UEFA Champions League
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: Who made the strongest start with the new clubs?
Following the news that Lionel Messi would be leaving Barcelona after 21 years, all of Europe's big teams contacted his representative to make inquiries about signing him. He ended up signing a three-year contract with PSG. On the other side, Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave Juventus for a new challenge after Messi's surprising move to Paris Saint-Germain. He was finally signed by Manchester United in the summer 2021 transfer deadline. Let's take a look at how Messi and Ronaldo have performed so far this season for their respective clubs.
Lionel Messi's Season up to this point for PSG
Lionel Messi picked no. 30 as his PSG jersey number, the same number he wore for FC Barcelona when he made his senior debut in 2004. Messi made his PSG debut on August 29 against Reims in Ligue 1 after an almost three-week wait. He was brought on as a substitute in the second half. Leo made his home debut against Olympic Lyon On September 19, and on September 15, he made his UEFA Champions League debut against Club Brugge.
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Messi had to wait a month for PSG to score his first goal. He scored his debut goal against Manchester City at Parc des Princes on September 28. Messi made his customary run into the opposition half, played a one-two with Kylian Mbappe, and then blasted a superb finish to the top left corner. Lionel Messi has appeared in eight matches and scored three goals as of October 31. Mauricio Pochettino is trying to adjust his formation to get the best out of Messi, who has yet to show his true potential with Paris Saint-Germain.
Cristiano Ronaldo's performance in Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo has been given the iconic number 7 shirt to wear in his second stint at Manchester United. Ronaldo played his first game of the season against Newcastle United on September 11. He scored a brace in his debut match. Cristiano scored a late winner in a vital UEFA Champions League group stage match against Villarreal on September 29. Manchester United won the contest by 2-1. He also came out as a rescue for the Red Devils in their most recent Champions League match against Atalanta. His 83rd-minute header secured a dramatic 3-2 win over Atalanta.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has now more focus on scoring goals, that’s why he has become a penalty box forward over the last three seasons. Overall, he has scored 7 goals in 10 appearances for Manchester United thus far. Ronaldo is manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's main striker, and so far he has done a good job as no.9.
Way Forward
The football world was shocked when Lionel Messi signed a contract with PSG in the last summer transfer window. However, his performance for Paris Saint-Germain hasn't been up to the mark so far. The diminutive Argentine has struggled to adjust to the new system, and experts think he will require more time to bond with his new teammates.
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On the other hand, the Portuguese superstar Ronaldo has enjoyed a good start with Manchester United. He has already had an impact on the team. The charismatic forward has aided Manchester United in securing a number of dramatic victories. In that perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo has gotten off to a better start with his new club than Lionel Messi.
Man Utd vs. Atalanta: Cristiano Ronaldo Scores Winning Goal for Manchester United
Manchester United won their second Champions League group stage match of the 2021-2022 season thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's 81st-minute goal. Manchester United had the majority of ball possession, but Atalanta created more chances and led by two goals in the first half. Manchester United climbed to the top of Group F's point’s standings with six points after three games. Atalanta are now in the second position with four points ahead of Villarreal (4) and Young Boys (3). The match report of Man Utd vs. Atalanta is discussed in this article.
Match Report: Man Utd vs. Atalanta
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his third Champions League goal of the season, helping Manchester United to a resounding victory against Atalanta that sent them to the top of the group.
After a shock loss to Leicester City earlier this week, they were under pressure heading into the game. So, this victory will instill confidence in Manchester United's players ahead of some important matches.
Read PSG vs. RB Leipzig: Will Messi, Neymar Start for Paris Saint-Germain?
Manchester United's defense failed to cope with Atalanta's constant counter-attack in the first half. In the opening 45 minutes, Mario Pasalic, Luis Muriel, and Josip Ilicic all caused problems for the United defense. Mario Pasalic scored in the 15th minute, so the visitors didn't have to wait long for their first goal. Pasalic put the ball into the back of the net after receiving a low cross from Davide Zappacosta.
Merih Demiral surprised the Old Trafford crowd with a spectacular header from a Teun Koopmeiners corner kick after only 14 minutes of the first goal. Manchester United fans were in a state of utter shock. They were upset even more after Fred and Marcus Rashford both missed two chances before halftime.
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Coach Ole Gunner Solskjr had to craft a more effective approach in order to win the game in the second half. Thankfully, Manchester United's players had responded well and regrouped to win the game.
