Our Chelsea fan reporter is living in dreamland afterEuropean glory and doesn’t expect to get much sleep for a while
Champions of Europe, we’ve done it again! It’s hard to put my emotions and feelings into words right now. Hours after the full-time whistle and I’ve still got goosebumps all across my body and a sore throat from cheering my team on until the end. Nights like this are what us Chelsea fans have dreamt about since our previous triumph in Munich 9 years ago and if I’m completely honest I don’t expect to sleep much tonight with all this adrenaline pumping through my body.
It’s now well after midnight and I can still hear the helicopters hovering over my house, the honking of the cars and the cheers of the fans parading down the Fulham Road from my bedroom window. This is what football is about. It’s hard to believe that less than six months ago, things looked extremely bleak for Chelsea. Had you told me back in January that we’d be lifting the Champions League come the end of the season, I would have probably called you crazy. Yet, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt as a Chelsea fan it’s that we never give up. Even during our most difficult and dire moments, we find ways to fight back and salvage something from our seasons. The pains and heartaches make these moments even more precious.
The night was always going to be about Chelsea really; when I saw the navy blue seats of the Estádio do Dragão and the cool composure of Thomas Tuchel ahead of kick-off, I thought to myself, this is our night. Kanté was everywhere and dominant in midfield as always and our defenders put in challenges and blocks that I celebrated like we’d scored a goal. But it was our record signing man Kai Havertz who scored the winner and goal that will go down in Chelsea and Champions League folklore. Danke Kai!
When the full-time whistle blew, I sank to my knees in a state of shock before breaking down in tears and hugging every member of my family. After the difficult season we’ve had as football fans, unable to watch our teams play in stadiums, moments like this will be cherished for the rest of our lives. You’ll forever want to remember who you were with and how you reacted during moments like this. That night in Porto, it does have a nice ring to it doesn’t it?
