29th May 2021 - fitting that the two teams who saved football by recently destroying the disgusting European Super League idea should meet in UEFA's showpiece final. The good guys derby. 

Also known as.....

The Frank Lampard Derby

The Terry Phelan Derby

The David Rocastle Derby

The Tal Ben Haim Derby

The Willy Caballero Derby

The Nathan Ake Derby

The Daniel Sturridge Derby

  

That was a real let down that final due to the early penalty. Spurs never looked like getting back into it after that

Probably wouldn't have threatened much anyway

That and Kane being unfit.

Roberto Baggio wrote: Probably wouldn't have threatened much anyway

The early goal meant that both teams changed their pre-match plan, with L'pool (esp) taking a much more cautious approach, while Spurs were now wary of a breakaway second goal which would have killed them. Meaning that it became a chess match.

The contrast eg between Spurs' four Qtr and Semi-Final games* vs Man City and Ajax, which contained some of the most high quality and/or exciting stuiff you'll ever see, was like night and day.

* - 14 goals, with both settled by a late away goal. There were also 14 goals in L'pool's four previous Qtr and Semi-Final games.

As it turned out, yes, but you can't say "never" (in the absence of that early bloody penalty).

Remember, they qualified from a Group comtaining Barcelona, Inter and PSV, then overcame Dortmund, M.City and Ajax in the knock-out stages - not many duds there, eh?

Chelsea made 5 changes from midweek. 

#mindgames 

Rodri the only CM and then 4 forwards ahead of him 

Rodri was terrible for the Chelsea first goal 

Chelsea now beaten city twice in three weeks 

Albeit only 2 of that team will start the final, but they’re in their heads a bit now maybe 

Chelsea getting a winner right at the end. 

Helps their top 4 chances.

Beating Man City away from home and twice in the last few weeks.

City Penalty woes continue.

Sterling should have got a peno so that will annoy Pep. 

Is it????id imagine it’d lead to more chances of crowds gathering around London???

It’s the reason rodri won’t start the champions league final.

A few newspapers are reporting it 

Thought it’d only get moved if turkey were unable to hold it because of covid.

On Fernandinho, was shocked to see him start last week tbh, given that he hasn’t started any of the big games this season so far. After yesterday Rodri will have a battle on to get his place back, but was having a good season i thought 

Fernandinho needs to watch his fouling and winding up in the final. Refs will be keeping an eye on him surely after last week 

Yep. EFL have said if UEFA are given 25k then they want 25k for the playoff finals as well. I'd guess it'll be Lisbon again

The FA cup will have 21,000 as a pilot event. 

They may as well do the same for the play-offs and Champions league and increase it to 25k.

Correct decision. The British government being absolutely ridiculous on quarantine rules for people who are testing negative at point of entry. They could of learnt from Germany apparently not.

Let the fans travel to Porto in their thousands and enjoy the beautiful city. 

The government was prepared to wiaive the normal rules for 1,000 of UEFA's (essential) employees and adminiistrators etc.

But this wasn't good enough for UEFA - they wanted an exemption for an additional 2,000 (non-essential) others - Blazers, Corporate Guests, Sponsors and various other assorted hangers-on, not all of them from Europe, either.

It would be kinda hard to permits this when there are many tens of thousands of British expatriates stranded abroad who are unable to return home and/or have to quarantine at significant expense if they can get back.

Not only that, but the Final clashed with the EFL Championship Play-Off Final, which would have had to be moved out of London, possibly to anotyher date, meaning that far fewer of their club's fans would be able to attend.

UEFA thought that England were so desperate to get the Final that they could take the piss, until their bluff was called.

I think you’ve missed my point. Making folks who have tested negative/vaccinated/prior infection quarantine is absolutely absurd. Just look at Germany this evening that has lifted that to over 100 countries, along with the US. In the coming weeks Britain will follow this guidance anyway. What the Gov has essentially done has lost trade to hundreds if not thousands of bars restaurants and hotels in London. Instead airlines will now pile flights to Porto, taking their fans and business abroad. 6000+ allocation but many more will be in Porto, let’s be real. 

