MATCH VENUE = Allianz
Arena Munich
TEAM COLOUR =
Bayern (Red) Chelsea (Blue)
REFEREE =
Pedro Proenca (POR)
Being a Chelsea
Supporter, I will try my best not to be bias, in this piece. At least for the
sake of this piece.
BAYERN MUNICH
This year Final will
be at Allianz Arena which is the home of Bayern Munich. One would expect the Bavarians
fans to come out en-masse to cheer their team to victory.
Playing at home for
Bayern will do them a lot of good, and they have a very good record at home.
This is Bayern’s
only chance of silverware this season after finishing runner up to Borussia
Dortmund in the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal Cup.
Bayern have failed
to win the league title for the second year in a row, and they also lost their
first DFB Pokal Cup Final of the Century. So expect it to be very tough,
because for Bayern it is their only chance of winning a silverware this season
and for Chelsea it will be “double wahala”. If they fail to win in Munich, they
will not be in the Champions league for the 1st time, since Roman
Abramovich took over from ken Bates in June, 2003.
KEY PLAYERS
MARIO GOMEZ - The
German striker has been the Bavarian’s top scorer for the last two season,
winning the top scorer award in the Bundlesliga in the 2010/2011 season and
finishing runner up to Klass-Jan Huntelaar in the 2011/2012 season.
He has scored 12
goals in this season Champions League only second to genius Lionel mess I who
has scored 14 goals. He has also scored 80 goals in 90 appearances for club and
country in the past few season.
VERDICT
Expect him to be a
threat for the Chelsea defence on the night
ARJEN ROBBEN –
The Dutch man have had a topsy –turvy season. . At a point in the season he was
out injured and when he recovered from the injury it took him a while to be on
top of his game, and drawing criticism from Bayern Legend Franz Beckenbauer. He
had a bad game to remember against Dortmund when he lost a penalty and also
miss an open net. on his own day expect him to give Ashley Cole a run for his
money on the right flank.
FRANK RIBERY – The
French international has been one of the most consistent player for the Bavaria
giants.
VERDICT
Bayern will be
banking on home advantage, to win their fifth Champions league.
STRENGTH
Bayern strength lies
in their ability to score goals out of nothing, which was evident in the build
up to Mario Gomez winning goal against Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena when
Phillip Lahm bursted out of nowhere to square for Mario Gomez to slot in the
winning goal of the match
WEAKNESS
Bayern weakness lie in their inability to hold their
own against team with skillful and faster players which was evident in all the
game they played against Dortmund this season just recently in the DFB Pokal
Cup Final.
CHELSEA
Chelsea have had a
Topsy-Turvy season so far in the EPL finishing sixth as well as losing to the
likes of QPR and west brom but it has
been a different case entirely in Cup competitions, winning the FA cup
against Liverpool and against all odds beating Semi Final.
With the appointment
of Roberto Di-Matteo turning things around I see success around the corner
I think Chelsea have
had their own share of Champions League heart break, and it is probably going
to be the last match for the likes of Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda Jose
Bosigwa, Etc. Expect the game to be very tough.
Chelsea will be
missing four key players in John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, raul Meireles and
Ramires.
Ramires will be
sorely miss because of his speed, strength and ability to score crucial goals.
As for John Terry,
permit me to go philosophical now because the last time Chelsea played in the
UEFA Champions League Final, he was the reason why they didn’t win against Man
United, slipping at the most important moment of his career and Chelsea
History, to lose the penalty that ensure Chelsea did not win the trophy at the
first time of asking.
Branislav Ivanovic
will be badly miss in the game because whoever comes in will not be able to
cope with Franck Ribery.
And for the centre
back, Gary Cahill should be able to cope with Mario Gomez.
For the left hand side
of Chelsea defense, Ashley Cole with the experience garnered over the past few
years, (winning the FA Cup seven times) and playing against the best of wingers
that the world of football have ever had namely – Cristiano Ronaldo,
Loinel Messi Luis Figo and so on.
He should be able to
handle the threat of Arjen Robben, if not subdue.
KEY PLAYERS FOR CHELSEA
DIDIER DROGBA – The Ivory Coast captain has scored 5 goals in six champions league
start with his aerial threat expect him to be a tough nut to crack for the
makes Bayern defence.
