Porto (Portugal) (AFP)

Omnipresent and irreproachable, the inexhaustible French international midfielder N'Golo Kanté signed a new recital on Saturday in Porto to offer Chelsea the Champions League trophy, one of the few that was still missing from his wide range of achievements.

A few weeks before the Euro (June 11 - July 11) with the France team, Kanté finished a first marathon: cutting edge in the middle of the field, often precious during the offensive rises of the "Blues", the pocket midfielder ( 1.68 m) was one of the base men of this long-awaited coronation, the second in Chelsea history, and of the Londoners' superb season.

As usual, the 2018 world champion, "darling" of the French very appreciated for his simplicity and shyness, was everywhere on the ground of the Dragon stadium on Saturday evening.

In the end, he was voted "man of the match".

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At the break, he was already the player who had run the most, with 6.16 kilometers swallowed and 24 high-intensity races accumulated in the first period.

When he returned from the locker room, he returned to the lawn with increased desire and remarkable defensive action on a threatening free kick from Mancuniens, to set the pace for his teammates.

With the French international, the so impermeable curtain of Thomas Tuchel's men did not have to worry about possible infiltrations after the exit on injury of Thiago Silva (hit in the adductors half an hour into the game), both Kanté has increased the number of balls stuck in midfield.

The perfect illustration was his incisive tackle on Kevin de Bruyne in the 52nd as he approached the area of ​​Edouard Mendy, or this hot ball tackled in front of his area in the feet of Riyad Mahrez in stoppage time, his great specialty.

- Offensive contribution -

Even if he did not participate in the construction of the goal of Kai Havertz (42nd), Kanté still split some offensive actions that could have been crucial: the small midfielder has notably won in the air at the far post, between two defenders "citizens", at the start of the match (17th), but he did not frame his head.

A few minutes earlier (12th), he had been served in the box by Timo Werner, but had missed his control.

And just before the break (37th), Kanté scratched a ball in his own half of the field to afford a crazy ride into the opponent's area, before shifting Havertz to his right, who lost control of the ball.

Kanté thus ends the season without having found the net once with Chelsea ... but with an indispensable sympathy and presence.

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Injured with an adductor muscle in mid-May on the penultimate day of the English championship, eleven days ago, Kanté did not participate in the defeat against Aston Villa (2-1) on Sunday in the league, but he did well held his rank on Saturday night for this unmissable poster.

- Almost a "robot" -

It was one of the rare absences of the player born in the peaceful city of Rueil-Malmaison - he missed 10 matches this season, including only 4 due to injury -, in the Geraniums district, and who little by little has climbed all the levels of the continent to afford this first European coronation.

Flamboyant when the level rises, Kanté had already been brilliant in the semifinals, twice elected man of the match in the first leg and in the return against Real Madrid.

"+ NG + is used to a very high level, he had some physical problems too. He does not spare himself, he is not a robot either. Even when the result of his team is almost certain, it does not. 'do not prevent in the last minutes to make the same efforts. It is + NG +, it is like that, I am not going to change it ", confided Didier Deschamps in March.

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A new lesson in envy and football which should give a smile to the coach of the Blues a few days before the opening of the Euro: Kanté will continue to multiply to help the Blues, after the "Blues", to fetch the title to the Euro.

© 2021 AFP