5 reasons why Chelsea will struggle against Manchester City | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea will battle in the final of the UEFA Champions League to take home the biggest prize in Europe. Both sides turned in performances of the highest order en route to the final and will be desperate to cap off their impressive campaigns with the European crown.
Manchester City thumped title-favourite Paris Saint-Germain over two legs in the semi-final while Chelsea sent perennial winners Real Madrid packing to set up an all-English Champions League final. Pep Guardiola's side saw off Borussia Monchengladbach in the Round of 16 prior to eliminating Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
The Cityzens have been on a roll this season and have already won the Premier League and the Carabao Cup. Meanwhile, Chelsea beat La Liga champions Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16. They subsequently finished off FC Porto in the quarter-finals before taking on Real Madrid in the semis.
Chelsea made it to the FA Cup final but had their hearts broken after conceding a 1-0 loss to Leicester City at Wembley. The Blues will be raring to get their hands on silverware but it won't be straightforward against one of the best sides in the world at the moment.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Chelsea will struggle against Manchester City.
#5 Chelsea's lack of a reliable goalscorer
Despite the marked improvement they've showcased under Thomas Tuchel, goals have been hard to come by for the Blues. They scored just 58 goals in 38 Premier League matches this term and they have the worst record in terms of goals scored among the top six sides in the Premier League.
Timo Werner's all-round game has helped Chelsea but the striker's form in front of goal has been woeful. The fact that Jorginho, with seven goals, all of which were penalties, was their top scorer in the Premier League, speaks volumes of Chelsea's lack of a reliable goalscorer.
Their top scorer in the Champions League is Olivier Giroud and he is extremely unlikely to be deployed up front.
Against Manchester City, Chelsea are not going to get a whole lot of chances and they will need to be clinical. Though they have been able to bang in a couple of crucial ones whenever it has mattered so far in Europe, it will once again be quite a test for Tuchel's men.
#4 Manchester City's strong defence
Manchester City kept the best defensive record in the Premier League this past Premier League season. Against Paris Saint-Germain, a side that boasts arguably the best attack in the world, the Cityzens conceded a single goal over two legs.
Much of that credit goes to their incredible centre-back duo of Ruben Dias and John Stones. Dias' entry has helped stabilize Manchester City and his presence has helped charge John Stones back to life. Both players are excellent defenders and neat in possession as well.
Chelsea's attackers will have their work cut out for them tonight as they go up against one of the best centre-back pairings in the world right now.