Manchester United scored their first goal in the second half after only 8 minutes. Marcus Rashford found a brilliant through pass from Bruno Fernandes. He guided it to the far corner of the net to give Man Utd the first goal of the match in the 53rd minute.
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Harry Maguire tore up the lead in the 75th minute. Maguire found himself alone in the penalty box and simply slotted the ball into the net after the Atalanta defenders failed to stop Fernandes' cross.
The Manchester United players then poised for the game-winning goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo rising to the occasion once more. Ronaldo received a fantastic cross from left-back Luke Shaw, and he jumped up to head the ball into the net. Cristiano Ronaldo displayed yet another outstanding performance at the crucial moment of the game.
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The goalkeeper of Manchester United, David De Gea had a busy time with the gloves. He produced some excellent saves to keep his team in the game.
PSG vs. RB Leipzig: Will Messi, Neymar Start for Paris Saint-Germain?
A vital UEFA Champions League Group A game between Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig will be held on Wednesday (October 20) at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). This game will be crucial for RB Leipzig in their quest for a Round 16 berth. They need to win the contest in order to remain in the tournament. On the other hand, PSG are presently in the first spot in the group standings. Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe of PSG will be the center of attention in this clash. Will they play together against Leipzig? Let's take a look at the PSG vs. RB Leipzig match preview.
Probable Team Lineups: PSG vs. RB Leipzig
Coach Mauricio Pochettino will be without star Brazilian striker Neymar due to a groin injury sustained during the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay last week. Pochettino will have to rely on German attacking midfielder Julian Draxler to form a formidable forward line with Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi in this encounter in the absence of Neymar. Because Argentine winger Angel di Maria is suspended for this match, and his compatriot Mauro Icardi is expected to miss the fixture owing to personal reasons.
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Paris Saint-Germain will also be without some important midfield and defensive players. PSG's summer acquisition Sergio Ramos will be unavailable at least for the next four weeks due to a calf injury. Aside from them, Paredes and Kurzawa will be absent from this match.
Probable Starting XI (PSG): Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK), Achraf Hakimi (RB), Marquinhos (CB), Nuno Mendes (LB), Ander Herrera (DM), Idrissa Gueye (DM), Marco Verratti (M), Julian Draxler (AM), Lionel Messi (FW), Kylian Mbappé (FW)
A notable number of Leipzig players are expected to miss this important clash due to injuries. Therefore, coach Jesse Marsch will need to come up with a good plan to halt PSG's attacking trio in this game.
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Leipzig's summer signing from Ajax Brian Brobbery will miss the match due to a thigh injury. dependable defender Marcel Halstenberg, offensive midfielder Dani Olmo, and Uruguayan left-back Marcelo Saracchi will also be out for this Champions League encounter because of injuries. As a result, manager Jesse Marsch is concerned about putting together a balanced starting XI for this match.
Probable Starting XI (RB Leipzig): Péter Gulácsi (GK), Willi Orbán (CB), Nordi Mukiele (CB), Joško Gvardiol (LB), Lukas Klostermann (RB), Amadou Haidara (M), Kevin Kampl (M), Angeliño (Left-Winger), Christopher Nkunku (AM), Emil Forsberg (AM), Yussuf Poulsen (FW).
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Man Utd vs. Villarreal: Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal gives Manchester United a dramatic win
Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-minute winning goal aided Manchester United to seal the first win of this season's Champions League at Old Trafford. Manchester United enjoyed the most ball possession, but Villarreal produced greater opportunities during the contest. After two games, Atalanta rose to the top of Group F's points table with four points. Young Boys are now in second place with three points, ahead of Manchester United (3) and Villarreal (2). The match report of Man Utd vs. Villarreal is discussed in this article.
Match Report: Man Utd vs. Villarreal
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second Champions League goal of the season against Villarreal, and this time it wasn't in vain. Manchester United triumphed against their most difficult opponent in the group. After playing this match, Cristiano Ronaldo now has the most appearances (178) and goals (136) in UEFA Champions League history.
Manchester United's defense struggled to deal with Villarreal's well-organized counter-attack in the first half. Paco Alcacer, Pino, and Groeneveld had distressed the United defense throughout the match. They had several chances to equalize and should have scored two goals before halftime.
Read PSG vs. Man City 2021: Messi Scores as Paris Saint-Germain Beat Manchester City
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea had a busy time with the gloves. He made some routine saves, but they were fortunate not to concede any goals in the first half.
