QUAD DREAM IS ZIYECH’S TUCH GUARDIOLA PAYS PRICE FOR MASS CHANGES OVER FOR PEP AS OF CLASS WINS IT
PEP GUARDIOLA paid the price for making wholesale changes as Manchester City’s Quadruple chase died a death at Wembley. Hakim Ziyech grabbed the only goal to send Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea into next month’s final.
And the ex-ajax man’s fifth strike for the club early in the second half was enough to end City’s dream of achieving an unprecedented clean sweep of all the trophies home and abroad.
Indeed, this cup exit means Guardiola’s men can no longer do the Double or Treble either.
But while Chelsea chief Tuchel was celebrating his first victory over the Spaniard in six attempts, Guardiola had only himself to blame for this shocking defeat.
Not for the first time, the Etihad supremo had disrespected the competition by shuffling his pack with EIGHT changes.
Of course, following the progress of both teams into the last four of the Champions League, it was also a possible dress rehearsal for an even bigger prize up for grabs in Istanbul next month.
Yet dreams of ruling Europe were on hold as both clubs attempted to continue their impressive records in the most famous domestic cup competition on the planet.
Not that you would have guessed it by their line-ups.
City, beaten at the same stage last year by eventual winners Arsenal and looking for a third cup success in a decade, left European match-winners Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez on the bench and included Zack Steffen in goal.
Meanwhile Chelsea, aiming to go all the way for the fourth time in five years, had three new faces after their win over Porto.
The most significant was their reserve stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga getting the nod – and Timo Werner being restored up front.
With so much at stake, the early stages were expected to be cagey. Surely the Blues, beaten just twice in 17 games under their German coach, would not fly out of the traps and leave themselves open to City’s lightning, sweeping counter attacks.
Wrong. For, though,tuchel said pre-match City are the ‘new benchmark’ for his and every other club to catch next season, his troops were in the mood to begin that chase here.
And after five minutes camped
inside their own half, Chelsea had the ball in the net with their first attack – only for Ziyech to be ruled offside.
They had two legitimate efforts soon after before Ben Chilwell wasted a glorious chance at the far post, dragging a first-time effort wide of the post.
His manager’s head-in-hands reaction underlined the unmarked England defender should have done better.
At least Chelsea were creating, because City’s only attempt at that stage was Juan Laporte’s wayward 50-yard effort.talk about being ridiculously ambitious. That summed up the Premier League leaders – lots of possession, no cutting edge.
Instead, Chelsea continued on the front foot and in the
33rd minute the excellent
Reece James was inches away with a 20-yarder.
In the dying stages of the opening period, City skipper Kevin De Bruyne began to click and at that point you sensed that
Chelsea might regret not capitalising on their superiority.
Yet within a minute of the re-start, the Belgian hobbled off injured and on came Foden.and before the Three Lions ace could have an influence,
Tuchel’s dark Blues broke the deadlock in the 54th minute.
Werner, released by Chilwell, burst down the left before unselfishly crossing for Ziyech to tap into an empty net.
Where Steffen was at that point was anybody’s guess.
City upped the pressure and had a penalty appeal rejected before recalled Raheem
Sterling blasted over from close range.