For those who continue to believe that the status quo in English football has not changed, Saturday’s UEFA Champions League Final is the clearest indication yet that indeed it has. Chelsea meets Manchester City in the headline fixture – the culmination of the journey those two clubs undertook to replace Manchester United and Liverpool at the top.
Chelsea, of course, has won the UEFA Champions League on one previous occasion. Who could forget that remarkable night in Munich when the Blues beat the “home” side against all odds to lift the coveted grail. Didier Drogba’s last-minute header still lives fresh in the minds of the Chelsea faithful across the globe, as does his spot-kick which won them the trophy. Those who lived through that moment understand its value, for nights like these are rare in the lifecycle of a football team – even less so now.
While Chelsea fans are hopeful of relieving that rush of emotions and unrivaled joy, those wearing a lighter shade of blue will be hoping to live through it for the first time. Manchester City is in its first European final ever, and the occasion could not be any bigger. The Citizens come into the match on the back of winning the domestic title, whereas Chelsea could only finish fourth. Nonetheless, both teams have enough quality to match each other on this one-off occasion.
With the star quality at display in mind, we build a combined XI of the best players from both the finalists. The formation of choice for this hypothetical team is 4-3-3 – something both teams are comfortable playing despite Chelsea shifting to a different system since January. The players have been selected based on their performances this term, with a special emphasis on those that came in the Champions League. Also, since neither team plays with “traditional” forwards, none were considered.
Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy, Chelsea
Mendy and Ederson are both excellent goalkeepers – evidenced by their race for the golden glove in England this season (which Ederson won in the end). Both rank similarly on simple and advanced goalkeeping metrics and are excellent at passing the ball out from the back. Mendy, however, edges the Brazilian by the slightest of margins. He has kept one more clean sheet than his counterpart in the Champions League and his impact on his team has been far greater.
Right back: Joao Cancelo, Manchester City
Cancelo’s inclusion in the team over Reece James is less controversial than some might think, given how good the Portugal international has been throughout the season. Pep Guardiola tweaked his system midway through the season, allowing the right-back to tuck into midfield – a tactic which transformed their season. Cancelo retained his attacking edge despite the tactical tweak and contributed with seven goals (three goals and four assists).
Centerback: Ruben Dias, Manchester City
Undoubtedly the signing of the season; in contention to be crowned the player of the season – it won’t be outlandish to compare the impact of Dias at Manchester City to that of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool. Dias’ inclusion in the team is a no-brainer, given that he has been one of the best defenders on the continent, if not the best outright.
Centerback: Thiago Silva, Chelsea
Picking up a 36-year-old who had never stepped foot in English football was a risk for Chelsea, despite there being no transfer fee involved. However, Silva took to the Blues like a duck to water; not only did he become a key player for the team, but he also endeared himself to the fanbase. Such has been his impact in a short time that Chelsea is now planning to extend his deal until, at least, June 2022. A defender for the history books and yet, better than most of his positional peers this term.
Left back: Ben Chilwell, Chelsea
Chilwell was another one of the big summer signings to arrive at Chelsea, although one which generated less fanfare. The fanbase was split on the Blues’ decision to spend a moderate amount of money on the Leicester City full-back, with critics citing better, and cheaper, available options. Nonetheless, Chilwell kept his head down and quietly went about having a good season.