Chelsea's road to the Champions League final

It's not a simple task to take over at a football club - let alone one of Chelsea's size - midway through the season. Although looking at how Thomas Tuchel has managed since his appointment at Stamford Bridge in January, you'd think it was as easy as A, B, C.

The German took the reins earlier this year following the sacking of Frank Lampard, who actually led the Blues to a Group E-topping 14 points in the tournament before the turn of the year.

Since his arrival, Tuchel has steadied the ship and steered Chelsea to a top four finish in the Premier League, runners-up in the FA Cup and the chance of achieving glory in the upcoming Champions League final against Manchester City - the club's first since winning the competition back in 2012 and their third in total.

Let's take a look at the 12 games that got them to this stage.

GROUP STAGE

1. Chelsea 0-0 Sevilla

The Blues got their European campaign off to the drabbest start possible, playing out an evenly uneventful 0-0 draw with Sevilla on matchday 1.

Just two shots on target each weren't enough to find a goal in this game, but the reverse fixture would more than make up for it...just wait.

2. Krasnodar 0-4 Chelsea

Chelsea got their first European win on the board in style on matchday 2, beating Krasnodar 4-0 away from home.

Jorginho missed an early penalty but was rescued by goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and a stoppage time effort from Christian Pulisic.

3. Chelsea 3-0 Rennes

New signing Edouard Mendy kept a clean sheet against his former club Rennes in the Chelsea goal, ensuring it was the first time the club had kept five consecutive clean sheets for the first time in a decade.

The forwards did their job, too. Tammy Abraham got a second half strike to add to Werner's first half brace and seal a resounding 3-0 win on matchday 3.

4. Rennes 1-2 Chelsea

No clean sheet for Mendy this time, but Lampard's side still came out with the win - just about.

Hudosn-Odoi's early strike was cancelled out by Serhou Guirassy's 85th minute equaliser, before substitute Olivier Giroud headed home in stoppage time to grab the three points at the death.

Not the last time the Frenchman would star in his side's Champions League journey.

5. Sevilla 0-4 Chelsea

Giroud stole the show on matchday 5 with one of the great striker's performances in European history away at Sevilla.

The World Cup winner single-handedly made up for the earlier goalless draw between the two sides with a sublimely-taken poker - that's four (yes, four) goals all to himself.

C'est magnifique!

6. Chelsea 1-1 Krasnodar

No such excitement on matchday 6, I'm afraid.

Jorginho converted a penalty to level the score four minutes after Remy Cabella had put Krasnodar 1-0 up in a game where Billy Gilmour claimed man of the match on his full Champions League debut.

The draw sealed an unbeaten group stage and saw the Blues finish top spot in Group E.

ROUND OF 16

7. Atletico Madrid 0-1 Chelsea

The first European match of the Tuchel era came against Atletico Madrid, where a stunning - and I mean stunning - Giroud strike gave Chelsea an impressive 1-0 win against the eventual La Liga champions.

Skip to 2:30 in the above highlights reel to see that majestic goal, which gave Chelsea a vital away goal leading into the second leg.

8. Chelsea 2-0 Atletico Madrid

As it turned out, the Blues wouldn't even need the away goal. Tuchel's men only built on their lead and eventually ran out 3-0 winners on aggregate.

A first half strike from Ziyech and a last gasp goal from Emerson sealed a 2-0 second leg victory, sending Chelsea through to the quarter-finals.

QUARTER-FINAL

9. Porto 0-2 Chelsea

Tuchel's men put in another impressive away performance when they travelled to Porto (though on familiar ground in Seville) in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

A brilliantly-taken first half goal from Chelsea's player of the season Mason Mount was followed by Ben Chilwell's late burst of energy and finish.

10. Chelsea 0-1 Porto

The first leg victory proved enough to see the Blues through against Porto, but the second leg brought the first defeat of their European campaign.

A somewhat drab affair looked to be coming to a goalless end until Mehdi Taremi's last minute wonder goal gave the Portuguese fans something to cheer about (you know, from home) - skip to 2:33 in the above video to see it; it's worth it.

SEMI-FINAL

11. Real Madrid 1-1 Chelsea

A titanic clash against Real Madrid awaited Chelsea in the last four of the competition, and Tuchel's men got off to the perfect start.

An energetic front line proved too much for Real's ageing midfield, allowing Pulisic to take advantage and strike to put the visitors ahead.

Karim Benzema was on hand, however, to salvage a draw with a fantastic equaliser before half-time, forcing Chelsea - perhaps disappointingly - to take a draw back to London.

12. Chelsea 2-0 Real Madrid

The disappointment of not taking advantage of their dominance in the first leg was firmly laid to rest after the second, though.

Despite wasting a multitude of chances, the Blues ran out 2-0 winners on the night thanks to goals from Werner and the magical Mount to seal a 3-1 aggregate win over Los Blancos and book their place in the 2020/21 Champions League final.