Champions League final: meet the winners

Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League final to complete a superb season. Get the background.

CHELSEA

UEFA ranking: 12
This season: W9 D3 L1 F23 A4
Top scorer: Olivier Giroud (6)
How they won it: Group E winners, 3-0 vs Atlético (R16), 2-1 vs Porto (QF), 3-1 vs Real Madrid (SF), 1-0 vs Man. City (F)
Last season: round of 16
European Cup best: winners x2 (2012, 2021)

Their campaign
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 Atlético in the round of 16, then saw off battling Porto before overcoming 13-time champions Real Madrid in the last four and much-touted Manchester City in the title match.

Tactical approach
Chelsea approached this final as they had done every other game under Thomas Tuchel: by being hard to break down at the back and waiting for chances to come at the other end. And like in their victory over Madrid in the semis, they again displayed real mettle to halt Man. City.

Key player
N'Golo Kanté may be 30 but his influence shows 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 – ask Madrid's Modrić and Kroos – and hardly wastes a ball. Little wonder his trophy cabinet is bulging.

Who's in charge?
Leading Chelsea to their first item of silverware since 2019’s UEFA Europa League, Tuchel has been a revelation since his January appointment, when he succeeded Frank Lampard.
Jon Phipps, Chelsea reporter