So, to put the storyline together, Chelsea were doing OK in the Premier League but far from their Champions League dream. Owner Roman Abramovich swapped out the struggling manager for a technocrat who gets the team a series of sneaky 1-0 wins, then, before anyone knew it, they were winning big in Europe. Sound familiar?
The win over Porto last week was the first time when it seemed like it may be “written in the stars” again for Chelsea. Porto aren’t the biggest or best team in the Champions League, but they are the most difficult to break down, to look impressive against and Chelsea did them with a comprehensive 2-0.
Thomas Tuchel has been manager long enough that his style is becoming apparent and it seems he’s fixing his side player by player. First he made sure his defense stopped shipping goals and now he’s taken Mason Mount, already one of the brightest prospects in the British game, and turned him into a genuine playmaker.
This past weekend, Chelsea crushed Crystal Palace 4-1 and with an early goal from Kai Havertz and a brace from Christian Pulisic, it seems that Tuchel has repaired the whole squad from the back (finally) to the front.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel (c) celebrates with his players after their 2-0 win over Porto. /Getty
They don’t need to score any and find themselves in a position where they’re likely to score more than last time.
Thankfully for Porto, so are they, in the sense that their top goalscorer Mehdi Teremi is back from his ridiculous red card suspension, which came against Juventus. He scored the second this past weekend in their 2-0 win over Tondela, but that’s a far cry from the opponent he’ll be facing tonight.
It’s hard not to look at this second leg as a forgone conclusion and also something of a shame. Porto have been one of the most convincing sides in this year’s Champions League; they’ve reached the quarterfinals with solid wins due to well-drilled players and excellent tactics from manager Sergio Conceicao rather than riding luck or with the aid of one or two particular youth talents.
They would never have been favorites against any of the much larger sides. However, had they match against anyone besides for Chelsea, they’d have a bigger chance, instead they’re challenging the Premier League version of themselves. When David faces Goliath, the results may vary. When David faces a bigger, stronger David, the outcome feels inevitable.
[Header: Chelsea’s Reece James and Porto’s Zaidu Sanusi compete for the ball. /Getty]