As the game progressed, Villarreal gained confidence and scored within the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Villarreal took the lead in the 53rd minute. Paco Alcacer guided the ball into the net upon receiving the ball from Danjuma's low cross inside the penalty area.
Manchester United players had shown desperation to equalize after conceding the goal and discarded the lead within 7 minutes. Full back Telles netted the crucial goal from outside the D-Box with a beautiful volley. United's Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes deserves applause for his brilliant cross ball to Telles, which made the task easy for the Brazilian left-back.
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PSG vs. Man City 2021: Messi Scores as Paris Saint-Germain Beat Manchester City
Manchester City dominated the ball possession, but host Paris Saint-Germain won the important UEFA Champions League group stage match 2-0 against the English premier league Champion yesterday (Tuesday, 28 September 2021)) at Parc des Princes. With four points after two games, PSG climbed to the top of Group A's standings. PSG's superstar footballer Lionel Messi scored his first goal for the new club after arriving in the summer transfer window 2021. The match report of PSG vs. Man City 2021 is discussed in this article.
Match Report: PSG vs. Man City 2021
Paris Saint-Germain have secured the top spot in Group A with a 2-0 victory against Manchester City at the end of the second match of this round. Club Brugge are in the second position in this group followed by Manchester City and RB Leipzig.
Lionel Messi scored his first PSG goal in this match after three appearances, making it a memorable night for the football sensation. Messi has been under pressure to put up his usual master class performance since joining the French club this summer. He is surely now relieved after scoring this goal.
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Lionel Messi’s Stunner
Messi remained relatively quiet in the contest until the 74th minute. He ran down the opposition half with his customary dazzling pace and delivered a quick pass to Kylian Mbappe from just outside the D-box. Mbappe didn't make a blunder as he delivered Messi a superb pass. Lionel Messi then did what he does best, smashing the ball into the top right corner of the net with his left foot, netting his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain. Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson had no choice but to watch the ball go into the net.
Lionel Messi has a knack for playing well against Pep Guardiola's team, as he displayed with a thunderous goal yesterday. Messi now has scored 27 goals in 35 outings against English clubs.
Read: Messi scores superb 1st goal for PSG in 2-0 win against City
Idrissa Gueye Strikes Early for PSG
PSG had a dream start to the game, scoring in the eighth minute thanks to a stunner from midfielder Idrissa Gueye. Neymar's unsuccessful attempt landed the ball to Gueye just inside the penalty area. Idrissa Gueye found the ball and did the rest.
PSG looked confident after equalizing early in the game, and Verrati tried to reinforce the midfield. On the other hand, Man City had a chance to discard the lead in the 26th minute but they utterly wasted it.
Raheem Sterling's header from Kevin De Bruyne's cross struck the crossbar. Then Bernardo Silva's shot again hit the bar. It was a big miss for the Citizen.
Read: PSG vs. Man City: Preview and Prediction
After that, both teams generated chances but were unable to convert on them. PSG's Italian goalkeeper Donnarumma had a fantastic game as well. He made a few saves during the game to keep PSG in the lead. Idrissa Gueye was named player of the match for his first goal of the game.
PSG will play RB Leipzig in their third match of Group A on Thursday (October 19) at Parc des Princes. Manchester City will meet Club Brugge at Jan Breydel Stadium on the same day.
Read: Arsenal vs. Tottenham 2021: Match Preview and Prediction
Bottom Line
Mauricio Pochettino's team has struggled to gel as a team since the beginning of the season. Players from Paris Saint-Germain struggled to cope with Manchester City's fluid attack at times during the PSG vs. Man City 2021 match. PSG had excelled in counter-attacking strategy. They had the luxury of adjusting their formation because they have the finest front three in the world. PSG must put forth more effort to develop a solid team. On the other hand, it was a wake-up call for Manchester City. They must identify their weaknesses and come up with the right tactics on the return legs against PSG.
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PSG vs. Man City: Preview and Prediction
Paris Saint-Germain's coach Mauricio Pochettino is concerned about Lionel Messi's recent knee injury. However, according to the latest reports, Lionel Messi is working hard and will most likely start against Manchester City in a Champions League match on Wednesday (September 29). On the other side, Manchester City have shown signs of regaining their best form after defeating Chelsea in this week's Premier League match. The game will take place at Parc des Princes in Paris and will start at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). The match preview and prediction of PSG vs. Man City are discussed in this article.