FRANK LAMPARD –
The captain on the night has been on an impressive form of late notching up
vital assists in the last few games against Liverpool in the FA Cup final, and
most notably against Barcelona in the both legs with his ability to score goals
expect him to play a big role on the night.
JUAN MATA - The Spanish playmaker was recently
voted Chelsea player of the year, He was rested for Chelsea last two games, so
expect him to be fresh for the match with his creativity and vision, and the
Knack for scoring vigtal goals which was evident against Napoli, Man-U, and
Arsenal he is going to be a threat for the Bayern defenders
BATTLE OF SUPERIORITY IN THE MILDFIELD
Expect it to be a
nitty gritty battle in the midfield when the likes of Mikel Lampard, Slug it
out with German machine in Bayern mieldfield.
Bastian
Schweinsteiger, Toni Kross, Thomas Mueller. Mikel will sit back and try to
contain the likes of Toni Kross, Schweinsteiger, while Lampard will have the
access to roam forward and at the same time drops back to help the defense.
VERDICT
I think Bayern will
most likely win the battle in the midfield.
WEAKNESS
Chelsea Major problem
this season have been their Inability to win games in which they went behind
which was evident against QPR, west brom. Liverpool and most recently against
Newcastle that is not good enough for a Champions league Finalist.
STRENGTH
I think one of their
strength is their ability to shut out teams that play “Tiki Taka” (Tip Tap)
football which was evident against Barcelona in both legs, Against Arsenal in
the 2nd leg and if they can succeed in doing just that against
Bayern Munich, they will be crown European Champion.
VERDICT
I think it is going
to be very tough for Chelsea because Bayern will be playing at their own
stadium. Chelsea should nick this one at least for the sake of (baba olowo)
Roman Abramovich
CHELSEA ROAD TO THE FINAL
Group Stage
Chelsea Vs Bayern
Leverkusen = won 2 - 0
Chelsea Vs RC Genk =
won 5 - 0
Chelsea Vs Valencia
= won 3 - 0
RC Genk Vs Chelsea =
Draw 1 - 1
Valencia Vs Chelsea
= Draw 1 - 1
B –Leverkusen Vs
Chelsea = Lost 2 - 1
ROUND OF 16
Napol Vs Chelsea =
Lost 3 - 1
Chelsea Vs Napoli =
won 4 – 1
Q/FINAL
Benfica Vs Chelsea =
won 1 – 0
Chelsea Vs Benfica =
won 2 – 1
SEMI FINAL
Chelsea Vs Barcelona
= won 1 – 0
Barcelona Vs Chelsea
= draw 2 – 2
To qualify for the
final.
BAYERN MUNICH ROAD TO THE FINAL
The Bavarians enter
into this year Champion League via play – off after finishing 3rd in
the Bundesliga and beating FC Zurich of Switzerland to enter into the
competition group stage.
Play off 1st
leg Bayern Vs Zurich = won 2 – 0
Play off 2nd leg
Bayern Vs Zurich = won 1 – 0
GROUP STAGE
Villareal Vs Bayern
= won 2 – 0
Bayern Vs Man – City
= won 2 – 0
Napoli Vs Bayern =
draw 1 – 1
Bayern Vs Napoli =
won 3 - 2
Bayern Vs Villareal
= won 3 – 1
Man City Vs Bayern =
lost 2 – 0
ROUND OF 16
Basel Vs Bayern lost
1 – 0
Bayern Vs Basel won
7 – 0
QUARTER FINAL
Marseille Vs Bayern
won 2 - 0
Bayern Vs Marseille
won 2 – 0
SEMI FINAL
Bayern Vs Rea Madrid
= won 2 – 1
Real Madrid Vs
Bayern = lost 2 – 1
Bayern won 3 – 1 on
penalties.
MATCH VERDICT
– Expect it to be a very tough game
with both team being cautious for the first 15mins of the game expect Bayern to
dictate the pace of the game for the 1st 15mins.
Expect Chelsea to
study Bayern Munich approach in the 1st 20mins.
Expect the battle to
be won in the midfield.
I can see Chelsea winning
and eventually they will be crown European Champion. Am a Chelsea fan so pardon
me. No beef intended sha o.
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