Tuchel transformation puts Blues in dreamland

German manager's run to CL final almost unthinkable back in January

LONDON－Fired by Paris Saint-Germain on Christmas Eve, Thomas Tuchel is going back to the Champions League final for a second consecutive season after his rejuvenated Chelsea cruised past Real Madrid in the last four.

Tuchel said he felt like he had found "the best present still under the tree" when the Blues came calling in January after firing their all-time top scorer Frank Lampard.

Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich did not allow sentiment to get in the way of making the tough call when Lampard failed to get the best out of a £220 million ($305 million) spending spree on new players last summer.