Probable Team Lineups: PSG vs. Man City
Ilkay Gundogan, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and John Stones are all doubtful for the PSG match. It's unclear if they will be able to recover in time for the big match. Apart from them, all of Man City's players are ready to start against PSG.
Probable Playing XI (Man City):
Ederson (GK), Kyle Walker (RB), Ruben Dias (CB), Aymeric Laporte (CB), Joao Cancelo (LB), Rodri (DM), Bernardo Silva (CM), Kevin De Bruyne (CM), Riyad Mahrez (RW), Jack Grealish (LW), Ferran Torres (FW)
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Paris Saint-Germain are dealing with a number of injuries. They will be without a number of important players for the matchup against Manchester City. Italian midfielder Marco Verratti and veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos are among them. Argentine attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria will be unavailable for selection due to a suspension. However, PSG have the depth in their squad to field a strong starting lineup against Man City.
Probable Playing XI (PSG):
Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK), Achraf Hakimi (RB), Marquinhos (CB), Presnel Kimpembe (CB), Abdou Diallo (LB), Idrissa Gueye (CM), Leandro Paredes (CM), Ander Herrera (CM), Lionel Messi (RW), Neymar (LW), Kylian Mbappe (FW)
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Head-to-Head: PSG vs. Man City
Both teams have faced each other five times, with Manchester City winning the head-to-head duel with three wins.
On the other side, PSG, have only won one game and one match ended in a draw. Manchester City have won all of their encounters against PSG in the Champions League, while PSG have won a Europa League match against Man City.
PSG have never beaten Man City at Parc des Princes. On the other hand, Man City won a match against PSG in Paris.
Read:Record-Breaker Lionel Messi Can Guide PSG to Champions League Crown
Champions League 2021-2022: Results of the first round of the group stage
Everyone was anticipating a solid start to the 2021-2022 Champions League season after a spectacular summer transfer window 2021. The first round of Europe's most prestigious club tournament kicked off right after the international break. There was some concern about players' stability because all of the key footballers had just returned from an international break. A number of exciting matches were witnessed in the Champions League 2021-2022 first round. There were a few surprises and a lot of goals scored in the first round as well. The results of the first round of the Champions League are discussed in this article.
First-round Results: Champions League 2021-2022
The results of the first round for each group of the current Champions League season are given below.
Group A
Results: Man City 6-3 Leipzig, Club Brugge 1-1 PSG
Last season's finalist Manchester City faced RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, while star-studded PSG met Club Brugge away from home. Manchester City defeated Leipzig 6-3 in a goal-fest encounter, putting Pep Guardiola's side atop the Group A points table. Leipzig's Nkunku scored a hat-trick. On the other hand, PSG drew with Club Brugge despite grabbing an early lead thanks to Andrea Herrera.
Read: UEFA Champions League Football 2021-22: Group Stage draw and fixtures
Group B
Results: Atletico Madrid 0-0 Porto, Liverpool 3-2 Milan
Atletico Madrid and FC Porto played to a 0-0 tie at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid. French striker Antoine Griezmann returned to Atletico Madrid in the second half but was booed by the crowd. Liverpool came out on top against AC Milan in a 3-2 thriller at Anfield.
Group C
Results: Besiktas 1-2 Borussia Dortmund, Sporting CP 1-5 Ajax
In Group C, Borussia Dortmund defeated Besiktas 2-1 due to a first-half injury-time goal by young sensation Erling Haaland. Four-time champion Ajax destroyed Sporting CP in Portugal. The home team was thrashed 5-1. Haller scored four goals for Ajax in this encounter.
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Group D
Results: Sheriff 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan 0-1 Real Madrid
Sheriff defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at home, while Real Madrid defeated Italian Serie A Champion Inter Milan thanks to a late equalizer by Rodrygo. Sheriif are in the first place due to a superior goal difference.
Group E
Results: Dynamo Kyiv 0-0 Benfica, FC Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich
In Ukraine, Dynamo Kyiv were held to a 0-0 draw with Benfica in a tense match played in front of a packed stadium. FC Bayern Munich beat Barcelona 3-0 at Camp Nou in the other group encounter. Bayern had little problem defeating Barcelona in a thoroughly one-sided encounter.
