Courtesy: CBS Sports
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On Sunday, 12:30 AM, Manchester City and Chelsea will face off in the highly anticipated 2021 UEFA Champions League Final (IST). These two teams have already met twice in the 2020/21 Premier League season, as well as once in the FA Cup Semi-Finals.
This season, Manchester City has been outstanding under Pep Guardiola. During the season, they have already won the Premier League and the Carabao Cup. Chelsea, on the other hand, has been a revived power under Thomas Tuchel, finishing in the top four this season. The Blues have been a thorn in Manchester City’s side and can complete their third victory against City in the final.
Tuchel may have beaten Guardiola in the league and FA Cup in the last two months, but the Citizens won emphatically the last time the Catalan unleashed his free-flowing false-nine style on the Blues. Given the stakes, this latest meeting is sure to be tenser, but if City can replicate the levels of talent and maturity displayed in their semi-final triumph over Paris, the cup is surely theirs. However, if Chelsea can defend well as they did in the previous games against City, surely you cant write them off.
Team News
Pep Guardiola has chosen to play without a striker on multiple occasions this season and is expected to do so again against Chelsea. Manchester City currently has a completely fit roster and will have to field their strongest lineup in this encounter. They have no suspension or injuries.
Edouard Mendy was substituted against Aston Villa last week but is expected to return in this game. Chelsea are also concerned about N’Golo Kante’s fitness, although he should be available against Manchester City. Just like City, their squad seems to be fully fit.
Possible line-ups
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Rúben Dias, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gündoğan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden
Chelsea: Mendy; Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rüdiger, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kanté, Chilwell, Pulišić, Werner, Mount
Prediction
Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea
Even most Chelsea supporters would admit that City is the favorite in Porto, but both teams have more than enough talent to win the trophy on the day. Tuchel has established himself as a specialist in comparison to other elite managers, but Chelsea’s sloppy FA Cup Final failure and subsequent League defeat at Villa Park will be a major concern.
With neither team likely to start a recognized center forward, it may come down to which defense is better at dealing with flowing attacks – and City has been dominant in that sense this season.
What are your predictions for the game? Will Pep continue his unbeaten streak in the UCL finals or will Tuchel win his first Champions League?