Tuchel’s simplicity trumps Pep’s convoluted plans

"I would like to say it was an exceptional season for us. It was a dream for us to be here, unfortunately we could not win. For most of us in this club it is the first time here, but we work to come back one day. I did the best selection I could. Against Lyon, like I did PSG (in the semi-finals) and like I did against Dortmund (in the quarter-finals). I picked the best selection to win the game and the players know it. "

Pep Guardiola

Manchester City manager

In every encounter, there is a winner and a loser. And in the clash of two tactical masterminds, the pedagogue Pep Guardiola was overshadowed by his disciple Thomas Tuchel, who took charge at Chelsea last January, as the Blues beat Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League final on Tuesday.

Kai Havertz's goal from Mason Mount's sublime through ball over City's defense in the 42nd minute decided the fate of the match in Estadio do Dragao.

Two-time Champions League winner Guardiola reached his first final in a decade but this time he left empty-handed. Despite being well-established as a tactical revolutionary, the Spaniard failed to crack the code this time. So where did he go wrong?

There was no shortage of stars in either team, but it was evident that the managers would be the center of attraction. Even before the match started, Guardiola caught everyone -- including Tuchel as he revealed after the game -- by surprise with the starting eleven he chose in the biggest match of the club's history.

"It was a huge achievement to arrive in the final and even bigger to fight our way to the Cup. The level is set and once the celebrations are over and we've all digested this experience, it's the moment to grow, to use it to become better. It's a big challenge to stay hungry and go for the next one. I feel hungry, part of a really ambitious club and a strong group that supports my beliefs in football perfectly."

Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea manager

It is often said the only predictable thing about Guardiola is his unpredictability and that was witnessed in the final as he picked neither Fernandinho nor Rodri. For the second time in 61 matches this season, Pep started an eleven with no defensive midfielders.

Consequently, City missed out on the elements that made them so remarkable throughout this season. Ilkay Gundogan was deployed as a defensive midfielder despite being in the attacking third for the largest part of the season. Out of his regular position, he could not influence enough to cease Chelsea's counter-attacks.

From the early stages, City's defense had a hard time stopping numerous attacks from Chelsea, with Ruben Dias and John Stones not afforded the protection of a defensive midfielder. Only Timo Werner's merciful misses kept the Citizens' hopes alive.

Mount found a sizeable gap to unleash a spellbinding lobbed through the pass over City's defense after Werner's brilliant off-ball run had dragged Dias wide and left a gaping hole in the middle. Havertz successfully filled that gap and rounded a charging Ederson before finding the back of the net. Perhaps with Fernandinho or Rodri, Mount might not have had the space to release that pass in the first place.

The woefully out-of-form Rahim Sterling was preferred on the left wing over regular starter Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva was added to midfield to further enhance their attacking cavalry. But it misfired as City seemed riddled with confusion, lacking fluency and missing a midfield leader that reduced their attacking threat.

Perhaps, Guardiola planned to get early goals before reverting to their natural possession-based play. But City were haphazard as Chelsea pressed, harried and disrupted. With only one shot on target, this tactical meltdown reflected the bitter memories of last year's quarter final exit against Olympique Lyon, although in that game Pep had done the opposite and gone for an uncharacteristically defensive team.

Fernandinho coming off the bench in the 64th minute may even be seen as an admission of guilt from the manager and although it added some fluidity to the final third of the pitch, perhaps it was too late. Midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne, playing as a false nine, was subbed off due to injury by then and the introduction of strikers Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero made no impact later on.

As Pep exaggerated his plans, his counterpart Thomas Tuchel stuck to basic principles. While Guardiola tried to explore beyond his evident strengths to find a winning formula, Tuchel believed in himself even after losing Thiago Silva in the first half.

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta and his defensive comrade Antonio Rudiger confined City's shots and their defensive midfielder N'Golo Kante was all over the pitch, putting an end to all threatening endeavors.

It is tough to ask questions of a manager who has a stellar career record in European football, but approaching with a clouded line-up when the club needed utmost assurance let him down.

What Pep Guardiola could not achieve in 4 years at City, Thomas Tuchel has achieved in 4 months at Chelsea, thereby cementing his place in the books of modern tactical masterminds.