Chelsea have booked a Champions League final date with Manchester City as Thomas Tuchel’s men eased past visitors Real Madrid on Wednesday night in a 2-0 win.
3 – Manchester City vs Chelsea will be the third all-English UEFA Champions League final after 2008 (Chelsea vs Man Utd) and 2019 (Liverpool vs Spurs). Only Spain have had as many same-nation finals (2000, 2014 & 2016). Familiar. #UCL pic.twitter.com/DocTBm4bBh
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 5, 2021
Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount ensured a convincing victory at home for the west London giants who will now play their Premier League fellow side Manchester City in Istanbul on May 29 for the prize.
MATCH PROCEEDINGS
As both teams got off to equal footing in the opening minutes at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea gained some ground on the attacking front but a goal from Timo Werner was deemed offside by the most fraction of margins.
The German striker, however, did not have to wait too long for his glory as he got lucky from a Kai Havertz strike hitting the crossbar and falling to him to slot into the back of an empty net with Chelsea taking a well-earned lead inside the first half-hour of play.
On the other end of the pitch, Karim Benzema was ever-present in front of the goal and once again the Frenchman looked set to play spoilsport to Chelsea’s lead with a well-timed header which was kept out quite brilliantly by Eduoard Mendy.
Chelsea went into the half time break deserved leaders after what was an inspiring showing from either side but the hosts having take the lead through Werner.
Minutes following the restart Havertz sought to increase his tally of recent weeks as the German rose high to head a cross from Azpilicuetta but the header crashed against the crossbar leaving the game still very much in the balance.
Real Madrid upped their defensive acumen in the minutes to come as a flurry of counter-attacks from the hosts left the visitors reeling in trouble which was sorted out by former Chelsea goalie Courtois who was called into action a number of times.
22 – At 22 years and 15 days Mason Mount is the second-youngest Englishman to score in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, after Wayne Rooney (21y 182d vs Milan). Mount is the first Englishman to score at this stage for Chelsea since Frank Lampard in 2008. Blue. #CHERMA pic.twitter.com/GAeF1cryWA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 5, 2021
N’Golo Kante, an ever-dangerous figure on the pitch over the 90 minutes, was the chief architect of Chelsea’s second goal as he found Pulisic whose cross for Mount brought about the Blues doubling their advantage in a game that eventually finished 2-0 in their favour and meant their progress into the finale of the competiton.
