The Chelsea pros around the overjoyed Kai Havertz cheered loudly and danced on the lawn, Thomas Tuchel immediately went to hug the defeated Pep Guardiola. Thanks to the brilliant tactics of the German coach and Havertz’s winning goal, the Blues celebrated their great triumph in the Champions League on Saturday evening in Porto. Chelsea disenchanted Guardiola-coached Manchester City in an intense English final. The German international Havertz scored the most important goal of his career so far in the 42nd minute to make it 1-0 (1-0) and also let his DFB teammates Timo Werner and Antonio Rüdiger cheer.
Manchester professional Ilkay Gündogan, on the other hand, will travel to Joachim Löw at the training camp. The national coach and the DFB selection followed the final in Seefeld in front of the television in the crowded Estádio do Dragão. Like their coach, Havertz, Werner and Rüdiger celebrated their first triumph in the premier class less than two weeks before the start of the European Championship. Tuchel had lost in the final with Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern last year – and has now won the duel between the tactical masters.
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Guardiola had five to six offensive attacks extremely high in the initial phase. Gündogan arranged the Cityzens’ game in the central midfield and was also the first protection for the defensive. The Brazilian Fernandinho, who only came in the second half (64th), and the Spaniard Rodri surprisingly sat on the bench at first. Guardiola had again turned the direction of his team upside down in an enormously important game.
Tuchel countered with a perfectly coordinated tactic, he let his team lurk – and relied on speed and attack-like moves. After a mistake by the City defense, Werner came to a conclusion, but failed to goalkeeper Ederson (14th), seconds later the German national player only hit the outside netting (15th). Tuchel applauded energetically on the sidelines and encouraged the fans in the stands to give more support.
Thousands of fans created the atmosphere of the final
The 14,110 spectators in the Drachenstadion ensured a real final atmosphere right from the start after months of Corona dreariness in the Champions League. Long before the game, English fans in sky or dark blue jerseys in the alleys of the port city were in the mood for the final, and the corona rules were far from always being observed. There were strict rules in the arena, the fans were distributed as far as possible in the stands.
On the sidelines, Guardiola and Tuchel, who had to do without the injured defensive boss Thiago Silva from the 39th minute, called with gestures and according to their instructions. The final duel between the friendly coaches was awaited with great anticipation – Chelsea had won the previous two competitive games in the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Two teams at eye level
In Porto an exciting, worth seeing final of two teams with different systems developed at eye level and with strong moves on both sides. Rüdiger cleared the penalty area just in time before Phil Foden (27th). And then Havertz came: The national player was used perfectly by Mason Mount, with a bit of luck put the ball past Ederson and pushed his left into the empty goal. Tuchel clenched both hands into fists in jubilation.
The Chelsea defense worked very concentrated and efficient afterwards, in midfield of the Blues N’Golo Kanté showed a strong game. And the omens for City didn’t get any better: after an hour, Manchester’s playmaker Kevin De Bruyne had to be replaced as a result of a collision with Rüdiger, who saw a yellow card for it. The Belgian left the field in tears.
A little later, Tuchel changed Werner (66th), the former Dortmund Christian Pulisic came on the field. The American missed the great chance to make it 2-0 in the 73rd minute after passing Havertz. During this phase, Chelsea lay in wait for the possibly decisive counterattack, City initially did not come in front of the Blues goal often enough. Guardiola brought in Argentine striker Sergio Agüero, who saw his last minutes in the city jersey, for the closing stages. (dpa)