UEFA should be applauded for their decision this evening. Turkey was no doubt helped along going on the Red list due to this final. Many now have egg on their face with UEFAs decision who thought they could make UEFA play this in England.

English fans showing their class as usual.

They wouldnt have behaved like that in Istanbul !  

Would be a big loss, key to how they play 

Overall better team and confidence will be high.

Expect them two win by 2 clear goals.

City 2-0 

Yeah that was my first thought too

Seen clips online of cops giving the louts a good flaking. ****s should be rounded up and held until the game is over, then f**ked out of the country. 

No Fernandinho or Rodri

Surprised going with Sterling, hasn’t started many recently and have that front 3 played together before? 

Was sure Fernandinho would start and KDB in the front 3.

You have to assume Pep believes this is his best XI and he is not doing it to disrupt Chelsea plans. 

What should be a cracker leaves a log of people shrugging 

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/0527/1224307-lack-of-romance-leaves-champions-league-feeling-flat/" rel="nofollow - https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/0527/1224307-lack-of-romance-leaves-champions-league-feeling-flat/

PSG v Bayern, got the juices flowing big time 

Its Shooter McGavin v Biff Tannen and somebody has to win

Anyway hope city win despite pep and the owners - always liked them - I think it’s the colour of the kit and 82 cup final.

Edit 81

I think it’s a good bet. 

Defence has looked suspect since the start, Chelsea deservedly ahead 

Citys attacking players aren’t playing well either. Chelsea giving them no space or chances 

Thomas Tuchel will be delighted

Kings of Europe

He's an absolute specimen of a man.

phenomenal performance from chelsea. kante motm  

Mount was very good too, as was Azpilicueta.

Decent game, City didn't create anything at all. I'd imagine Pep will be using that game as the argument for breaking the bank of Hallanad or Kane this year.

WOOOOOHOOOOO

At city Kane will be just another player - would be phased and will score loads of goals but not sure he’ll improve them in the long term.

The intensity in tonight’s game was incredible but Watching de bryune going off was sad. The top players are being flogged to bits.

1.  English tabloids will be running articles about Chelsea’s Champions League victory is partially Frank Lampard’s credit.

2. “No surrender to the IRA” chants ringing around Windsor Park during the Super Cup.

He deserves credit though. He was the biggest spoofer possible with the signings but when it comes to discovering James and Mount who came through the academy and Gilmour who featured now and again it was a resounding success.

Its in Istanbul now that final

I was very surprised at the team selection. No Rodri or Fernandinho in front of the back four and Sterling selected who's been out of form for months. At the same time i'm not sure if I'd blame that for the defeat, given how Chelsea set up and how off form all of City's attacking players were. Would Fernandinho in DM and Foden out on the wing have changed that? Who's to know. 

City literally didn't create a clear chance the whole game. 

The two centre backs and Zinchenko looked ropey defensively all evening, too much stuff they had to do was last ditch, never had control on things. 

Mahrez, De Bruyne and Foden never got going. Sterling was lively early on but fizzled out. Bernardo Silva contributed little

City's best player on the night and strangely the man who created the best chance was Kyle Walker, which says it all really. 

Fair play to Chelsea and Tuchel who deserved the win on the night. Kante was immense, as were their defenders. 

Thats cup football at this level, nothing is given to you for simply turning up. 

In the end City couldn't manage to win a CL with no striker on the pitch and were caught out with Zinchenko at left back. I thought they would, i was strangely in confident mood going into this one, I must go back to being a total pessimist. 

One last point, I was a critic of Rodri last season, but was very impressed with his performances this season up until he was surprisingly dropped for the PSG home leg. A bit of an unpopular opinion at the time but i think Fernandinho's performance was over rated that night. Was strange that the man who had played most minutes in the team up until April is suddenly dropped for the big games the rest of the season. 

SK said he's joining up on Mon morning

This definitely confirmed? I know I saw reports a couple of weeks ago suggesting it could happen after the UCL final was moved to Porto but didn't hear anything more about it since then. 

Argeee with pretty much a lot of that.Chelsea wanted it more and some big players just didn’t perform on the night for city.no excuses though Chelsea deserved the win and I thought they managed game very well.

