Champions League Final: Manchester City vs Chelsea - predicted starting line-ups and injury news

Thomas Tuchel, manager of Chelsea, and Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, go head to head in the Champions League final.

It’s the big one on Saturday night as Manchester City take on Chelsea in the Champions League final.

It’s only the third all-English final in the competition, following on from Liverpool’s win over Tottenham in 2019 and Manchester United’s victory on penalties over Chelsea in 2008.

What TV channel is the Champions League final 2021 on? How to watch Chelsea vs Man City for free

Both teams come into the game with some selection headaches. Pep Guardiola has an array of attacking talent at his disposal and must decide whether to hand City legend Sergio Aguero a start in his final game, and decide on the fitness of Kevin De Bruyne, while Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel must pick the right team after a stuttering end to the Premier League season saw them scrape into the top four despite two defeats.

Tuchel has the measure of Guardiola, however, having beaten City in the Premier League and the FA Cup semi-final already this season.

Manchester City team news and injury update

Guardiola could report a clean bill of health for the game after playmaker Kevin De Bruyne appeared to come through their final Premier League game of the season unscathed after a spell out with fatigue.

The decision for the Spaniard will be who to start in attack. Against Everton in their last game, Gabriel Jesus started as striker alongside Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez, with Phil Foden, De Bruyne and Fernandinho tucked in behind them. However, the star of their 5-0 win was Sergio Aguero, who stepped off the bench to grab two goals on his Etihad farewell.

Could he start in Porto? It appears unlikely, with Guardiola opting to play De Bruyne in a ‘false 9’ in big games, while Foden and Mahrez seem nailed on for positions.

At the back, John Stones and Ruben Dias will start in the centre of defence meaning it’s two from four in the full-back positions with Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, Bernard Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko jockeying for a start.

Predicted team: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden.

Chelsea team news and injury update

Tuchel has plenty options at his disposal but more injury concerns with doubts over goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and midfielder N’Golo Kante, though Chelsea remain hopeful both will be fit.

Will it be three-man defence or a flat back four? Tuchel may look to call upon a similar starting XI that has got the better of City twice in the last couple of months.

Mason Mount is a guaranteed starter but the midfield conundrum will depend on Kante’s fitness after he hobbled off against Leicester.

Up front, none of Chelsea’s attackers have impressed consistently enough with Hatem Ziyech, Olivier Giroud, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Tammy Abraham and Kai Havertz all in the frame to start.

Predicted team: Mendy; James, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilecueta, Kante, Jorginho, Mount, Alonso; Werner, Havertz