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His first Champions League goal was a very special one: Kai Havertz
Photo: JOSE COELHO / AFP
Chelsea FC won the Champions League of the 2021/21 season.
Before almost 14,000 spectators in Porto, Kai Havertz scored 1-0 (1-0) against Manchester City for the Blues (43rd minute).
Thomas Tuchel won his first title in his second premier class final within ten months.
Manchester City came to Porto as English champions, Chelsea with three defeats from the last four games. Thanks to the defeat of Leicester City on the last day of the Premier League, Thomas Tuchel's team finished fourth in the Premier League and did not have to win the Champions League final in Porto to qualify for the premier class next year. However, Manchester was not the clear favorite, as Chelsea had won the last two duels. Only in the FA Cup final in mid-April and then three weeks later in the Premier League.
With Rodri and Fernandinho, city coach Pep Guardiola left out his defensively strongest midfielders and relied on strong players in the headquarters.
Chelsea acted as usual with three center-backs.
When the opponent had the ball, the winger Ben Chilwell and Reece James moved backwards, so that it was defensively a five-man chain.
City had more possession for much of the game, but Chelsea were the better team.
While Manchester struggled to combine promising chances despite their playing class in midfield, the Tuchel team kept coming up with opportunities, especially on the outside.
Timo Werner had the first chances for Chelsea at the beginning.
But first the German international didn't hit the ball correctly after Kai Havertz presented it (8th), then his shot from almost eight meters was too unplaced (12th).
On the other hand, Riyad Mahrez was disturbed by Ben Chilwell at the last moment (10th).
The Citizens still had a really good chance in half one.
After preliminary work by De Bruyne, Phil Foden appeared seven meters in front of the goal in front of Edouard Mendy, but was barely skipped by Antonio Rüdiger (27th).
Thiago Silva was injured after a foul by Ilkay Gündoğan before the break (39th).
The game subsequently calmed down.
It looked like a 0-0 break, but Chelsea took the lead.
Mason Mount sent Kai Havertz by flat pass.
The former Leverkusen man could not be stopped by Oleksandr Zinchenko and also in front of Ederson on the ball. Havertz played around City's goalkeeper and finished in the empty goal (43.).
Both teams came out of the break with the same line-up.
And the picture on the pitch was also similar to that of the first half.
City had a lot of possession but no ideas to embarrass Chelsea's defense.
After just under an hour, De Bruyne, the English champions' most creative player, had to be replaced injured (60th).
Seconds later, his team demanded a hand penalty.
Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz legitimately allowed the game to continue.
The great chance to equalize then prevented captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who saved after a low pass from Mahrez from Gündogan who was ready to shoot (68th).
Three minutes later, Christian Pulisic missed the great opportunity to make a decision.
After preliminary work by Havertz, he put the ball past the goal from seven meters.
In the final quarter of an hour and the seven minutes of stoppage time, Manchester took more risks, which almost paid off very late.
Mahrez's shot went just over the goal (90th + 7th).
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