Champions League Final 2012 - Chelsea 1 (4) - (3) 1 Bayern Munich

[Jype 6,398]

Damn, I was hoping we'd get to see Drogba against Tymoschuk.

[Predator 114]

Hi, FC Bayern fan here and I come in peace

For your information, Daniel van Buyten has started training today. He was massive this season (after a number of disappointing seasons culminating in the disaster at the 2010 Champions League final) and in fact has a very high Castrol ranking (if that even matters). Bayern are hopeful he can play against Chelsea. If he can't then FC Bayern will be doomed.

The reason is that the choice of central defenders loosely follow this:

1st choice Badstuber (suspended)

2nd choice Boateng

3rd choice van Buyten (was 2nd before his injury but Boateng improved now)

4th choice Breno (definitely out injured)

5th choice Gustavo (out of position since he is a DM, but he is also suspended now)

6th choice Tymoshchuk

The problem with Tymoshchuk is that he is very poor in the air and will have major problems against the likes of Drogba. Furthermore, he is the only other DM in the team, so with Gustavo suspended, Tymoshchuk would generally slot in the DM position.

This means that if van Buyten fails to recover, Tymoshchuk would have to play out of position (and probably perform very poorly) and Bayern would play without a true #6.

But anyway, van Buyten has started training today, so it is a major boost to our chances.

Welcome mate, good to see another Bayern fan

My worry about van Buyten is that he will not be 100% fit, I hope we can start him against Koln if that is even possible, or maybe risk starting him against Dortmund. If we do, and he performs well in those games, I would be fully convinced for him to start.

Interesting choice of username.... Well Van Buyten may be hugely off the pace, he has no pace when he's 100% fit anyway lol. Well we'll see i'm glad your team seems to have problems picking a starting XI like us, headaches for both managers which is a shame. Just wish we could both put out our full teams and really go at it. Uefa suck.

Kicker.de is constantly sending emails to Micheal Platini for clemency, Bayern haven't spoken to UEFA yet, I'm pretty sure if Beckenbaur, Uli Hoeness, Roman Abrovich, and even managers from other clubs speak to Platini, they may allow us to bring them back.

[Predator 114]

Damn, I was hoping we'd get to see Drogba against Tymoschuk.

You probably would

[BlueLyon 9,359]

If Van Buyten will play could be good and bad. He is better than Tymoschuk, but comming on such important match after long injury could be problem too.

[Tomo 21,681]

The only worry i have is Bosingwa against Ribery, i don't trust Bosingwa at all.

[Manuf 1,448]

I'd rather play Drogba at RB than. Thinking of Paulo, who played 2 games this season, at such important game, with all due respect, is crazy. Let's pray for Cahill and Luiz and hope for good performance from Bosingwa.

[Tomo 21,681]

I'd rather play Drogba at RB than. Thinking of Paulo, who played 2 games this season, at such important game, with all due respect, is crazy. Let's pray for Cahill and Luiz and hope for good performance from Bosingwa.

We should play him at Anfield and against Blackburn as preparation in that case, but even with his limited game time he has produced blinders. White Hart Lane and the Estadio De Luz prime example, i think he has one more big game in him for us and even Ferreira drunk would be a more safer option than Bosingwa.

On a side note ive just thought, one player that would have come in seriously handy for this one.

[Jype 6,398]

I'd rather play Drogba at RB than. Thinking of Paulo, who played 2 games this season, at such important game, with all due respect, is crazy. Let's pray for Cahill and Luiz and hope for good performance from Bosingwa.

Good old Paulo has played seven times this season and I think it's unfair to the lad to criticize him because not once in those games has he let us down. Much more solid RB than Bosingwa and that's a fact. Also he's been a loyal servant to Chelsea for eight seasons now so show some fucking respect to the man.

[Tomo 21,681]

Good old Paulo has played seven times this season and I think it's unfair to the lad to criticize him because not once in those games has he let us down. Much more solid RB than Bosingwa and that's a fact. Also he's been a loyal servant to Chelsea for eight seasons now so show some fucking respect to the man.

I don't think he was disrespecting him, his point was valid, but i personally don't think it will affect Paulo personally but you can understand the concern's.

[Jype 6,398]

I don't think he was disrespecting him, his point was valid, but i personally don't think it will affect Paulo personally but you can understand the concern's.

Calling for Drogba to play at right-back before even considering to play Ferreira isn't disrespecting? I disagree.

[Ollie 4,400]

I wouldn't even be nervous seeing Paulo start there. I'd be more nervous with Bos but tbh he put a decent shift in at the Nou Camp so does deserve his shot. Then we can get shot in the summer, hopefully.

