Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is amazed he's in a second Champions League final inside a year.

Thiago lost last season's final with PSG and is hoping for a different result against Manchester City.

His short time in England has taught him plenty about game management, training methods, and even, at the age of 36, passion for football.

"I don't see it as a weight, because I love what I do," he told the club's website.

"I believe that for any professional to reach their goals, sacrifice is part of their daily lives. The life of the high-performance athlete demands this and nowadays, even more so. However, the fulfillment and joy are greater, without a doubt.

"Thankfully, I will be playing in my second consecutive Champions League final, and I hope that it ends on a different note to last year,' continues Thiago.

"As you gain experience over time, you take a few precautions because too much eagerness can influence you in the actual game. I've been feeling very relaxed lately, ever since I put every situation in God's hands and stopped asking 'why?' or 'how?'.

"I'm just keeping faith and working hard, because keeping faith won't be enough. We know that a final is a very unique game. It's always tough to play in one, regardless of whether you've played against your opponent numerous times throughout the season.

"A final cancels all that out. It's a one-off game. In that sense, it's completely different, but hopefully we can get a third consecutive victory over Manchester City."