The UEFA Champions League final for the 2020-2021 season which Chelsea and Manchester City played on May 29 in Porto, Portugal, is still generating reactions.
It was suspected that the heated final would cause a kind of bad blood between the players of Chelsea and that of Manchester City in England’s squad for the Euro 2020. On the contrary, Chelsea’s defender, Ben Chilwell who was on the winning side said the final has further United the players.
In the UEFA Champions League final between the two Premier League clubs, about seven England international played a prominent role for both teams. Chelsea had Mason Mount, Reece James, and Ben Chilwell who ensured that the club maintained a slim 1-0 win to emerge European champions.
On the other divide, Manchester City had four England internationals – Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, and Raheem Sterling who made so much effort to cancel Chelsea’s goal scored by German forward, Kai Havertz.
At the end of 97 minutes of intense football, Chelsea ran away with a 1-0 win to win their second UEFA Champions League title in the club’s history. While Manchester City were left to keep trying to have a Champions League title in their trophy cabinet.
We did it!!! 💙 pic.twitter.com/ewKbi8Obl2
— Ben Chilwell (@BenChilwell) May 29, 2021
During a media chat involving Chilwell on Wednesday, the left-back said the players from the two sides have united for the Three Lions of England and whenever a talk about the UEFA Champions League comes up in the camp, it is always on a light note.
He said: “It wasn’t awkward in the slightest. If anything, and it’s quite weird to say, it’s actually brought us closer.
“To share a Champions League final, although they were on the losing side, we come here and it wasn’t awkward.
“As I said, it’s probably brought us a bit closer because to share that experience, such a massive game in all of our careers, it’s going to be good for us, put us in good stead going into this tournament, playing in a big game like that.
On whether they have discussed the Champions League in the English camp: he said: “Not really. A few jokes with the City boys! They have instigated them.
“I don’t really want to say too much about that! But, yeah, not really too much has been said. A few things but all in light-hearted ways.”
England are preparing to conquer Europe in an international competition less than two weeks after the Premier League conquered Europe in club competition. They will start their Euro 2020 campaign in Group D which has Croatia, Scotland, and the Czech Republic.
They are one of the teams in the competition that have a compact squad in which every role has one or two options that can hold their own any day, any time.
For instance, Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell will compete for the left-back role in the squad with Manchester United’s Luke Shaw. The 24-year-old defender who used to play for Leicester City said such competition makes him a better player.
“We get on really well,” said Chilwell. “Of course, there will be competition for places in every position.
“It is a very strong England squad with a lot of very good players and I have said it before with me and Marcos (Alonso) at Chelsea.
“I have had it with Christian Fuchs at Leicester for two or so years, and in both cases, it made me a better player.