[Manuf 1,448]

I'd rather play Drogba at RB than. Thinking of Paulo, who played 2 games this season, at such important game, with all due respect, is crazy. Let's pray for Cahill and Luiz and hope for good performance from Bosingwa.

Good old Paulo has played seven times this season and I think it's unfair to the lad to criticize him because not once in those games has he let us down. Much more solid RB than Bosingwa and that's a fact. Also he's been a loyal servant to Chelsea for eight seasons now so show some fucking respect to the man.

First of all, learn how to read. Second of all, just because somebody's been loyal and hasn't let us down doesn't mean he should start a CL FINAL. Too many people think this game is already won. Bayern is going to be much harder than Barca.

We should play him at Anfield and against Blackburn as preparation in that case, but even with his limited game time he has produced blinders. White Hart Lane and the Estadio De Luz prime example, i think he has one more big game in him for us and even Ferreira drunk would be a more safer option than Bosingwa.

On a side note ive just thought, one player that would have come in seriously handy for this one.

And where would you play him? He was a beast at that left-side, I don't see Cole switching to RB, tho. We could have used Alex for this one...

[Tomo 21,681]

And where would you play him? He was a beast at that left-side, I don't see Cole switching to RB, tho. We could have used Alex for this one...

Left midfield, certainly would be a better option than Malouda at this time and he has expierence of playing an "away" european cup final. He played for CSKA Moscow when they took on (and beat) Sporting Lisbon at their back yard in 2005 Uefa cup final.

[MUTU 37]

Interesting choice of username.... Well Van Buyten may be hugely off the pace, he has no pace when he's 100% fit anyway lol. Well we'll see i'm glad your team seems to have problems picking a starting XI like us, headaches for both managers which is a shame. Just wish we could both put out our full teams and really go at it. Uefa suck.

I have been using that username before a certain Adrian Mutu was playing professional football, so it has a different meaning

As for problems picking a starting XI, believe me our headaches are worse, especially if van Buyten does not recover in time.

van Buyten is slow, but the tactics of Heynckes allow every player to go down to defend, so the opposing attackers are under a bigger threat before they reach the central defenders than there used to be in the van Gaal era where there was no proper link-up between defence and attack (leaving the defenders exposed). van Buyten is an excellent tackler and very strong (both in the air and in challenges). He is slow, but if he is covered well as he was before he was injured then he could perform very well. Another note on him is that he is the ONLY player in our squad who consistently scores from dead ball situations (corners and indirect freekicks).

[RollingPapers 194]

Bayern Munich better off financially if they lose the Champions League

Bayern Munich are preparing to face Chelsea in the final of the Champions League in the painful knowledge that victory would offer an enormous financial boost to two of their biggest rivals.

UEFA will pay the Bavarian giants 9 million euros prize money if they win the final, which is being played at Bayern's home ground on May 19.

But the German side would then immediately owe every penny of that bonus cash to Schalke and Hoffenheim.

When Schalke sold Germany international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to Bayern last summer, they inserted a cheeky "on-pitch success" clause which entitled them to massive cash bonuses based on how well the goalie's new club did.

Schalke are already due 2 million for Bayern having reached the semi-finals, but they will be due a further 4 million from the Bavarian giants if they lift the trophy in two weeks' time.

And it doesn't stop there. Hoffenheim struck a smaller but otherwise almost identical deal with Bayern after they sold Luiz Gustavo for 17 million euros in January 2011.

Hoffenheim have already picked up a 1 million euro bonus for the Munich side making the semi-finals, and they'll be due another 2 million if their rivals win the trophy.

That means that Bayern's entire 9 million prize money would be wiped out at a stroke - and also means that, financially speaking, they'd be better off pocketing the 5.6 million euros offered to the runner-up.

Will that stop them trying to beat Chelsea? Certainly not, but suffice to say that there are 9 million reasons why the overly-pessimistic lawyer who allowed these clauses through might soon be clearing his desk in the back rooms of the Allianz Arena.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Robben is the new Ballack..

Both Robben & Ballack finished runners up in the Champions league & the World Cup in one season, both as Bayern players.

Infact, The entire German Team are the nearly men in recent history. Also, Bayern Munich, Leverkusen, etc played 3 finals in 12 years and lost all three.

Good omen for us.

[warnie_666 1,081]

That bastard just jinxed us

He is Agent Ballack.

[Predator 114]

I hope the Allianz Arena will look like this,

Would be the perfect moment for the AA to show its true beauty