Chelsea are the champions of Europe. Just sit again and take pleasure in that for a second.
Last night time in Porto, Thomas Tuchel’s facet produced a efficiency becoming of the Champions League closing. Heart, want, grit, willpower, high quality. It was all there and a lot extra.
The margin of victory was slender – Kai Havertz’s first-half aim the distinction towards Pep Guardiola’s Man City. Yet there is no such thing as a doubt the Blues deserved to take the big-eared trophy house to London.
“We knew that we would have liked a top-level efficiency and we would have liked a powerful bond at the moment to beat this match and to have an opportunity to win this match,” Tuchel mentioned after the victory in Portugal.”
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“This is what we did. I’m nearly speechless. I’m very, very pleased to share this second with this crew, employees, and help [we get] day by day in Cobham. It’s for them, for our crew supervisor who’s at house, it is for my dad and mom, my household, my children.”
Chelsea needed to defend proper to the bitter finish towards City. In whole 97 minutes had been performed on the Estadio do Dragao, within the dying moments of which Riyad Mahrez nearly struck an equaliser for Guardiola’s facet.
Yet when the full-time whistle was blown, numerous Chelsea gamers had been overwhelmed by emotion. Some crumpled to the turf, exhausted by joyous. Others sprinted across the pitch, revelling within the sheer emotion transmitted from the gang.
Tuchel, in the meantime, spent just a few seconds in dialog with Guardiola after the 2 had shared an embrace as they walked onto the pitch.
That was solely the beginning of Chelsea’s celebrations. They went lengthy into the night time in entrance of the membership’s supporters and right here on the things we spotted from them.
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Edouard Mendy’s deserved tears
There nearly actually had been numerous Chelsea followers the world over who broke down into tears straight after the full-time whistle was blown. And they had been joined by Mendy.
The Senegal worldwide has been on a rare journey during the last six years. In 2015, he was unemployed and in search of a job after being launched by Cherbourg. He is now a Champions League winner.
So these had been tears of happiness, of perseverance, of by no means giving up on a dream. Congratulations, Edou.
Mason Mount channels Didier Drogba
One of the long-lasting celebrations from Chelsea’s Champions League win of 2012 got here from the clutch participant of that night time: Didier Drogba.
Having scored the equaliser in regular and then dispatched the successful penalty within the shootout towards Bayern Munich, the Ivorian lastly received his palms on the most important prize in European soccer.
Drogba made certain he loved it and spent a number of minutes on the pitch on the Allianz Stadium driving the Champions League trophy in all totally different instructions.
And final night time, that celebration was repeated by one in all Chelsea’s personal: Mason Mount.
Mason Mount repeats Didier Drogba’s Champions League closing celebration
(Image: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
N’Golo Kante ever the humble gentleman
During the medal presentation, it is grow to be customary for gamers to offer the Champions League trophy a fast kiss earlier than the membership captain raises it aloft. That was the case final night time on the Dragao.
One by one, as Chelsea’s gamers walked previous the trophy to the rostrum, they leaned in and give it a fast peck. But then it got here to N’Golo Kante.
The Frenchman is among the most humble gamers round and that is maybe why there was no kiss from Kante. Instead, there was just a little pat with each arms earlier than he moved on.
N’Golo Kante with Champions League trophy
(Image: Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Images)
Famously, when France received the World Cup in 2018, Kante was too modest to ask his teammates raise the trophy.
Fortunately, Cesar Azpilicueta ensured the 30-year-old did not have to attend too lengthy this time round, handing the trophy over to the midfielder mere moments after he had lifted it.
Antonio Rudiger exhibits his power
Like the remainder of his Chelsea teammates, Rudiger was faultless towards City. He has been spectacular for the reason that appointment of Tuchel and has made the function on the left facet of the defence his personal.
Rudiger has a superb relationship with Tuchel and that was evident during the celebrations as when the Chelsea head coach when to congratulate the 28-year-old, he was lifted off his ft and into the air.
The big smile on Tuchel’s face instructed he had no downside with the unorthodox big from the Blues’ No.2.
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Made in Cobham
Chelsea took 25 gamers out to Porto for the Champions League closing. Seven of these had hung out within the membership’s academy.
Some greater than others admittedly, with the likes of Billy Gilmour and Andreas Christensen arriving of their late teenagers, however they’ve all made the journey from youth crew, to first crew, to Champions League winner.
So it was becoming that the seven had been pictured collectively. So from left to proper within the photograph beneath: Tino Anjorin, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Billy Gilmour and Andreas Christensen.
Chelsea’s homegrown stars have a good time with the Champions League trophy
(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC by way of Getty Images)
Kurt Zouma takes N’Golo Kante for a experience
The French defender was one of many first gamers onto the pitch after the full-time whistle was blown and he headed straight for Kante.
Once there, Zouma hoisted the diminutive midfielder up and nearly onto his shoulder earlier than rapidly placing his compatriot on strong floor.
N’Golo Kante is lifted by Kurt Zouma
(Image: Valerio Pennicino – UEFA/UEFA by way of Getty Images)
Thiago Silva and Thomas Tuchel avenge 2020 defeat
In final yr’s closing, there was heartbreak for Tuchel and Silva as, then at Paris Saint-Germain, there have been overwhelmed by Bayern Munich. This time round things had been totally different.
Silva could have been compelled off within the opening interval with an obvious groin damage however that did not cease him from becoming a member of within the celebrations and giving Tuchel an enormous hug on the pitch.
“It’s an important second of my profession,” the Brazilian advised RMC Sport after the sport.
