Manchester City clashed heads with Chelsea at the Estadio do Dragao earlier tonight as they looked to pick up a victory in the final and lift the UEFA Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.
The two teams had some bright moments in the first half but it was the Blues that took the lead in the 42nd minute when Kai Havertz found the back of the net with a tidy finish. Man City went into the half-time break one goal down on the scoreline.
Both sides canceled each other out in the second half despite the Mancunian giants going all out in search of the equalizer. However, Chelsea defended their narrow advantage valiantly as the contest ended with Pep Guardiola’s men suffering a 1-0 loss away in Portugal.
Let’s take a look at how each Man City player fared during the match against the Blues.
GK: Ederson – 6/10
The Brazilian keeper got caught out by Havertz’s excellent run in the lead-up to Chelsea’s opener just before half-time. He made one good save during the game but will be disappointed for not keeping a clean sheet in the final.
RB: Kyle Walker – 7/10
Walker was mostly untroubled at the back and made several energetic dashes with the ball down the right flank.
CB: John Stones – 6/10
Stones made some important clearances during the game and was strong in the air. However, he was off-guard in the build-up to Havertz’s match-winning goal.
CB: Ruben Dias – 7/10
The Portuguese centre-back read the danger quickly and pulled off a few crucial interceptions at the back. He won multiple aerial duels during the game and was tidy with the ball at his feet.
LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7/10
He hardly put a foot wrong in the game defensively and made a couple of promising runs in the opposition half.
CM: Phil Foden – 6.5/10
The English playmaker made a few driving runs with the ball but squandered some decent chances to score. Defensively, he struggled to provide any real protection for his teammates at the back.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan – 6/10
The German midfield ace had some bright moments with the ball at his feet but didn’t get a sniff at goal himself.
CM: Bernardo Silva – 6/10
Silva struggled to get into the flow of the game and got replaced just after the hour mark.
RW: Riyad Mahrez – 5.5/10
He tried his best to make things happen but lacked the cutting edge in the final third. Guardiola won’t be pleased with his performance tonight.
ST: Kevin De Bruyne – 6/10
De Bruyne had a couple of lively moments in the game but was forced off with a head injury early in the second half.
LW: Raheem Sterling – 6/10
Sterling was Man City’s best hope for a goal tonight. However, he failed to finish off any of the chances that fell in his path.
Substitutes:
ST: Gabriel Jesus – 6/10
The Brazilian striker added some energy to Man City’s attack.
CM: Fernandinho – 6/10
He offered some fresh legs in midfield.
ST: Sergio Aguero – 6/10
Aguero never looked like he had a goal in him.
