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Chelsea and Manchester City will lock horns in the all-English UEFA Champions League final at the Estadio do Dragao in Portugal later today. Both sides secured top-four finishes in the Premier League and will look to end the season strongly, with Pep Guardiola looking to get his hands on the European Cup for the first time since his historic spell at Barcelona.
Thomas Tuchel, on the other hand, has breathed new life into Chelsea since replacing Frank Lampard at the helm. The German tactician became the first manager in the competition's history to reach the final in successive seasons with different clubs, having done so with Paris Saint-Germain last season.
Much has been said about Chelsea's new-found defensive solidity under Tuchel, as they've developed a reputation of being notoriously hard to break down since the German's arrival at Stamford Bridge. However, goalscoring has been a bit of an issue for the Blues, with Timo Werner's struggles well documented since his big-money move from RB Leipzig.
Manchester City head into the game as favorites, but Chelsea have already beaten them twice under Tuchel this season and will look to do so once again.
Tuchel has some intriguing calls to make with regard to his starting XI and here's how Chelsea could lineup against Manchester City for the UEFA Champions League showdown in Portugal.
Chelsea Goalkeeper - Edouard Mendy
Edouard Mendy has been a reliable presence between the sticks and added some much-needed stability to what was a fragile Chelsea backline prior to his arrival. The Senegalese international has kept a staggering nine clean sheets in 11 UEFA Champions League appearances for the Blues this season and is all set to become the first African goalkeeper to feature in the UCL final.
Mendy's ball-playing abilities have also been on display several times over the course of the season, while he has also proved to be a reliable shot-stopper. Manchester City have been relentless in front of goal this season, so the former Rennes man will have to be at his best to inspire his side to a victory.
Chelsea Defenders - Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Ben Chilwell
Thomas Tuchel is expected to stick to the same formation that has seen Chelsea reach the UEFA Champions League this season. Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudger and Cesar Azpilicueta are set to start in a three-man central defense, with Reece James and Ben Chilwell stationed as wing-backs.
The Blues have had a lot of joy with this formation and it could be argued that it also brings the best out of James, who deputized as a central defender in a back-three against Leicester City to handle the pace of Jamie Vardy.
Tuchel is unlikely to tinker with his tried and tested formation, with Chelsea's defensive solidity stemming from the fact that they've got experienced players like Azpilicueta and Silva at the back.
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Chelsea Midfielders - N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mason Mount
Much like the defensive unit, Chelsea's midfield trio has been fairly settled since Thomas Tuchel's arrival. N'Golo Kante's magnificent display against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semi-final didn't go unnoticed, while Jorginho has quietly gone about his business and silenced all his critics since the turn of the year.
However, Mason Mount's starring role for Chelsea has been one of the stories of their season, with the Englishman becoming central to Tuchel's philosophy. He was named Chelsea's Men's Footballer of the Year earlier this month and could once again be the difference-maker in a big game.
Manchester City's Phil Foden has grabbed all the headlines in recent weeks, but Mount will be Chelsea's danger man when the two sides do battle later today.
Chelsea Attackers - Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic
Timo Werner will almost certainly lead the line for Chelsea, but it remains to be seen who partners him upfront. Kai Havertz has played alongside his compatriot a handful of times in recent weeks, but we have good reason to believe it could well be Christian Pulisic who gets the nod against Manchester City.
The American international is one of the most explosive players on the ball and could trouble the Manchester City backline with his pace against trickery. With Werner and Pulisic as the focal points of the attack, Chelsea have a lot of pace and could well look to devastate the likes of Ruben Dias and John Stones in central defense.
