Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the match as Chelsea defeated Manchester City at the Estadio do Dragao to lift the Champions League trophy.
Havertz – who arrived at Chelsea for a club-record £89million fee in the summer – had endured a tough season however, he returned the Blues’ faith in him by scoring the decisive goal in the 42nd minute of the match.
The victory ended Chelsea’s nine-year wait for the biggest honour in club football and made them the first-ever team to win all three major European trophies twice.
Meanwhile the defeat means Manchester City’s search for a maiden Champions League title continues.
Best team in the world
Chelsea’s player of the season Mason Mount played the crucial pass for the winning goal to complete the journey from a six-year-old academy player to a Champions League winner and the Englishman described the pain he had suffered to reach the pinnacle of club football.
Mount said: ‘I can’t put it into words, it’s impossible.
‘I know the club inside and out, I’ve been here since I was a kid and now to go all the way in the Champions League with some tough games against top teams, its such a special occasion.
‘At this moment in time we are the best team in the world and you can’t take that away from us!
‘I’ve played in two finals for Chelsea and we’ve lost them both in the FA Cup so we knew remembered the way that hurt after the game.
‘I’ve dreamt of this moment as a kid, about going all the way, making the final and winning it to lift the trophy.
‘That’s what I’m all about and that is what the club is all about.’
Chances for both sides early on
The match started at an electric pace and the Premier League champions Manchester City had the first big chance of the match as Ederson picked out Raheem Sterling who ran through on goal but Reece James managed to recover just in time to deny the winger a free shot at goal.
Chelsea responded with a chance of their own as Havertz’s low cross was met by Timo Werner from six yards out but the striker miscued the guilt-edged opportunity to keep the match goalless.
Werner then went close again this time being fed by Mount inside the box but the ball got stuck under the German’s feet which led to a tame effort which was comfortably saved by Ederson.
Manchester City’s best chance of the match fell to Phil Foden in the 27th minute. The Englishman looked set to poke the ball into the net from six yards out but a last-ditch block from Antonio Rudiger looped the effort into the air for Edouard Mendy to catch.
The deadlock was eventually broken three minutes before half-time, as Mount found acres of room on the halfway line to turn and play through Havertz and the German rounded the onrushing Ederson before calmly slotting the ball into an empty net.
Defensive masterclass
Following the break, Manchester City dominated possession in search of an equaliser however struggled to force Mendy into action throughout the second half.
It took until the 68th minute for Foden to find space in the pocket before finding Riyad Mahrez and the Algerian’s cross looked destined for Ilkay Gundogan to tap into the net but Cesar Azpilicueta expertly cleared the ball over the bar.
The Blues’ defensive shape allowed for them to hit on the counter-attack and their lead could have been doubled by Christian Pulisic but the American chipped the ball narrowly wide of the far post with 17 minutes remaining.
As the game drew to a close Pep Guardiola’s team turned away from their usual short passing instead opting for the long-ball tactics. It almost paid off in the 90th minute as Mahrez pounced on a second ball and teed up Foden in the six-yard box but Andreas Christensen was on hand to block the shot from close range.
The long-ball tactics came close to succeeding once more in the sixth minute of stoppage time, as Mahrez again capitalised on a second ball and unleashed a right-footed volley from the edge of the box leaving Mendy stranded. However, the ball skimmed the roof of the net and stayed out to give Chelsea a memorable victory.
