It wouldn’t be a Chelsea run to the Champions League final if there wasn’t a little drama involved; be it stuttering form, suspensions or injury woes. In 2012, Chelsea faced the prospect of playing the biggest game in the club’s history without a suspended John Terry and fears over whether Gary Cahill and David Luiz would be fit in time. Looking ahead to Saturday’s final in Portugal, while the Blues have no suspension qualms, but they are staring down the starter’s pistol with Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante both in a race to be fit.
Aside from the question marks over Mendy and Kante, Tuchel does not have a straightforward plan for his starting XI come kickoff on the 29th. One thing is certain though, Jorginho needs to start in the midfield for the UEFA Champions League final in Porto.
Presuming N’Golo Kante is fit, there is one phrase that still strikes fear into most Chelsea fans’ hearts for big games: “Jorginho is starting.” It may seem harsh to hold the club’s top Premier League scorer in that regard, but Jorginho has a penchant for making massive mistakes at the worst times. His back pass against Arsenal (although Kurt Zouma has to shoulder some of that blame) made top four qualification that much more difficult, and the list can go on.
For every four or five exquisite balls the Italian plays forward, there is always the risk he loses it, gives it away, gets shrugged off the ball or makes a defining mistake. All of that being said, Jorginho has to start on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel needs to start Jorginho in Chelsea’s midfield in the UCL final.
Some may think that the extra defensive steel of Mateo Kovacic is better against a Man City midfield press that boasts Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan—not to mention Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva (all of whom have the pace to trouble Jorginho). Not to trot out a tired cliche, but the sentiment rings true that the best form of defence is attack. Jorginho, however much he might scare you defensively, has the ability to play a pass that puts City on the backfoot.
In fact, much of this tactic can be found in Chelsea’s 2012 victory with Juan Mata operating in a very similar kind of role, albeit further up the pitch. Mata could be outmuscled on the ball, but his ability to spray a pass kept asking a question of the Bayern Munich defence. What you might lose in Kovacic’s ball running skills, you more than make up for in Jorginho’s passing and calmness in attack. Not to mention that running the ball up the field takes considerably longer than pinging a pass on the backfoot of a defender.
Man City loves to attack and string together delicate passing triangles. The Citizens’ attack comes from a suffocating press in the middle of the park. Man City looked to overload the midfield against Paris Saint-Germain with both Silva and De Bruyne starting in a striker position, but frequently dropping into a No. 10 role, with Mahrez and Foden offering width and darting runs. The only way to counteract this kind of midfield overload is to cause Pep Guardiola and the City midfielders to think and worry about the ball over the top. Kovacic can’t play that crucial forward pass the same way that Jorginho can. Actually, this kind of tactic might play into Hakim Ziyech starting, thanks to his passing nous). The Blues won’t have the ball as much as they are used to, so every possession they have to ask a question of Man City.
Under Tuchel in big games, Chelsea has sat back, soaked up pressure and sprung a counterattack. The Blues’ defensive spine is strong, but Man City’s attack is in a different world right now. Chelsea needs Jorginho to start to be able to do alleviate the pressure, and even when the ball isn’t at the Italian’s feet, his mere presence on the field does that.
Guardiola manages risk better than most managers, and even if unfairly assigned, he has a tag of overthinking in the biggest games. Jorginho on the field makes both Guardiola and the Citizens think. The obvious game plan is to allow Man City to attack—as dangerous as that is—and then unleash Timo Werner over the top. With 30 minutes to go, bring on Christian Pulisic to run those lines the same way and you’ll have the Citizens on their toes. However, that plan falls apart without Jorginho.
Elsewhere, Mason Mount is fixed in to the starting line-up, and most assume that Werner will start as his pace has caused the Man City back line problems in the last two meetings. The final attacking spot is up for grabs. Tuchel has the option of playing Kai Havertz, to potentially devastating effect, as a false nine. Hakim Ziyech has played well in big games, scored in both big domestic and European cup games, and he’s linked up well with Werner.
Going off of his play against Aston Villa, Christian Pulisic might have played himself out of contention for a starting berth, but is certain to feature. Callum Hudson Odoi will be lucky to make it off the bench. Bar Hudson-Odoi, a case could be made for any one of Havertz, Ziyech or Pulisic to start.
Chelsea comes into this Champions League final as massive underdogs. While the Blues have faltered in the last few rounds of play, Man City has been ruthless. With a Champions League victory finally within grasp for the Citizens, and the first one in quite some time for Guardiola, expect a coldblooded, brutal City onslaught. Chelsea’s only hope, as scary as it might seem, is for its diminutive Italian to start.
Who would be in your starting XI? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!