The Last Dance – (UCL Final 2020/21)

After yet another season filled with ups and downs and great comebacks and eye-raising events, we once again head down to the final event of the season’s mega football event. The prestigious tournament to decide the champions of Europe will have no shortage of eyes all over the world, and this year is yet another all-English final which makes the social media rivalry even greater. But the two English clubs will not show much solidarity to one another as well.While Manchester City is flying with the form of their life, winning the Premier League on a dominating margin, Pep Guardiola faces most of his defeats in his entire managerial career against Chelsea. And knowing their ability to choke on big occasions and bottle easy wins in the past, they can never be too sure. While on the other hand Chelsea is dubbed the surprise package of the season, while just being able to finish in the top four on a dramatic last matchday of the Premier League, they are not too settled in with the team that they have. Chelsea’s star player in the semis, N’golo Kante, has been out for weeks now with a possibility of missing the finals. However, if there is one man who can change the fortune of the club, as he already has, it’s Thomas Tuchel, the manager who has turned things around for the club since his appointment at the end of January.

Pep joined Manchester City back in 2016, since then he dominated the Premiere League winning three titles in the last five years. Spending almost a billion euros and owing to the domestic competitions, Pep’s City always fell short of the UCL titles. But things look a bit different this season, for someone who is known to play with his tactics a little too much, Pep has been more consistent than ever with his lineup. Their magnificent win against PSG in the semis tells a lot about their character this season. They seem way more determined and fixed on what they are doing and will do to win the European crown. Kevin de Bruyne, the City captain, would be their main man on the pitch, and surely a lot will depend on him. Kevin already had four assists in the tournament. Phil Foden, the young sensation, will also have a lot to prove in this game, the English youngster already had his impact over all the recent games leading to this final. The spotlight, however, will not be on either of the players but on the living club legend, Sergio Aguero, who plays his last game for the Citizens before moving to Barcelona on a free transfer.

Chelsea on the other hand has had a season filled with ups and downs. When Thomas Tuchel took on the responsibility four months back, the London club was in the 9th position of the Premier League. The mastermind pulled the club back on the top fours while managing to finish second on the FA cup and now reaching the finals of UCL. N’golo Kante has been the sole

runner for the blues in the recent past, while the doubt of him missing away from the finals is still there, the manager recently disclosed that his squad is free of any injuries and the complete eleven would be played. Edward Mandy, the Chelsea goalkeeper will also be on the cards as he has been the change in fortune for them in many matches. Chelsea invested heavily on their forwards in the past season, being trophyless will have no excuse for them. The club invested in Kai Hevertz, Timo Werner, and Hakim Zyech on the last two transfers, along with the American sensation Pulisic and homegrown talent Mason Mount, the club should have no worry looking for goals in this game.

The formation for both the clubs can be tricky as well as the game decider. Where Pep Guardiola’s mind is impossible to read, Thomas Tuchel has been very settled on his lineup. Chelsea is expected to start with Time Werner and Kai Havertz alongside Giroud on the top, playing a 3-3-4-1 lineup. Whereas, Manchester City currently lacks a true striker since the injuries of Aguero. Pep would certainly not start with Aguero due to all of his fitness concerns but it surely will be interesting to see how he lines it up.

On the recent head-to-head performances, Chelsea won two of the three encounters of this season. On top of that, Pep does not maintain a good stat with Chelsea himself, having lost a total of nine times. But a UCL final with the European glory at stake, it can be claimed that neither of the clubs will give anything away.