Thomas Tuchel has modified quite a bit about Chelsea, however the largest distinction has been the Blues’ newfound skill to win large matches.
Frank Lampard’s aspect solely beat a top-ten aspect in the primary half of the season – a 3-0 win over West Ham in December – however Tuchel has remodeled the Blues and led them to victories over Tottenham, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and most not too long ago. Manchester Metropolis.
Beating a 75% Metropolis aspect within the FA Cup semi-final was enormous, however Tuchel’s Chelsea haven’t confronted a problem they may face on Tuesday – a Champions League semi-final at residence to Actual Madrid.
It is match day in Madrid! ⚪️?
COME AGAIN CHELSEA! #RMACHE pic.twitter.com/81SUgqhsQv
– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 27, 2021
They don’t get a lot greater than this. Actual might not be at their dominant finest, however nobody on the planet is aware of what it takes to win a Champions League title higher than Zinedine Zidane and Los Blancos, who all the time handle to enhance it once they are on the largest stage.
Actual is the definition of an awesome crew, and it is time for Chelsea to show they deserve the identical label.
Zidane’s squad is stuffed with serial winners. On the again, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane have gained every thing and midfield trio Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are most likely the perfect on the floor of the earth. In assault, Karim Benzema reigns supreme.
These gamers all know what it takes to win large video games, and it’s Actual who will participate within the match as slim favorites. They’ve expertise in scenes which can be even greater than this, whereas Chelsea do it once they go. Even Tuchel has solely carried out it to this point twice, the primary time was final yr with midfielder Thiago Silva in Paris Saint-Germain.
Tuchel additionally learns about nice video games Pool / Getty Pictures
To Chelsea’s credit score, you wouldn’t know that they’re nonetheless studying to win large video games. They’ve despatched out a number of the recreation’s greatest groups in current months, and the ruthless effectivity with which they neutralized a metropolis aspect that also featured the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling deserves an obscene quantity of credit score.
In that recreation, it was N’Golo Kante and Jorginho who placed on a champion class. They dictated possession and worn out all Metropolis threats, and in the event that they can repeat it in opposition to Modric, Kroos and Casemiro, they can be definitely worth the measurement. Solely creme de la creme can match them.
Certain, Chelsea might have a bit of luck, however at this level they deserve it. They’ve seemed assured in opposition to any opponent to this point, and it may well go on for a very long time.
“We need to be within the semi-finals, as Actual Madrid need to be within the semi-finals,” stated Tuchel (through the membership’s official web site). “We deserve it as a result of we got here a great distance. I used to be fortunate to be there for the reason that begin of the knockout section and all of the groups within the semi-finals have come a great distance. They fought their means by the hardest competitors in Europe.
“Without delay we need to be right here by the competitors, and that is why we’re filled with confidence and look ahead to taking part in these matches at the very best stage. That is what all of us dream of.”
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