The stage is set for a heavyweight clash between Spanish League giants Real Madrid and English Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool in the Champions League final which is set to be played on Sunday morning (May 29), at 12:30 am IST. One team that had a decent run in the Champions League, but failed to reach the final are defending champions, Chelsea.
In the 2020-2021 Champions League summit clash, Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 capturing European soccer’s biggest prize only months after changing coaches and beating a City team that was built for this moment.
Blues made their Champions League debut in 1999 and reached the quarter-final stage in their first appearance, where they went down to Barcelona. So far, they have made 20 season appearances in the UCL (including 2021-22) and have won the trophy twice with their most recent victory coming in 2020-21.
Chelsea started the 2020-21 season on a high note by winning the group stage with 14 points.
In the next round, they bested Atletico Madrid 3-0 on aggregate.
They overpowered FC Porto in the quarter-finals before defeating Champions League trophy leaders Real Madrid in the semi-final 3-1 on aggregate.
They downed Manchester City in an all England final to clinch their second title.
Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland remained the top-goal scorer of the Champions League 2020-2021 season.
Let's have a look at Chelsea's top goal scorer in their last outing in the Champions League:
Champions League goals 23: Giroud 6 (1 pen), Werner 4 (3 pens), Hudson-Odoi 2, Mount 2, Pulisic 2, Ziyech 2, Abraham 1, Chilwell 1, Emerson 1, Havertz 1, Jorginho 1 (pen).
Chelsea won their first UCL title in 2011-12 by defeating Bayern Munich. They made their first final appearance in the tourney during 2007-08, where they were beaten by Manchester United.
They have been knocked out from the semi-final round on five occasions - 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2008-09, and 2013-14.
Chelsea won the group stage of the 2011-12 season ahead of KRC Genk, Valencia, and Bayer Leverkusen.
They defeated Italian side Napoli in Round of 16, 5-4 on aggregate. They went past Portugal's Benfica in the quarters by winning both legs and recorded an upset against Lionel Messi's Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate. They won the all-important final by defeating Bayern Munich on penalties (4-3).
