SO, CAN CHELSEA STOP THE ULTIMATE PASSING MACHINE?

THIS could be the start of a season-defining trilogy between Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea. They meet in the FA Cup semi-finals today, then in the Premier League, then potentially in the Champions League final. City have been getting all the plaudits for their majestic play but the trophies haven’t been given out yet. The Premier League looks like it’s in the bag. But if you’re Chelsea, you’ll be believing you can still enjoy an even better season than City by taking the FA Cup and Champions League. Today represents the ultimate challenge for these coaches. Both like to control games but do it in different ways. Guardiola does it by flooding players all over the pitch and passing the opposition into submission. Tuchel does it by stopping the opposition with his strong defence and a willingness to break forward at pace. After frustrating Porto on Tuesday night, the Chelsea manager said: ‘Part of a performance is to not let the others perform and we did this.’ That told me he enjoys stopping the opposition playing. The problem for Chelsea is that City are moving the ball better than ever. They have become the ultimate passing machine. They made more than 700 passes in the Champions League match on Wednesday — 300 more than the high-quality Borussia Dortmund side who were at home. With this approach, Raheem Sterling (above) has become an unfortunate victim as the City player who runs with the ball more than anyone else. He didn’t start either leg against Dortmund and is finding himself out of the starting line-up. Guardiola wants to see the ball passed and is selecting sides who can do that most effectively. The City boss is even naming false nines to add another passer into the mix. Out of possession, they’re hoovering up the opposition to get the ball off them, then they restart the passing cycle. City are simply relentless. To stop the City machine is one of football’s toughest tasks. But if anyone can do it, it is Tuchel. He likes his team to be safe. They don’t score freely but that freak 5-2 defeat by West Brom aside, Tuchel’s side have been outstanding at the back. They defend with seven men — using five defenders with two midfielders in front. Even when their wingbacks fly forward to give them width, Chelsea’s back three and midfield two stay together, ensuring they always have a secure base. Tuchel’s Chelsea won’t surrender possession lightly. It has happened only once under him in the Premier League — and that was against Liverpool at Anfield. Chelsea sat deep and won 1-0 courtesy of a counter-attack goal scored by Mason Mount. Tuchel would love a repeat of that today. Although Guardiola has made more game-to-game changes to his line-up than any other Premier League boss this season, I feel he must field his best XI against Chelsea today. If they make it to the Champions League final, this will be the first of three epic games between Guardiola and Tuchel. Both will be desperate to get off to a winning start.