Tomorrow's Champion's League final is to be contested by Bundesliga Runners-up and 4 time European Champions, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, fresh from winning their 4th F.A cup in 6 attempts. Italian manager, Roberto Di Matteo---otherwise known as RDM, has turned around the fortunes of the West London club which was in tatters when Andre Villas-Boas was shown the door. Bayern on the other hand, are still hurting from the disgraceful show they put up six days ago in Berlin v DORTMUND. The Bavarians will remember what happened to Bayer Leverkusen 10 years ago when they lost all three trophies they were poised to win. Typical nearly men.
Both teams will rue the fact that they are going to be without the services of very important players. For Chelsea, Captain Terry, Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul MEIRELES are suspended. While the Reds of Germany have Luis Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber suffering the same fate. Coach Jupp Heynckes will be hoping that Belgian trojan, Daniel Van BUYTEN can be the man to stop the Chelsea onslaught which is going to be led (barring any unforessen circumstances) by Didier Drogba.
Both teams are chasing a bit of history at the Allianz ArenA tomorrow. Chelsea can lift their first Champions League crown and also secure Champions League football tomorrow. Bayern can add to their 4 European Cups and also become the first team to win the Champions League in their own stadium. If DIE ROTEN lift the cup, they would match fellow EUROPEAN GIANTS, Liverpool in title won in Europe's most glamorous and prestigious cup competition (5 titles).
Chelsea must do everything possible to curtail the attacking finesse of robben and ribery who will pose causes for concern all day long. The biggest enemy of the blues on the night will without any iota of doubt be 41 goal pointman, Mario GOMEZ who will be aiming to equal or surpass the League's highest goal scorer---Barca's Lionel Messi who is on 14 goals (The highest ever in 1 single campaign).
English powerhouse, Chelsea might be depleted on paper, but they still possess some of the greatest footballers on the planet in Lampard, Drogba and of course Torres. Bayern Captain, Philipp Lahm has still not forgotten the way and manner El Nino destroyed him in the Euro 08 final at the Legendary ERNST HAPPEL Stadium in Vienna. The Spanish kid might not be anything like the player he once was, but he has the ability (loads of it) to decide any match on his day. Days don't come any bigger than tomorrow, do they?
Chelsea caretaker boss, RDM will etch his name in Chelsea folklore if he wins the Champions League and that will all but seal his place as coach of the Pensioners on a permanent basis (at least until Abramovic wields the axe yet again). For players like Frank Lampard, Ddier Drogba and especially John Terry who missed what would have been the winning PK in 2008, it will be the crowning achievement of their trophy laden careers.
Probable line-ups for both teams are:
BAYERN-------> neuer, van buyten/tymoschuk, boateng, lahm, contento, schweinsteiger, kroos, robben, ribery, muller, gomez.
CHELSEA-------> cech, cahill, luiz, a.cole, bosingwa, mikel, lampard, malouda, mata, torres, drogba
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