Yesterday we broke down the events of the 2020–21 Europa League final between Manchester United and Villarreal, which had an end that could only make your jaw drop to the floor in amazement. However, that is not the only final we have to look forward to this weekend. Tomorrow, we will be gearing up for the Champions League final, which will be between Chelsea FC and Manchester City. The match will be kicking off at 8:00PM in Porto, where the game is being played, or 3:00PM EST. This match promises to be a thrilling one, but let’s actually take a look at what will make it so interesting.
First let’s take a look at the history of the two clubs in this competition. Chelsea FC has a bit more of a history here. Just to be clear here, whenever we mention the Champions League, it is in reference to when it was officially changed to that title in 1992. Chelsea made their first appearance in the competition during the 1999–2000 campaign, and they did quite well for their debut, getting knocked out by Barcelona in the quarter-finals. They would then miss out on the competition until the 2003–04 campaign, where they made it one step further than last time, getting knocked out in the semi-finals by Monaco. A few years later, Chelsea found themselves in the 2008 Champions League Final, going up against Manchester United. However, they failed to take home the trophy, as they were beaten out in a penalty shootout. It didn’t take too long to see them back at the final though. In 2021, the team were back, and going up against German giants, Bayern Munich. That game also went to penalties, but they didn’t mess it up on this occasion. They pushed on all the way to the end, and they brought home the Champions League trophy for the first time. Since then, they have not made it back to the final, and even their arrival this season has come as a shock to some. It will be very exciting to see what they can do.
On the other hand, Manchester City have very little experience in the competition by comparison. Throughout much of the 1990s, City struggled to even stay in the top division of the Premier League, and in the 2000s they were largely a mid-table side. It wasn’t until their major takeover in 2008 that things began to change for them. They qualified for the first time at the end of the 2010–11 season, but were knocked out of the group stage. The team has never made it to a final, their best finish being the 2015–16 semi-finals, when they were knocked out by Real Madrid. Let’s see if they have what it takes to go all the way this time around.
The two coaches for this match will be Thomas Tuchel for Chelsea and Pep Guardiola for Manchester City. Tuchel has had less Champions League experience compared to Guardiola, coaching in the competition for the first time in 2016 with Borussia Dortmund. He did not make it to the final with that team, getting knocked out by Juventes in the quarter-finals. He was then thrown back into the Champions League when he became the manager for PSG in 2018, although he and the team were knocked out at the round of 16. He did make it to the final the next season, but was knocked out by Bayern Munich by just a single goal. Now he is back in the final just a season later with Chelsea.
Guardiola has a ton of experience when it comes to the Champions league. Every team he has managed have been Champions League regulars. These teams include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and now Manchester City. He has won the competition twice, both times with Barcelona and both times against Manchester United. Those wins came in the 2008 final and the 2011 final. Since then, the furthest he has been able to get is the semi-finals. Will his perfect record of final appearances and wins be broken tomorrow? We’ll just have to see.
Coming into this game, Chelsea are definitely the underdogs, finishing 19 points and three places below City. However, they have already been able to prevail over the Premier League winners twice throughout the month of May, and they will certainly be looking to do it a third time tomorrow. However, it is not going to be an easy win, as City will be especially hungry for victory here. They have never taken home the Champions League trophy, so they will be ready to give their all for it and more. The question becomes: can Chelsea want it just as much?
There is great news for Chelsea, as they were able to issue two positive reports on previously injured players. Midfielder N’Golo Kante had been dealing with a hamstring problem for the last couple matches, while goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was able to recover after sustaining a rib injury when he slammed against the goal post during the team’s last game of the Premier League campaign against Aston Villa. Both players were back in training this week and will be ready for the match. Manchester City will also be delighted as they are not facing any injury concerns for any of their major players.
There is so much excitement during the hours leading up to this game, and it will be a great match from kickoff to final whistle. Who is going to come out on top? Nobody has a clue. Here at Blind Boys Politics, we will be calling for a 2–0 win for Chelsea, allowing them to bring home the trophy for the second time in the club’s history.
