Chelsea vs Man City: Five things to look for in the Champions League final
By Varun Dani
3. Chelsea’s midfield pivot
Tuchel’s switch to the 3-4-3 has worked wonders for this Chelsea team since January, much like it did for Antonio Conte. While the creativity up front has reduced due to this change, the defensive grit that has eluded Chelsea for almost three years has returned. While the defence can rightly take much of the plaudits for the defensive solidarity, a fair share of the praise must also go to the midfield pivot; the duo that works tirelessly in front of them. In a system that relies heavily on pressing and possession, the most vulnerable moments crop up during transitions.
To avoid any dangerous turnovers, Tuchel’s pivot has to be continually aware of everyone’s position to press and pass the danger away. It puts a huge strain on the duo tasked with these responsibilities, as it is quite easy to be overrun by the standard three-man midfield. Thankfully for the German, N’Golo Kante, Kovacic and Jorginho have been more than up to the task during his tenure. Be it outclassing a Galactico midfield or weathering the storm of Guardiola’s tiki-taka, the trio has performed sublimely in most outings. Therefore, Tuchel’s recent midfield conundrum for the wrong reasons has been quite a shock.
Jorginho, who’s been a player reborn under Tuchel, has put in a string of abysmal performances in the last few games, which nearly cost the club a top four finish. The Italian has no doubt come leaps and bounds since Tuchel took over, but there are only so many instances that can be overlooked as ‘freak errors.’ Can Tuchel ignore Jorginho’s recent form to select him based on his half-season improvement?
Kovacic has been another who, until recently, was putting in some stellar performances. With his high-octane style, the Croatian would go from effectively protecting the defence to running dangerously at the opposition in seconds. He brought energy and technique to the midfield that undoubtedly helped in transition and build-up. However, since his rushed return from injury against Leicester City, the Croatian has been brilliant and disastrous in equal parts. Inability to beat presses and costly giveaways in the last two games will weigh heavily on his manager’s mind as Tuchel decides on his midfield pairing for the season finale.
That brings us to the man who would normally be the first name on the team sheet: Kante. After three years of injuries and tactical shake-ups, Tuchel has unleashed the best version of Kante, who is the best defensive midfielder in the world. There is no doubt that he should be starting the final, but will he be fit? Can Tuchel take the risk Diego Simeone took in 2014 by rushing an unfit Diego Costa into the starting XI, only for the player to bow out prematurely? It cost the Argentine a precious substitute, which can well be the deciding factor in a final.
Tuchel has the worst selection headache for Saturday. Between an out-of-form Italian, an error-prone Croatian and an unfit Frenchman, who will finally make his midfield pivot?