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Group F
Results: Young Boys 2-1 Manchester United, Villareal 2-2 Atalanta
Manchester United had an early lead over Young Boys thanks to Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, but the home side began to dominate after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off in the 35th minute for a bad tackle. In the second half, Young Boys equalized twice to secure a historic win over Manchester United. On the other hand, yellow submarine Villareal drew 2-2 with the Italian team, Atalanta, in front of a home crowd.
Group G
Results: Sevilla 1-1 Salzburg, LOSC 0-0 Wolfsburg
The host Sevilla failed to seal a victory over a comparatively weaker opposition Salzburg in group G. They had to settle for a 1-1 draw with the champion of the Austrian football league. German team Wolfsburg drew 0-0 with Ligue 1 champion Lille in the other match of the group.
Manchester City vs Chelsea: Who will win the Champions League final
Group H
Results: Malmo 0-3 Juventus, Chelsea 1-0 Zenit Saint Petersburg
Despite a poor start to the season, Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus came out on top (3-0) against Sweden’s Malmo FF. This victory will undoubtedly boost their confidence to play well in Serie A. On the other hand, Chelsea defeated Zenit Saint Petersburg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge courtesy to a goal from their mercury summer signing Romelu Lukaku in the 69th minute.
Bottom Line
Each team tried to display their strength in the first round of the UEFA Champions League 2021-2022 season. As predicted, the majority of the big clubs won their matches and placed first in the group. However, some big teams surprisingly lost or drew. Teams that did not achieve their goals will strive to improve to the next round. The Champions League's second round of the group stage will be staged on September 28 and 29.
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UEFA Champions League Football 2021-22: Group Stage Draw and Fixtures
UEFA confirmed the complete group stage fixtures for the upcoming Champions League 2021/2022 season in a ceremony held in Istanbul on Thursday (August 26). Two former Chelsea players Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Essien attended the ceremony and assisted with the draw. Twenty-six teams were automatically qualified for the group stage and the last six spots were determined by a play-off. The group stage matches will begin on September 14th and will last until December 8. The round of 16 draw will take place on December 13th. Let's have a look at the UEFA Champions League Football 2021-22 group stage draw and fixtures.
Manchester City vs Chelsea: Who will win the Champions League 2021?
After a lot of excitement in the group stage and knockout rounds, the two teams that will compete in the Champions League final this year were finally confirmed in the first week of May. Manchester City advanced to the final after a 4-1 aggregate victory over Paris Saint-Germain. On the other hand, Chelsea reached the Champions League final for the third time after defeating Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate in the semifinal. Fans all over the world are looking forward to a thrilling final between these two English giants. In this episode, we discuss who will win the Champions League 2021?
Manchester City vs Chelsea: Who is the favorite?
When comparing the two teams' performances this season, it's clear that Manchester City are a step ahead of Chelsea in every area. Therefore, Man City are the overwhelming favorite to win the championship. Albeit, Chelsea have improved since Thomas Tuchel took over as manager in January.
Apart from consolidating their position in the Premier League, Tuchel proved his worth as a coach by beating Manchester City in the semi-finals to secure the FA Cup final and taking Chelsea to the Champions League final.
The strengths of the two teams are analyzed below in quest of the Champions League 2021 trophy.
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Manchester City
UEFA Champions League season 2021
Record:W: 11, D: 1, L: 0 |Top scorer: Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres (4)| Top Assists: Kevin De Bruyne (4)
Key Players: Kevin De Bruyne, Rúben Dias, Fernandinho
Manager:Pep Guardiola
Why Man City can win the title?
Manchester City has been the clear favorite to win the Champions League 2021 this season, thanks to Pep Guardiola's brilliant tactics, squad depth, and the desire to win the club's first-ever Champions League trophy. The master of Tiki-Taka football, Pep Guardiola led FC Barcelona to win two Champions League titles between 2008 and 2012.
After leaving Barcelona, Guardiola coached Bayern Munich for three seasons and his fifth season is underway at Manchester City but he hasn't won a Champions League in the last 10 years. So, many believe Pep can't win Europe's most prestigious club trophy without the best player in the world, Lionel Messi.
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This time Pep Guardiola, who played record eight Champions League semi-finals as a manager, has got a chance to dispel that slander. Manchester City have had to play without strikers since the beginning of the season.
