UEFA Champions League

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Lore & Background

Chelsea's path to the 2021 final was steeped in tactical evolution and historical significance. Under manager Thomas Tuchel, who became the first to reach successive Champions League finals with different clubs (having lost the 2020 final with Paris Saint-Germain), the Blues faced Manchester City in their first-ever European Cup/Champions League final. This encounter was the third meeting between the sides in Europe; they had previously met in the 1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals, where Chelsea won both legs 1–0. During the 2020–21 domestic season, the teams traded victories: City won 3–1 at Stamford Bridge and lost 2–1 at the Etihad Stadium. Additionally, Chelsea had defeated City 1–0 in the FA Cup semi-finals three weeks before the final, denying the Citizens a potential quadruple. The match itself was an all-English affair for only the third time since the competition's inception, with the previous instances occurring in Moscow (2008) and Madrid (2019). Chelsea aimed to become the first club to win their maiden title since they did so in 2012.

In Their Own Story

The final kicked off around 8 p.m. before a crowd of 14,110 at the Estádio do Dragão. In the fourth minute, Kai Havertz threaded a pass across the City penalty area, but Ederson gathered the ball. Five minutes later, Ederson's long kick found Sterling, who was dispossessed by Reece James just as he prepared to shoot. Ben Chilwell crossed to the far post, but N'Golo Kanté's header flew over the bar. Manchester City began to threaten in the second half of the first period. In the 28th minute, Phil Foden broke through and was tackled by Antonio Rüdiger just before shooting. The deadlock finally broke in the 38th minute when Kanté played the ball to Havertz. A tackle from Oleksandr Zinchenko initially denied Havertz a clear shot, but moments later, he scored the only goal of the game late in the first half. Chelsea held firm for the remainder of the match to secure a 1–0 victory, their second Champions League title.

Reader's Guide

Fans seeking to understand the 2021 final must note the unique circumstances surrounding its venue and result. The match was originally scheduled for the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, before shifting to Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium. However, two weeks before kickoff, UEFA announced a move to Porto's Estádio do Dragão to ensure limited fan attendance was possible amidst travel restrictions. With a 33% capacity limit on the 50,000-seater stadium, 14,110 spectators attended. The match featured Kai Havertz as the decisive scorer in the first half, securing Chelsea's second title. As winners, Chelsea earned a spot in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup against Villarreal and qualified for the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, both of which they won. Furthermore, their victory secured qualification for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup via the UEFA champions pathway, a tournament they also went on to win.

Did You Know?

• This was the first time a Champions League final took place in Portugal outside of Lisbon.
• Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the match late in the first half.
• Thomas Tuchel became the first manager to reach the Champions League final in successive seasons with different clubs.
• The 2021 final was the second consecutive year the tournament concluded in Portugal, following the 2020 final in Lisbon.
• Chelsea qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as winners of the Champions League between 2021 and 2024.