Champions League Final Preview – Man City vs Chelsea
Man City – Champions League Season Stats
Goals Scored – 25 (2.08 Per Game)
Goals Conceded – 4 (0.33 Per Game)
Corners for them – 70 (5.83 Per Game)
Corners for their opponents – 28 (2.33 Per Game)
Yellow Cards for them – 13 (1.08 Per Game)
Yellow Cards for their opponents – 17 (1.41 Per Game)
Red Cards for them – 0 (0 Per Game)
Red Cards for their opponents – 2 (0.16 Per Game)
Chelsea – Champions League Season Stats
Goals Scored – 22 (1.83 Per Game)
Goals Conceded – 4 (0.33 Per Game)
Corners for them – 53 (4.41 Per Game)
Corners for their opponents – 63 (5.25 Per Game)
Yellow Cards for them – 19 (1.58 Per Game)
Yellow Cards for their opponents – 33 (2.75 Per Game)
Red Cards for them – 0 (0 Per Game)
Red Cards for their opponents – 2 (0.16 Per Game)
Top Scorers (All competitions this season)
Man City
Ilkay Gundogan – 17 goals in all competitions this season
Phil Foden – 16 goals in all competitions this season
Riyad Mahrez – 14 goals in all competitions this season
Raheem Sterling – 14 goals in all competitions this season
Gabriel Jesus – 14 goals in all competitions this season
Ferran Torres – 13 goals in all competitions this season
Kevin De Bruyne – 10 goals in all competitions this season
Chelsea
Timo Werner – 12 goals in all competitions this season
Tammy Abraham – 12 goals in all competitions this season
Olivier Giroud – 11 goals in all competitions this season
Mason Mount – 9 goals in all competitions this season
Jorginho – 8 goals in all competitions this season
Kai Havertz – 8 goals in all competitions this season
Most Assists (All competitions this season)
Man City
Kevin De Bruyne – 18 assists in all competitions this season
Raheem Sterling – 12 assists in all competitions this season
Phil Foden – 10 assists in all competitions this season
Riyad Mahrez – 9 assists in all competitions this season
Bernardo Silva – 9 assists in all competitions this season
Chelsea
Timo Werner – 15 assists in all competitions this season
Kai Havertz – 9 assists in all competitions this season
Mason Mount – 8 assists in all competitions this season
Ben Chilwell – 7 assists in all competitions this season
Yellow Cards (All competitions this season)
Man City
Fernandinho – 12 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Cancelo – 9 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Bernardo Silva – 8 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Rodri – 7 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Ruben Dias – 6 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Raheem Sterling – 6 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Aymeric Laporte – 5 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Chelsea
N’Golo Kante – 8 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Cesar Azpilicueta – 7 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Jorginho – 7 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Mateo Kovacic – 7 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Mason Mount – 6 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Hakim Ziyech – 5 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Ben Chilwell – 4 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Reece James – 4 yellow cards in all competitions this season
Match Preview
All things look set for a cracking Champions League final as man City finally get their shot at winning what Pep Guardiola was brought in to win. City have seen a huge amount of domestic success but The Champions League has been the one trophy that they just could not get close to, but they now find themselves 1 game away from club footballs biggest prize. Standing in their way are a Chelsea side who started the season under Frank Lampard in what looked set to be a rebuilding year for the club, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that not many Chelsea fans would have imagined that their season would finish fighting out the Champions League final. Thomas Tuchel has transformed a team who looked low on confidence and ideas into a team who are Champions League finalists and will have their eyes on challenging for more major honours going forward.
Both sides likes to control games and play possession based football with a team that is built on defensive stability, midfield flair and creativeness along with a constant threat from out wide and a ruthless need to put the ball in the net. City have played this way for years and with the signing of Ruben Dias turning out to be one of the best deals they have done in recent times, they will feel they now have everything they need to dominate European football for the foreseeable future. Sergio Aguero plays his last game for the club and whatever the result he will be remembered as a City and Premier League legend, though its no surprise to see him exit amid constant rumours of City signing 1 or 2 new strikers and the amount of injuries Aguero has suffered in recent seasons. When you look at Man City’s top scorers this season you see why they are so desperate to add an out and out goal scoring striker. Their top 2 scorers being Gundogan on 17 goals and Foden on 16 goals point to the demands that are being put on all City players to contribute with goals. Whilst this is not always a bad thing it is an area that needs addressing with Aguero’s departure.
The way that both sides play I feel we could be in for quite a cagey start to the game. Both sides will want to control the early possession and grow their confidence on the ball. The interest part of this is will either team decide to use a high press as a way of winning the ball back? City in particular usually pressure teams from the get go, but this isn’t Fulham on a Tuesday night they are playing against, this Chelsea team is littered with world class talent and should City get it wrong, they are the type of team who will punish them. The sides have met twice recently, in the FA Cup semi-final and in the Premier League, Chelsea won on both occasions. In both games City were the dominant side but they struggled to break down a stubborn Chelsea team and in the end were defeated.
It is a very obvious statement but the 1st goal in this game really is huge. If Chelsea get it then they can slow the game down, play at their own pace and frustrate Man City. If City get the opening goal then Chelsea have to be more expansive which will open up space and counter attacking opportunities for this deadly City side.
Goals is always a risky market in games like this, though the thing to remember is these are world class players who feel like they belong on this stage. This isn’t a league 2 play-off final where 2 relatively low quality sides are put on a far bigger stage than what they are used to before being asked to perform. The nerves will be there of course they will, but with soo much attacking talent on show, its hard to see this ending 0-0.
