HOW THOMAS TUCHEL TURNED CHELSEA INTO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALISTS
Chelsea 2-0 Real Madrid (Agg: 3-1): Chelsea set up all-English Champions League final showdown with Man City.
Make no mistake, this was the Blues' biggest game for many a season. Chelsea's defensive muscle was incredible. Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount send Chelsea to final; Chelsea will now play in their third Champions League final, in Istanbul on Saturday May 29, and have set up just the third all-English Champions League final as Manchester City look to complete a Treble.
Chelsea will now play in their third Champions League final (2008 and 2012) in Istanbul on Saturday May 29, and have set up just the third all English Champions League final after 2008 (Man Utd-Chelsea) and 2019 (Liverpool-Tottenham) as Manchester City look to complete a treble.
Since replacing Frank Lampard in January, the German coach has overseen a dramatic change of fortunes, which culminated with victory over Real Madrid.
When Thomas Tuchel walked through the door at Chelsea's Cobham training ground for the first time on January 26, he was quietly confident of what he could achieve in west London.
Despite his new team being 10th in the Premier League, with new signings struggling to settle and a defence that was horribly out of form, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss believed he could turn them around, and quickly.
By the time his four-month anniversary rolls around at the end of May, he will be preparing his side for the Champions League final.
Tuchel was meant to improve Chelsea, but what he has achieved is remarkable given how low on confidence the Blues squad were upon his arrival.
A top-four finish and FA Cup could also be secured before the season is out, but leading his side to European football's showpiece event in Istanbul, Turkey on May 29 will headline Tuchel's first half-season in charge.
Chelsea fans lit blue flares to guide their team into the stadium for Wednesday evening's semi-final second leg against Real Madrid - doing all they could short of being inside Stamford Bridge to cheer the team on in person.
This inexperienced Chelsea side were supposed to be no match for 13-time champions, but across both legs the Premier League team were dominant, and should have won by more than the eventual 3-1 aggregate score.
Dynamic pressing, the blocking of passing lanes and quick transitions have been the cornerstones of Tuchel's Chelsea success, and they were all on show again against Madrid.
Driven by their V8 engine in midfield, N'Golo Kante, the Blues overpowered their Spanish visitors, with Timo Werner and Mason Mount providing the goals. Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva will also feel they too should have got on the scoresheet.
A couple of top-class saves from Edouard Mendy in the first half apart, Chelsea were barely troubled in defence as they kept their 18th clean sheet of Tuchel's 24-match reign.
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