An open bidding process was launched on 28 September 2018 by UEFA to select the venues of the finals of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Women's Champions League in 2021. Associations had until 26 October 2018 to express interest, and bid dossiers must be submitted by 15 February 2019.
UEFA announced on 1 November 2018 that four associations had expressed interest in hosting the 2021 UEFA Super Cup,[7] and on 22 February 2019 that all four associations submitted their dossiers by the deadline.[8][9]
Windsor Park was selected by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 24 September 2019.[10][11]
Pre-match
Officials
On 6 August 2021, UEFA named Russian official Sergei Karasev as the referee for the match. Karasev had been a FIFA referee since 2010, and officiated at UEFA Euro 2016, the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020. He was joined by fellow countrymen Igor Demeshko and Maksim Gavrilin as assistant referees, while Aleksei Kulbakov of Belarus served as the fourth official. Marco Fritz of Germany was selected as the video assistant referee (VAR), with Paweł Gil of Poland and Massimiliano Irrati of Italy serving as the assistant VAR officials. Irrati's countryman Filippo Meli was selected as the reserve assistant referee.[2]
Match
Summary
Chelsea opened the scoring after 27 minutes when Kai Havertz's low cross from the left was swept into the net by Hakim Ziyech from seven yards out. Ziyech was substituted after a shoulder injury just before half-time. Alberto Moreno hit a volley off the underside of the crossbar in first-half injury time. Villarreal equalised in the 73rd minute when Gerard Moreno scored with a clinical right-foot finish to the top left corner of the net after a flick-back from Boulaye Dia on the right of the penalty area.[12]
The match went to extra-time with Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy being replaced in the last minute by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Arrizabalaga saved two penalties, the decisive one low to his right from Raúl Albiol allowed Chelsea to win 6–5 in the shoot-out.[13]
Details
The Champions League winners were designated as the "home" team for administrative purposes.
^Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.