I wouldn’t be laying any blam at peps door for the defeat.I’m sure Chelsea were expecting ferindino to start so to change it isn’t a huge shock plus it was one player in and one out so not massive.sterling should of scored as should foden in the first half and with the ball flashing across the goal it’s criminal not to have someone in there to take.

Don’t agree about rodri...he’s been caught out in possession of the ball loads of times and has miss  placed passes quite often in games and a player like that in the champions league final could cost you dear.

The two angles they showed were pathetic

No complaints with the ref otherwise though, and he seemed pretty certain that it hit chest first and then arm 

Villarreal seem sure the Super Cup will be played in Belfast

https://twitter.com/eng_villarreal/status/1397714276664725508?s=21" rel="nofollow - https://twitter.com/eng_villarreal/status/1397714276664725508?s=21

Good job Liverpool  didn't  win anything,  would  have been a massive love in with their Linfield buddies  around Windsor 

Hopefully he brings Kante with him.

Anyone notice Havertz's partner rudely shooing Werner away when Werner was trying to get a photo with them/the trophy?

Or am I projecting my own social awkwardness on to them?

Pep got the team wrong, no idea what he was at not playing Fernandinho or Rodri as DM. Gundogan hasn't got the legs or positional sense to cover that position effectively and protect the defence.

Had he gone with Fern/Rodri and played Foden on the wing, Gundogan further forward and Sterling on the bench, I'm still not sure that City would have won. The way Chelsea defended with their three centre halfs all on form and Kante doing the job of three men in midfield and allowing no space, and in seeing how James and Chilwell played, I wouldn't be so certain that a false 9 would have had much joy. I said on here a few months ago that it was going to be very hard winning the CL without a striker on the pitch.  

Should Pep be sacked so ?

If he were at Chelsea or Madrid he’d be sacked !!

One thing is for sure when they sign Kane, that's not a final they will be losing again like that.

One isn't good enough and one is done/unfit/out of shape. They got to the final by playing no strikers.

No, he shouldn't be sacked, do you think he should?

Tuchel to be fair to him, copped this early on and got Kante to drop deeper and Mount also dropped a little deeper to play alongside Jorginho to effectively get tight to Foden, Gundogan and Silva.

If you look at the lineups in those games pep was resting players.

In the league game he played Aguero and Jesus and had a different formation. 

In the FA cup game Chelsea played their first XI but City rested a few players. 

I don’t know why Pep changed the line up for their biggest game of the season. It would have been predictable but when you have a winning formula why change that. 

Maybe the pressure got to the players but it was probably one of City worst performances all season. 

Chelsea were brilliant and losing the FA cup probably helped them as they were determined not to lose. 

City need to get a striker. Jesus is a good back up but that’s all.

No but Im not a crazy egotistical billionaire owner

Can't really see them ever sacking Pep, in a way he's almost bigger than the club. And that's before you start to look at the success he's brought. 

Two trophies this season but it feels disappointing

Was reading a post on another forum at the weekend that I agreed with and had thought on Saturday night. 

In a way City have too many players. Its alright chopping and changing a few to give players a rest, but I think Pep has too many to try to keep happy, and therefore you get inept performances such as the defeats to Chelsea in the league and FA cup, and the league defeat to Leeds for example, when you make a few changes. 

I don’t think City have a bloated squad - it’s not like they have top players not even making the bench. 

Players have huge ego’s anyway so it’s important to have a likeable manager like Pep, Klopp, Poch etc 

City are just missing a top Center forward. They should just call up Danny and ask him how much. Write the cheque and forget about it. 

They should do it before the World Cup as if he has a good one that will add another 10m to the price. 

http://www.instagram.com/p/CPiOU_kHvNm/" rel="nofollow - https://www.instagram.com/p/CPiOU_kHvNm/

It's been a rough few years for United seeing their two biggest rivals win the Premier league so many times recently. 

Trashed tables. check
chanting sh*te. check
abusing the waiter. check.

punching the waiter by a scumbag. check

cue hilarity and laughter by all around. check 

SCUM FC

Doesn't take away that they are scum though.