Porto, Portugal, May 29, 2021 (AFP) - Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel said he had sensed before the Champions League final that his side would win on Saturday.

Tuchel guided Paris Saint-Germain to last season's Champions League final which they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

PSG sacked the German in December but he was almost immediately hired by Chelsea and led the Russian-owned club to the second Champions League victory in their history thanks to a single goal from Kai Havertz in Porto.

"You know I was so grateful to arrive a second time (in the final after doing so with PSG last year) but this felt different. I told people before somehow it was," Tuchel told BT Sport.

He paid tribute to his "unbelievable" players.

"It was an incredibly tough fight, what a fight. Today they were determined to win this. We wanted to be the stone in their (City's) shoe.

"I told everyone to step up and to be more brave with the ball.

"Kai was strong and delivered again. He has great heart."