Road to Champions League final as Man City and Chelsea set for showdown

Two of Premier League biggest spending clubs will face off for the most prestigious title in Europe when Manchester City and Chelsea go head-to-head in an all-English UEFA Champions League final.

Man City are looking to culminate a more than decade-long quest to win their first Champions League in their first final. London-based Chelsea are eyeing a second title (2012) on their third trip to the final.

City have enjoyed a dream season thus far, overcoming a slow start to win both the English Premier League and Carabao Cup. They’ve steamrolled the opposition on all fronts, outscoring opponents by a staggering 131-41 across 60 official matches. At one point they also rattled off a club-record 21 straight wins. And they are still undefeated in UEFA Champions League matches this season: 11 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses.

Coached by legendary manager Pep Guardiola, the Citizens lost just 7 times in the 60 matches played this year, boosted by the emergence of star Portuguese central defender Ruben Dias. But two of those seven defeats came against Chelsea and their German head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Guardiola has used a false-nine system to great effect this season, with Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and even Ilkay Gündoğan all taking turns as the spearhead of City’s attack. Having suffocated opponents thus far with their relentless pressing and clockwork passing, the Citizens are unlikely to change their approach in Porto. As Guardiola said: “We are used to playing a certain way. We cannot do it differently.”

Player to watch

City have abundance of riches, but De Bruyne remains their creator-in-chief. His elegance, vision and immaculate passing range – not to mention his driving runs and spectacular finishing – make him one of the most enjoyable players to watch in world football.

After taking over in midseason from Frank Lampard, Tuchel’s new tactical approach rejuvenated Chelsea, turning them into a defensive juggernaut. But their season has nearly unraveled of late with goal scoring proving their Achilles heel. They were shut out in FA Cup final and have dropped two of their final three Premier League matches which nearly cost them an automatic berth to next year’s Champions League.

Beaten only five times since Tuchel took charge, Chelsea really are starting to gel under their German coach. If the front players can continue their progress of the past few months, there is nothing – and no one – for Chelsea to fear. They changed manager mid-season when they won this trophy in 2012 so who’s to say lightning won’t strike twice? Their recent wins against City gives them further reason to believe.

An almost flawless group stage, founded on a solid defence and the record-breaking Edouard Mendy in goal, set Chelsea on their way. They were seldom threatened by the much-vaunted Atlético in the round of 16, then saw off battling Porto before overcoming 13-time champions Real Madrid in the last four.

Chelsea will approach the final as they have done every other game under Tuchel: by being hard to break down at the back and waiting for chances to come at the other end. City will be favourites, but Tuchel has already beaten them twice in recent weeks – the FA Cup semi and the Premier League encounter in Manchester and he will treat this the same way. The manner of their victory against Madrid shows their mettle, that’s for sure.

Player to watch

N’Golo Kanté may be 30 now, but his influence is showing no sign of diminishing. He wins trophies, pure and simple, and his engine is just incredible. The midfielder covers every blade of grass, disrupts the opposition. It’s no wonder his trophy cabinet is bulging.

Chelsea’s speedy attackers, Pulisic and Timo Werner, are at their best when they have space to run into and wreak havoc.

But if City’s star-studded attacking front finds the opening goal, it could be lights out for Chelsea. In the six matches in which Chelsea have conceded first under Tuchel, they have only come back to win one. Compare that record to the 19 games under Tuchel in which Chelsea have scored first: 17 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.

Man City have won 41 of 45 matches in which they have scored first and the uncompromising defensive talent on both sides, the “score-first-and-win” lines at plus money for both teams could present the most attractive bet.