Ecstasy on one side, devastation on the other.
In an unprecedented Champions League Final, Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1-0 after 90 minutes. Thomas Tuchel's side was triumphant by a 42' minute winner by young German star Kai Havertz.
The game was scrappy, fast-paced, and climacteric, but Manchester City fell prey to the electrifying play by the Blues. But what went wrong for City today?
Let's begin with the starting lineups, and the tactics ushered out by Pep Guardiola. To begin, Pep made the audacious decision of starting out-of-form Raheem Sterling on the wing, who, as of recently, has been in the headlines as a potential move away from City looms.
The move away from the Pep's practically unbeatable false 9 formation is testament to Guardiola's biggest weakness: overthinking.
Guardiola is known for his brilliant tactical mind and his ability to deploy tactics to control possession and wear out the opposition, but in big games, notably the 2 games against Chelsea before tonight's final, Guardiola displayed an unconventional lineup and allowed for Chelsea to dominate the midfield, dictating the game.
Tonight's performance was no exception.
City never played their game, merely attempting to play a rusty charade of the style that Pep has coined. The lack of a true defensive midfielder to fill the gaps in the middle was crucial in Chelsea's first goal. If a true DM was present, like Fernandinho or Rodri, perhaps Mason Mount's eloquent through ball to Havertz may have been cut-out.
I believe this performance was purely on Pep, the switch from tactics that work, and the lack of an electric sideline presence, contrary to the lively personality of Tuchel, who continuously shouted and waved his arms to the fans, encouraging their support. Pep was nowhere to be found, sulking in his seat, with his trademark "drinking water face" on display.
Concerning for both City and Belgium fans is the apparent head injury to star Kevin De Bruyne, who was substituted in the second half after a rash challenge from Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger. De Bruyne was down for a while, and his body language made his injury look like a concussion. Only time will tell to see if De Bruyne will be fit for the looming 2021 European Championships, where Belgium remain as one of the favorites to win the competition.
Tonight will be difficult for City fans, left to envy their Achilles Heel from London, and look to the next season, and the triumph and heartbreak it will bring.
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