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By Michael McBrier
Saturday will see Porto’s, Estadio do Dragao, play host to arguably the biggest match in club football, the Champions League final.
It will be an all-English affair, with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City facing Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
Man City look to have all their players fit, however, Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante are slight concerns for Chelsea.
The Citizens are the bookie’s favourite, and it is easy to see why, as they have already claimed the Premier League title – twelve points ahead of second-placed Manchester United – and the Carabao Cup this season.
City have not been perfect this season though. They have lost two of their last five league games and exited the FA Cup after a defeat to Chelsea – which Tuchel will no doubt be hoping can provide some sort of psychological edge.
Chelsea’s fortunes drastically improved after they replaced Frank Lampard with their current boss securing a top-four finish.
The top four was a must for the German, alongside this he guided the Blues to two finals.
They lost the first of those, The FA Cup final, in a limp display against Leicester, and Chelsea fans will be praying that the lessons learned from that game can be put to good use here.
Tuchel also competed in last season’s final as PSG boss, losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
Questions have been raised over his ability to handle pressure and he will no doubt be eager to exorcise those demons.
This will also be an emotional farewell for Sergio Aguero, who has a phenomenal record of 247 goals in 374 games for City, and whose goal against QPR to clinch the 2011/12 English Premier League will live in the minds of City fans forever.
Sergio Aguero vowed that he would never leave City until they won the Champions League, the added pressure of that hanging over them could act as fuel to honour a club legend.
Prediction
Personally, I believe that City will have too much going forward for Chelsea to cope and am predicting a 3-1 win for Guardiola’s men.
