Chelsea beat Real Madrid 2-0 to clinch a 3-1 aggregate success in Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg. Goals from Timo Wer...
Chelsea beat Real Madrid 2-0 to clinch a 3-1 aggregate success in Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg.
Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount booked an all-Premier League showdown with Manchester City in the final in Istanbul on May 29. If anything, the scoreline flattered Madrid as the 13-time European champions had no response to Chelsea’s greater strength and speed.
Here’s a look at things we learned from the Stamford Bridge clash:
Tuchel’s Midas touch
Since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard in January, Thomas Tuchel has overseen a remarkable revival in Chelsea’s fortunes and this was his finest moment yet.
Tuchel arrived at Stamford Bridge with a solid CV after leading Paris Saint-Germain to the French title and last season’s Champions League final. But few expected him to have such an immediate impact on under-performing Chelsea.
Stuck in ninth place in the Premier League when Tuchel took charge, Chelsea have won 16 of their 24 games under the German, rising back into the top four and reaching the finals of the Champions League and FA Cup.
Thomas Tuchel has now beaten Zidane, Guardiola, Klopp, Mourinho, Ancelotti and Simeone (2x).
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 5, 2021
They didnt concede a single goal in those seven matches. pic.twitter.com/GFUF8KnQZt
Defensive excellence has been the trademark of Tuchel’s reign and once...