In terms of who will score the goals there really are no massive standout contenders. Neither sides have a player who has scored more than 18 goals in all competitions this season. So whilst I am quietly confident there will be goals, I wouldn’t like to say exactly where those goals are going to come from.
Both these sides have been on the higher end of the corner numbers all season. City’s style of play with lots of attacks, crosses, shots at goal and keeping their opponents camped deep inside their own half really suits corners, I would be very surprised if City don’t take at least 5 corners in this one. Chelsea are not as consistently impressive as City but their style of play also tends to lead to a high number of corners. Having Azpilicueta covering him means Reece James can get forward pretty much whenever he wants, and Ben Chilwell is not shy of joining an attack either. City tend to not concede a lot of corners and in The Champions League this season their opponents have only taken an average of 2.33 corners per game, but this is the final and Chelsea are no mugs when it comes to building an attack.so I feel there is a good chance that Chelsea take at least 3 or 4 corners in this one. I believe it’s likely that the match will be pushing towards a double digit corner count with City leading the way in terms of numbers.
Games like this are a dream for booking bets. The emotions that players must go through in a game like this from the build up to the 90 minutes themselves are a rollercoaster which can lead to lapses in judgement and over eagerness in a tackle which all usually lead to cards. Though its not just the players that contribute to this game being great for cards, it’s the referee. The fact we have a European referee in Antonio Miguel Mateu (Spain). If you are backing cards in this game, his stats are extremely encouraging
In 16 games that he has taken charge of since 1st January 2021, he has given 81 yellow cards and 4 red cards. That is an average of 5.06 yellow cards per game! The European referees tend to get their cards out allot easier than English refs. English referees seem to take allot into account such as how early in the game is it? Is it a derby that I don’t want to set off by giving a yellow card? Did the player go down? And this leads to blatant fouls for breaking up counter attacks going unpunished because its early in the game or the player didn’t throw himself to the floor. Referees in countries like Spain and Germany seem much more straight forward at handing out cards, and this can catch out English sides who are used to having a bit more freedom than what referees from other countries are willing to give them. The referee for The Champions League Final Antonio Miguel Mateu is not shy from getting his cards out as you can see from his stats, but twice this season he has refereed an English side, both times it was Man United, the first time he handed out 5 yellow cards as United won away at PSG and the second time he gave an incredible 9 yellow cards as Man United lost to RB Leipzig. All the stats point to this being a very good game for anyone backing cards.
Best Bets All prices are taken from Skybet
Our 18/1 Europa League and Champions League Final double is still in with a chance, and for that we need a goal in each half and 4+ corners in each half.
9/1 – Both teams to score, 4+ corners each team and 20+ booking points each team – This bet would definitely not be considered a banker, but at 9/1 it is too big a price to ignore. Whilst both sides are solid defensive units, there is a lot of attacking talent on display and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see both teams score. I am very confident City take at least 4 corners. Chelsea taking 4+ corners is a slight risk as Man City could get a strangle hold on this game and massively limit Chelsea’s attacking opportunities, hopefully though that doesn’t happen and Chelsea can still find ways to create opportunities. The cards has a strong chance judged on the stats and all in all at 9/1 I feel this bet is overpriced.
25/1 – Fernandinho, Kante and Azpilicueta to be carded (We advise waiting for the starting line ups to be released before backing bets like this) – No man City player has been given more yellow cards this season than Fernandinho (12). Kante has been given 8 yellow cards in all competitions this season and Azpilicueta 7. These three are all players who like to be in the thick of things, making tackles and winning the ball back, all season they have been leading their teams in cards and if all 3 of these players start, then I feel this is a big priced bet that has a chance.
25/1 – Kevin De Bruyne to score, 4+ corners in each half and Azpilicueta to be carded (We advise waiting for the starting line ups to be announced before backing bets like this) – Both of these players should start. Kevin De Bruyne is the heartbeat of the Man City team and pulls the strings to make them tick. In the biggest game in the clubs recent history he is the kind of player to step up and be counted, I feel there is a strong chance he could end up on the score sheet. Azpilicueta is solid defensively for Chelsea but his age means that it is likely he will get caught for pace a couple of times in a game. Late on in the game the sight of someone like Mahrez, Foden or Sterling running away from him towards goal is sure to see him drag them down and take the yellow, and with his natural style of play I feel there Is a good chance he ends up in the book anyway. City average 5.83 corners per game in the Champions League this season and Chelsea average 4.41 corners per game in Europe this campaign. The way both sides play suits corners and I am confident there will be at least 4 in each half.
80/1 – Kevin De Bruyne to score, Mason Mount to score and Thiago Silva to be carded (We advise waiting for the starting line ups to be announced before backing bets like this) – As stated above De Bruyne is the type of player who will stand up to the occasion. Mason Mount is similar with his style of play being to get forward and get shots at goal. Mount has scored 9 goals in all competitions this season and with the likes of Havertz and Werner for City to worry about, it is possible Mount could slip by unnoticed and bag his 10th goal of the season in the biggest game of the season. Thiago Silva is a vastly experienced player but in a similar way to Azpilicueta his age means he is always prone to being done for pace, and it wouldn’t be a shock if he ended up breaking up an attack illegally and being carded. Thiago Silva was booked in last years Champions League final as well. At 80/1 I feel this bet is overpriced and is a longshot that has a chance.
