Arsene Wenger has praised Thomas Tuchel for creating a ‘tactical problem’ for Pep Guardiola in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League final.
Tuchel has secured his first trophy as Chelsea coach after Kai Havertz’s first-half goal sealed a 1-0 victory over City in Porto.
Man City struggled to break down Chelsea throughout the match, while Tuchel’s team missed two other excellent opportunities in each half through Timo Werner and Pulisic.
And Wenger has heaped praise on Tuchel for his decision to tuck Mason Mount and Havertz inwards when the blues were out of position in order to force City to attack in wider areas.
‘I would still say Guardiola has just been voted Manager of the Year in England because he won the championship and dominated,’ Wenger told beIN Sports.
‘A final is on one game, and that’s where you have to turn up and play at your best. Today I must say for Man City that was not the case.
‘But you said they [City] lost two games against Chelsea. That strengthened the belief of Chelsea, and certainly made Man City a bit insecure. We never know exactly what traces defeat leave in our mind.
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‘But it showed tonight that Chelsea were convinced they could beat them.
‘I must as well what Tuchel did well, he played Mount and Havertz more inside defensively. So Man City could never find a way through the middle and they had to go wide and Chelsea were quite strong tonight.
‘So Man City had a big tactical problem tonight that they could never sort out. They were not balanced, they didn’t find a play to play incisive football and Chelsea stopped them very well.’
