There is not much to smile about at this moment in time if you are a Chelsea fan, but that was not the case nearly four years ago.
Back in the 2020/21 season, under Thomas Tuchel‘s tutelage, Chelsea were able to win their second Champions League trophy after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final.
What made the triumph so sweet as well was the fact that players from Chelsea’s academy helped the team to achieve that amazing feat.
The Chelsea Chronicle has now ranked each of their contributions to the Blues’ success on that famous night in Porto.
7. Tino Anjorin
Tino Anjorin only managed to make one appearance in Chelsea’s 2020/21 Champions League campaign. The attacking midfielder played 80 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Russian side Krasnodar at the end of the group stage.
It means the 23-year-old was unable to make much of an impact during the tournament, but he still managed to earn himself a medal that he is likely to cherish for the rest of his life.
6. Billy Gilmour
Billy Gilmour made one more appearance than Anjorin, so he was another Chelsea academy product who did not make too much of a contribution to the success that Tuchel’s side had.
Nevertheless, Gilmour was and still is a very good midfield player. He is not scared to receive the ball and is great at keeping it. It is no surprise that he did get opportunities under Tuchel and his predecessor Frank Lampard despite being so young at the time.
5. Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham did not feature in the knockout round for Chelsea following Tuchel’s arrival and was not included in their matchday squad for the final.
However, the striker helped them to get there after making five appearances and scoring one goal during the group stage.
Abraham has since left Stamford Bridge, but he is the kind of player Enzo Maresca could desperately do with right now, with both Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu out injured.
It has left the Chelsea boss without a recognised centre-forward. Chelsea were interested in Serhou Guirassy last summer, but they did not activate his release clause in the end and are now light up front.
4. Callum Hudson-Odoi
Like Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi played more of a role in the group stage of Chelsea’s Champions League campaign.
He scored two goals during it and then managed to make a couple of appearances in the knockout stage, in contrast to Abraham. With his pace and dribbling, Hudson-Odoi did cause teams problems and was a really good option for Tuchel to have.
3. Andreas Christensen
Being a Dane and not English, it is quite easy to forget that Andreas Christensen came through Chelsea’s academy.
His Champions League journey was quite different to Hudson-Odoi and Abraham’s, with the central defender’s impact coming in the knockout phase of the competition. Christensen played in every game at that stage other than second-leg ties versus Atletico Madrid and Porto.
He came on in the final against City after Thiago Silva picked up an injury, helping Chelsea to shutout Pep Guardiola’s men. That is what you call an impact.
2. Reece James
Unfortunately, because of injuries, Reece James has not been able to kick on since Chelsea’s unforgettable 2020/21 season.
The Blues would be in a much better place today if they had that fit and firing James. Playing as a right wing-back, he was so crucial to Tuchel’s 3-4-3 system and ultimately Chelsea winning the Champions League.
Without him, City or another team probably would have won Europe’s elite competition that year. Thank you, Reece!
1. Mason Mount
Following the manner of his move to Manchester United, Mason Mount is not Chelsea fans’ favourite person right now.
Four years ago, though, it was a completely different story. Kai Havertz, of course, scored the winning goal in the final, but Mount was the attacker who really inspired Chelsea to Champions League glory.
His performances during the latter stage of the competition were so impressive. Mount finished the tournament with goals versus Porto and Real Madrid in the quarter and semi-finals respectively, while it was the Englishman who set up Havertz’s famous strike.
It is sad that this team is no more. It got dismantled quite quickly but created a memory that will never be forgotten in SW6.
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