10 amazing facts from the UEFA Champions League final
Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 to win their second UEFA Champions League title on Saturday. Thomas Tuchel's men toiled all night and produced a great display of teamwork to keep Manchester City at bay and deny them the most coveted prize in European football.
Questions are being asked about Pep Guardiola's team selection but Manchester City started the game on the front foot. However, Chelsea were set up to absorb the pressure and break on the counter.
They did that effectively and a brilliant Mason Mount through ball through the centre of the park was finished off by Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute to give Chelsea the lead. They defended resolutely and for all of Manchester City's attacking enterprise, they hardly troubled Edouard Mendy on the night.
Manchester City were outplayed by Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League final
It was a tough pill to swallow for Pep Guardiola and his players. Thomas Tuchel, who recently lost the 2019-20 Champions League final against Bayern Munich with Paris Saint-Germain, has found redemption with his young Chelsea side.
Without further ado, let's take a look at 10 amazing facts from the UEFA Champions League final.
#10 Edouard Mendy kept nine cleansheets in the 2020-21 Champions League
Edouard Mendy wasn't tested at all last night. Manchester City did mount a few promising attacks but they only registered one shot on target. Chelsea's defence under Thomas Tuchel has been exemplary and if at all anything breaches their backline, Mendy will be there to keep it out.
#9 This was Pep Guardiola's first loss in a Champions League final
Choosing to go without a defensive midfielder cost Pep Guardiola dearly on Saturday. He changed his system on the biggest night of the season and it came to bite him in the back.
Prior to Saturday, Pep had guided Barcelona to two Champions League titles during his first stint as manager. His side beat Manchester United on both occasions.
#8 Mason Mount has done England proud
Wes Brown's lovely cross was headed home by Cristiano Ronaldo to give Manchester United the lead over Chelsea in the 2007-08 Champions League final. Since then, no English player has assisted a goal in the final of the competition. Mason Mount successfully put that record to rest last night with a brilliant through ball to set up Havertz for Chelsea's only goal on the night.
#7 Thomas Tuchel won his third consecutive match against Pep Guardiola
Thomas Tuchel has put one over on Guardiola for the third time since taking the reins at Chelsea. His first win over Manchester City came in the FA Cup semi-final in April. Chelsea beat Manchester City again on the 8th of May to delay their coronation in the Premier League.
But Saturday's win would be the sweetest of them all. He has now become only the second manager to meet Pep Guardiola in three consecutive meetings.
#6 All of the last three Champions League titles have been won by German managers
Germany has always produced some of the best footballers in the world. Their coaches are now dominating the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp won Europe's most prestigious title in 2019 with Liverpool. Hans-Dieter Flick triumphed in 2020 with Bayern Munich.
Thomas Tuchel started the season as the manager of Paris Saint-Germain. He was sacked from there in January. Tuchel then took over at Chelsea and transformed the struggling side into Champions League winners. So the win against Manchester City would have been extra sweet.