Chelsea reached their first UEFA Champions League final since 2012 with a comfortable 3-1 aggregate success against Real Madrid.
A high-tempo opening produced few chances and the tie did not take a decisive turn until midway though the first half. Then Edouard Mendy made a full-length save to thwart Karim Benzema and, shortly after, Chelsea took the lead when Timo Werner nodded in after Kai Havertz’s clipped finish cannoned off the bar.
Havertz rattled the woodwork again soon after half-time and Mason Mount fired over as the hosts continued to create, but spurn, clear chances. Thibaut Courtois kept the Merengues alive with one-on-one saves from Havertz and N’Golo Kanté; however, his resistance was finally ended when substitute Christian Pulišić crossed for Mount to tap in late on.
Player of the Match: N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea)
“Covered a great deal of ground in a very close match. His transitions both from defence to attack and from attack to defence were excellent.”
John Peacock, UEFA Technical Observer
Key stats
Chelsea have not lost a home match in which they scored the first goal in this competition since their 3-1 defeat by Atlético in the 2014 semi-finals.
Thomas Tuchel (W2 D4) is the only manager to face Real Madrid six times in the competition without suffering a defeat.
Mount became the first English goalscorer in the semi-finals since Wayne Rooney for Manchester United against Schalke just over ten years ago (26 April 2011).
Chelsea became the sixth club to score 300 goals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage to final) after Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Manchester United and Juventus.
Madrid have scored in 24 of their last 26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase matches. Both blanks came against English clubs – Liverpool and Chelsea.
The visitors made it 12 UEFA Champions League games without a victory when trailing at half-time (D2 L10).
Line-ups
Chelsea: Mendy; Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rüdiger; Azpilicueta (James 88), Jorginho, Kanté, Chilwell; Havertz (Giroud 90), Werner (Pulišić 67), Mount (Ziyech 89)
Real Madrid: Courtois; Nacho, Éder Militão, Ramos, Mendy (Valverde 63); Kroos, Casemiro (Rodrygo 76), Modrić; Vinícius Júnior (Asensio 63), Benzema, Hazard (Mariano Díaz 89)
Source: UEFA