Ilkay Gündoğan, Bernardo Silva, and versatile midfielder Kevin De Bruyne all have played as false nine this season. Furthermore, Pep's disciples have mastered a great strategy of scoring goals by repeatedly pressing the opponent's half with a clockwise pass or zigzag pass.
Manchester City have been in excellent form since December. Except for a few games, Citizens have won every match this year. To put it another way, they're on an incredible winning streak. As a result, the players' confidence will remain high ahead of the Champions League final. To beat such a team, the opponent must do something extraordinary. Otherwise, Man City will win the Champions League for the first time in their history.
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Manchester City probable starting lineup:
Ederson; Kyle Walker, Rúben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mundey; Fernandinho, İlkay Gündoğan, Kevin De Bruyne; Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Sergio Agüero.
Chelsea
UEFA Champions League season 2021
Record:W: 8, D: 3, L: 1|Top scorer:Olivier Giroud (6) | Top Assists: Kai Havertz (3)
Key Players: N'Golo Kanté, César Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz
Manager:Thomas Tuchel
Why Chelsea can win the title?
Roman Abramovich replaced Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager with Thomas Tuchel in the last week of January this year. Tuchel is expected to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season. But he surprised everyone by guiding Chelsea to the FA Cup and Champions League finals.
Tuchel has previously shown his credibility as a manager. PSG reached the Champions League final for the first time last season under his guidance. However, Paris Saint-Germain were disappointed to lose the Champions League final match to Bayern Munich.
Thomas Tuchel's appointment as Chelsea manager restored the team's confidence. He began his journey by focusing on not losing matches, and as a result, he has developed a strong Chelsea defense. As their focus has turned to win more games, players like Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and N'Golo Kante have become more aggressive on the attack.
After eliminating Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final and Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, Chelsea have gained even more confidence. Thomas Tuchel's team quickly figured out how to destroy a formidable opponent. It will not be impossible for Chelsea to be the best team in Europe for the second time if they can play according to their own strategy in the Champions League final.
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Chelsea probable starting lineup:
Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Ben Chilwell, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz
UEFA Champion League 2021 final match fixture:
30 May 2021 (1 AM, BST) - Manchester City v Chelsea - Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul
Verdict
There are a few things to consider when predicting who will win the Champions League 2021? The teams' squad depth, the overall performance in the current season, whether every member of the team is fit for the finals, the players' performance on a given day, and sometimes luck plays a big factor to win the final. Those who can play the best football have a great chance of winning the final. Overall, a tough battle is anticipated between Manchester City and Chelsea.
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European Super League: Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says project cannot proceed
Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says the European Super League (ESL) project cannot proceed as Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid joined the six Premier League clubs in withdrawing,reports BBC.
Agnelli was one of the chief architects of the breakaway plans, which involved 12 clubs from England, Spain and Italy.
Also Read:Super League collapses after the 6 English clubs withdraw
But with eight of the 12 teams pulling out, he accepts it cannot now go ahead.
"To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case," said Agnelli, on whether the ESL could still happen.
"I remain convinced of the beauty of that project, of the value that it would have developed to the pyramid, of the creation of the best competition in the world, but evidently no. I don't think that project is now still up and running."
Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan announced their withdrawal on Wednesday morning.
Also Read: Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan drop out of Super League
The Juventus chairman was described as a "snake and a liar" by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin on Monday after the announcement of the breakaway plans on Sunday evening.
Agnelli resigned his position as chairman of the European Clubs' Association on Sunday and refused to take calls from Ceferin.
The six Premier League clubs involved all withdrew within hours of each other on Tuesday following a furious backlash against the plans.
Manchester City were the first club to pull out after Chelsea had signalled their intent to do so by preparing documentation to withdraw.
The other four sides - Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham - then followed suit late on Tuesday evening.
In announcing their withdrawal on Wednesday, Atletico Madrid said "harmony is essential" between the club and the fans, and added that the first-team squad and coach Diego Simeone had backed their decision because "sporting merits must prevail over any other criteria".
In their statement, Serie A side Inter Milan said they were "committed to giving fans the best football experience", adding: "Our engagement with all stakeholders to improve the football industry will never change."
The 12-team Super League, which also included Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid and Italy's AC Milan and Juventus was announced on Sunday to widespread condemnation.
"Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations," the ESL said earlier on Wednesday, adding it was "convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change".
"Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is insisting on the idea of keeping the group together to push for change," says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
"Barcelona say they agreed to the ESL, but only if the season ticket holders' assembly approve it, which could be their way out."