Chelsea won the 2021 Champions League final with a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in Porto.
Kai Havertz scored the winner on an enthralling night which saw thrilling counters, cruel blows, and stunning individual performances.
A frenetic opening 45 minutes in the clash saw Timo Werner squander chances, and Antonio Rudiger deny Phil Foden with an astonishing tackle.
The west Londoners suffered a huge knock when Thiago Silva was forced off with a muscular issue.
But, just two minutes before half-time, Havertz rocked City with his first ever Champions League goal after rounding Ederson.
Kevin De Bruyne also had to exit the match through injury having received a knock to the head which caused him an almost instant black eye.
And while City threw Sergio Aguero, making his last appearance for the club, and Gabriel Jesus on to the pitch, they just couldn’t create the chance they needed to stop Thomas Tuchel’s men.
City boss Pep Guardiola, famed for curveball selections, played a wildcard from the off by choosing not to start a recognised defensive midfielder in his side.
Wily combatant Fernandinho and Spanish ace Rodri were both on the bench with Ilkay Gundogan, City’s top scorer in all competitions beginning the match as their deepest midfielder.
Wonderkid Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were either side of him and it was the Premier League title winners who dominated the ball from the first whistle.
On the counter, though, Werner, looked to punish Guardiola’s men, with compatriot Havertz aiding him towards the Chelsea right.
After a piercing run behind the Chelsea backline, Sterling forced Edouard Mendy into the first save of the game with a backheel.
Sterling sees a shot saved after being pushed wide by Reece James and Mendy
At the other end, Werner miscued a strike while in a good position but the jet-heeled Sterling almost punished him.
On a counter, the England forward left his opponents trailing but his cross was somehow turned away from goal.
Werner has found goals hard to come by this campaign but his positioning never lets him down.
With a finer touch he would have opened the scoring after he was found by Mount on the left side of the area. Instead, his tame shot was gobbled up by Ederson.
“Werner could take another touch. He had more time than he thought,” lamented talkSPORT co-commentator Stuart Pearce.
De Bruyne caused hearts to flutter in the Chelsea backline as he grew into the game, while the Londoners remained a constant threat on the counter.
Foden was undoubtedly one of the men to watch going into the game and, had it not been for a stunning challenge from Antonio Rudiger, he would have put City ahead after 27 minutes.
Moments later Kyle Walker was doing damage on the right with a bustling run but his pass just missed the outstretched leg of Riyad Mahrez.
Gundogan, perhaps unsurprisingly given his role change on the night, got the first booking of the night for a kick on Mount.
But any positive Chelsea thoughts were quickly halted with Silva appearing to tweak a muscle while battling Foden in the air.
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s positioning throughout the game was fascinating, drifting into central midfield, at points, even if he misplaced some passes.
But when it mattered defensively he nabbed the ball straight off the toe of of Havertz as the German looked to strike on goal.
Silva succumbed to his injury with Andreas Christensen replacing him, a cruel ending to the game considering he had become just the fifth man to start successive Champions League finals with different clubs.
Chelsea, though were determined to win without him.
A sensational through ball from Mount, between John Stones and Zinchenko, found Havertz, who had produced a beautifully arced run.
Ederson came haring towards him, but a composed touch took the goalkeeper out of the equation and the German slotted home his first ever Champions League goal with ease just two minutes before the break.
“Manchester City have spread their whole backline across the back of the pitch and the holes were ridiculous,” fumed their former manager Pearce.
Pundits and former players called for Guardiola to reverse his decision to play without a holding midfielder but he refused to alter things during half-time.
Chelsea continued with their compact 5-2-3 and the early sparring in the second half went in their favour too.
Matters got worse for City just before the hour-mark too when De Bruyne was forced off the pitch after a clash with Rudiger.
In tears, the Belgian had an almost instantaneous black eye and left the pitch anguished.
Christian Pulisic entered the fray for Werner, who had been rowing with head coach Tuchel about an offside run, becoming the first American to play in a Champions League final.
He should have created more history two but on the end of a counter started by the magnificent N’Golo Kante, he sent his shot wide when through on goal.
City put on Aguero and Jesus in their search for a leveller but their surprising lack of creativity let the striker down.
Chelsea’s compact defending and marvellous showings from Kante and Rudiger were able to ensure they lifted the trophy for the second time in the club’s history.
Guardiola, meanwhile, leaves frustrated and without a triumph in the tournament since 2011, while he was with Barcelona.