Chelsea Are Crowned CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE For The Second Time In Nine Years. (Match Report And Highlight).

Chelsea are crowned CHAMPIONS of Europe for the second-time (2012 and 2021), following a well tightly contested victory over Manchester City in the All-English Champions League final on Saturday night in Porto.

This was City’s best ever Champions League season, by reaching the final for the first time, while Chelsea were hoping to lift the European Cup the second time in nine years after their maiden triumph in 2012 beating Bayern on penalties.

One goal separated the two sides in the  match which went down at the Estadio do Dragao which saw fans in attendance.

Chelsea were fantastic in attack in the first half, before holding out in the second with a strong defensive display.

21-year-old German midfielder Kai Havertz who joined Chelsea as the second most expensive signing for the club in September 2020 for £71m with add-ons, made the difference in the tensed match by scoring the only goal on the night.

He passed through the ghosts of City’s defensive midfielders and rollec the ball into the empty net after rounding Ederson on the stroke of half-time through a fabulous assist from Mason Mount to hand the Blues a well deserved title.

The great Guardiola plan and tactics was cut-off, blocked, turned back against itself, as he played a City side without a recognised No 9, and handed total creative control to his midfielders only for them to fall short.

He tried to undo the mistakes on the closing stages of the game by sending on Fernandinho, Gabriel JesusJto replace the injured Kevin de Bruyne, even eventually Sergio Aguero but all to no avail, as Thomas Tuchel's side held on to full-time.

City’s wait for that trophy continues… they become the second Manchester side to lose a European final this week. Their fellow City rivals Manchester United had lost 11-10 in an epic penalty shoot-out in the Europa League final on Wednesday to Spanish side Villarreal despite being firm favourites to clinch the trophy.

Pep Guadiola who had already won the double (Premier League and the League Cup) this season, said after the disappointing game:

"It was an exceptional season for us. It was an honour to be here.

"We are sad but it was a tight game. In the second half we were brilliant and brave but could not convert our goals because they are so fast and strong. Our players were exceptional, and maybe we will come back again one day."

"Kevin de Bruyne was injured but it happens. The ambition now is rest, but we will prepare for next season. It is the first time we were in this stage. It’s an honour to be here, and hopefully we will learn for the future."

The Cityzen's Champions League defeat to Chelsea is the first time Pep Guardiola has lost a major cup final since his Barcelona side went down to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final in 2011.

Since Borussia Dortmund defeated Juventus in Munich in 1997, it's now eight clubs in a row who have been beaten in their maiden appearance in a Champions League final

Manchester City joins Valencia (2000), Monaco (2004), Bayer Leverkusen (2002), Arsenal (2006), Chelsea (2012) Tottenham (2019) and Paris Saint-Germain (2020) in failing to win the showpiece fixture at the first attempt.

CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!!! 🏆 #ChelseaChampions #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/Wz000kegmG

— Champions of Europe 🏆 (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2021

Meanwhile for Chelsea, they have now won four major European trophies (two Champions Leagues and two Europa Leagues) in the past nine years.

They are set to battle with Europe League winners Villarreal in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup. The Blues will take on Unai Emery's side at Windsor Park, Belfast, on August 11th.

It'll be their fifth Super Cup appearance, while Villarreal will be making their first.

“This is unbelievable. To share it with everybody is unbelievable. The players were determined to win this.”

"We wanted to be a stone in their shoe, a stone in the clockwork of Manchester City, and we encouraged everybody to step up and step out.

"We would have wanted to be a bit more brave with the ball to have a bit more ball possession, but we created some dangerous counter attacks, some opportunities, and the second half was pure fight.”

The 47-year-old German manager having missed out on the title last season with PSG, has now finally got his hands on the title.

He had already led Chelsea to a fourth place finish in the league after just being appointed mid-way into the season, but lost FA Cup final to Leicester City early this month.

(WATCH HIGHLIGHT)