The biggest of big club matches is almost upon us and it will be the world’s most-watched club football match of the year!
Saturday night’s UEFA Champions League clash between Chelsea and Manchester City in Estadio do Dragao Stadium in Portugal, will put a stamp on one of the most absurd tournaments in UCL’s history.
Now, it's an all-English final as City will face fellow Premier League side Chelsea in the 66th European Cup finish, after the latter beat Real Madrid by a 3-1 aggregate score in the semifinals, one day after the former secured a 4-1 aggregate triumph over Paris Saint-Germain for its side en route to Portugal.
After defeating PSG, Man City average odds shorten from -153 to -225 becoming the favorite team to win this year's UCL according to SportsBettingDime.com.
For the first time in the club’s history, the Sky Blue players will be making their first-ever appearance in a European Cup final, after their win against the French opposition on May 4, a team that knocked out Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
The win leaves City “on the brink of history”, says The Times. Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph hails Wednesday’s win as a “graduation night” for Guardiola’s team. “It felt, finally, like the moment when Manchester City came of age,” the article adds.
City’s upcoming big game against the Blues tomorrow is the continuation of the club’s rise since an Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008 transformed its fortunes.
A raucous 16,500-strong crowd will take their seats at Estadio Dragao Stadium for Saturday's showpiece event, as City endeavour to win the game for the first time while their opponents aim to channel the spirits of the 2012 luminaries and appearing in their 3rd final with a bid to win their 2nd Champions League trophy.
Pep Guardiola’s men will likely enter as the favorite since it has been arguably the strongest squad from Europe's 5 major leagues. With 19 points separating City from Chelsea in the Premier League table, it's impossible to look past Manchester City.
The excitement amongst City fans and the management is so high that the Royal owner has promised to cover the costs for all of the club's fans travelling over to Porto.
The club also confirmed the news in a statement on Twitter, “His Highness Sheikh Mansour will fund the flight and transfer costs for the Official Club trip to the #UCLfinal in Porto.”
Despite having beaten Manchester City twice in less than 2 months, Thomas Tuchel’s squad will head into the UCL final tomorrow night as the overwhelming underdogs.
City and Chelsea have never met in the Champions League before, but this is not their first-ever European encounter. Both teams have already played each other 3 times this season, but the Premier League rivals will finish the 2020-21 campaign with one last bout in tomorrow's UCL final.
City is the first English side to win 10 or more games in a single UCL season in the tourney’s current scheme. The club will set the seal on a 5th Premier League title in the past 10 years as they remain on course for a treble, having already lifted the League Cup.
The UCL final is one of those marquee matches in the season which a football aficionado just cannot miss. Millions across the globe will be keenly following the much-anticipated clash between the two Premier League sides.
Saturday's game will be much different. It is a Champions League final. Heroes can be born. Memories can be made to last a lifetime.
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