanced, the physiognomy uncertain, but the Blues saw three goals being denied to them for offside.
Two totally obvious from Timo Werner (32nd and 79th), before another for a few centimeters from Callum Hudson-Odoi (81st).
Yes, Chelsea deserved to win, as the percussions of Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech cornered the block of the Skyblues in the second half. It was also the Moroccan winger who had shown the way to his family by scoring a superb volley with the left foot from the entrance to the surface (1-1, 63rd). It is enough to see the black anger of Pep Guardiola at the final whistle to get impatient with a Champions League final more unpredictable than ever.
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