I’m not absolutely 100 per cent sure that really happened. I’ve double-checked again and yes it did. Chelsea are champions of Europe this season and what’s more, deserved champions. The idea of actually writing that sentence a few months ago would have been close to unthinkable. Most people who ‘know’ about the game would have questioned your sanity, and droned on about you being a biased, blinkered, blue-tinted spectacled buffoon.The improvements in so many areas of the team have been astonishing, and remember we were a very good side to start with, so that makes it even more impressive. Winning the cup with the big ears again is obviously a historic moment for the club, but there were so many incredible moments on the journey, culminating on 29 May 2021, a day and a date that we will always remember.How many days are truly like that in your life? There are surprisingly few of them that lodge that clearly in your brain, so much so that in 20, 30 or 40 years from now, you will remember exactly where you watched and how you felt in those moments.

Thomas taking on Pep

Of course, I was one of the very, very lucky ones who got to go to Porto. In the build-up we were definitely considered the underdogs, but I didn’t talk to anyone sensible who would write off our chances. On radio and TV interviews I was delighted to repeat the underdog mantra, mostly because it took pressure off us and piled it on Pep and his players.

Pep tried to be cool, but the question I and many of us asked was, ‘will he overthink the tactics because of the pressure?’ The answer came when the teams were announced. At that point I no longer thought we were underdogs. He had changed to combat our strengths and in contrast, Thomas Tuchel calmly chose a first XI that suited our strengths first and foremost. Concern for the opposition was well down his list of priorities.

That took bravery but also belief in his players and his own tactical plans. It was a masterplan that worked, as it has almost every time this season, from the first to the last minute. Everyone can pick their own pivotal moment from the day, and you would all be right, but I have my own.

Contributing from front to back

Kai’s goal of course is the obvious one. It was the moment when he announced to the world that he could be one of the most important players on the planet in the coming years. N’Golo had a bunch of moments that no other player could match, but then he has been doing that week in week out.It was a definitive man-of-the-match performance, underlining he would be a first pick for any team, in any period of football history, not just now. He is a great of the game and a player who many say deserves to be a Ballon d’Or winner, and I agree whole heartedly.

What about Toni Rudiger’s moment when he had that goal-saving tackle? That was crucial, it was John Terry-esque in its execution, but any fan who was in the ground will tell that his pitch-length 100 metre sprint on the final whistle to get to the Blues crowd was just as brilliant, and it was hilarious. He is pretty much a bona fide cult figure at the club now.

Azpi’s left-footed clearance over the bar when Gundogan was lurking for a tap-in was another goal-saving and extra-time saving intervention. No one deserves more credit than the skipper does.

Andreas had a similarly stunning block on the night, but yet again Reece James was intent on stealing the defensive show by making his battle with Raheem Sterling a no-contest by the end of the game. He was outstanding, even pushing N’Golo for man of the match.The tireless running of Timo Werner, Jorginho and Mason Mount was exhausting just watching from my commentary position. There was one particular back-tracking run by Mason late in the first half, when Kevin De Bruyne had finally wriggled free just outside our box, that I will definitely do an entire analysis piece on next season.

I honestly didn’t think there was a player in the UK that could keep up with Kyle Walker when he got into his stride but Ben Chilwell proved me wrong time and again at the Dragao. He also had a goal-saving intervention from a cross, like the rest of the defence. Also, Thiago Silva’s calm and efficient play before he went off injured set the template of confidence for the entire team.

And the winners are…

I had my own iconic joyous moment at the fanzone beforehand when Blues fans were just starting their singing for the day, including singing my name once again for old times’ sake. I was a little choked by that moment. But those fans will be forever lodged in my mind for the part they played later on.

With minutes to go and with the players suffering from exhaustion they needed a lift from somewhere. Thomas Tuchel was a man possessed on the touchline, but they needed more than the boss and his backing. He turned to the fans to implore them to help him and his team, the reaction was staggering.Man City may have had a few more fans in there, but you would never have known it. From that moment until the end of the 90 minutes and the seven draining minutes that followed, they roared and sang their hearts out for the lads. It visibly lifted every Chelsea player and what’s more it visibly deflated the Man City players. The fans played a blinder at the end, as every Chelsea fan who wasn’t able to be there would have done too. In the stadium that was my own favourite iconic moment of the entire momentous occasion.It was the precise moment the bond was totally fixed between the manager and the fans. He probably could not believe the response he got, but wait until he gets to the Bridge on a big Champions League night, full to overflowing with loyal Chelsea fans. Then he will really know what Chelsea is all about. First he will be amazed by the noise but second he will be staggered by the effect.

It was a night of so many special memories, and a night that allows us to believe that this group is very likely to only get better, delivering even more unforgettable memories.

Quiz competition time

Last week’s quiz question was, who has most Champions League appearances in Chelsea’s history? The answer is John Terry and the lucky winner drawn at random is Simon Herdson who lives in Cheshire, England.This week to win another copy of the now Sunday Times top 10 bestseller, The Accidental Footballer, written by myself (boy have I had the most fabulous week all things considered!) could you answer this.Apart from Chelsea, how many British teams have won the men’s Champions League or as it was previously called, the European Cup?Answers as ever to me at [email protected] where one lucky correct answer will be randomly chosen to get the prize sent and signed by me.

* Competition T&Cs