In less than seven months on the Chelsea bench, Thomas Tuchel won a second trophy. The London club won the European Supercup by beating the Spaniards of Villarreal in a penalty shootout (1-1 ap, 6-5 tab), Wednesday, August 11, in Belfast (Northern Ireland).
By bringing in his second goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga just before the penalty shoot-out, coach Thomas Tuchel managed a master stroke: the Spanish goalkeeper, demoted last season to the rank of Edouard Mendy’s understudy, hijacked the attempt of Aïssa Mandi and that of Captain Raul Albiol, annoyed.
Enough to offer a coronation to the Blues, their second European Supercup after 1998. The second title, above all, for Tuchel, after the Champions League (against Manchester City) on May 29. The idyll is perfect, far from the difficulties experienced at the end of the German’s lease on the Paris-Saint-Germain side last winter …
Defensive solidity
The Londoners’ victory had been foreseen much earlier, in the 27e minute, with the goal of Moroccan striker Hakim Ziyech, well served by Kai Havertz from a low center from the left. A great reward for this player who did not always start last season, but always present during major meetings, with goals in 2021 against City in the FA Cup and in the Championship, and against Atlético Madrid in the League of champions.
Here is a unit which is worth dear, but which will not necessarily remain as a good memory in the memory of the 28-year-old Moroccan, because he suddenly had to leave his teammates, injured in the shoulder just before half-time (43e).
His trainer Thomas Tuchel, who has abandoned his cold face since February, interviewed at PSG for a broad smile, will retain his defensive solidity almost always intact despite the absence of Thiago Silva, and the always certain contribution of N’Golo Kanté, evening captain. It was also when the Frenchman left that Chelsea ended up being hit by the “yellow submarine”, with a superb one-two concluded by Gerard Moreno (73e), he, the goalscorer in the final of the Europa League against another English team, Manchester United (1-1, 11-10 tab).
Previously, the team coached by Unai Emery had been unlucky, with an outgoing bar from Alberto Moreno (45e+3) and a strike from Gerard Moreno (52e) hijacked by Edouard Mendy on his post.
Chelsea confident for the future
A succession of clear chances which offered a very good spectacle to the 10,435 spectators of Windsor Park in Belfast, who perhaps did not expect so much intensity before the resumption of the season.
Chelsea succeed the untouchable Bayern Munich, winning the duel of the former PSG coaches between Emery, not extended at the end of his contract in France, and Tuchel, unceremoniously dismissed at the end of December 2020.
For Emery, it’s a cold shower: four times winner of the Europa League, he never knew how to confirm by dropping the winner of the Champions League a few months later during this traditional opening match of the season European.
The German technician, he approaches the exercise with confidence, and soon a reinforcement of weight! The press has been announcing for several days the imminent arrival of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan. What to fill the London ranks with a new asset for the season of confirmation. The first challenge of the summer is in any case taken up.