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

[Strike 7,527]

The outcome of the Champions League final decides our near future. It is so much more than just a game of football now because of what rides on it. there is no grey areas now.this is a typical "cross-roads" moment. Its either win and all the fan-fare surrounding the champions league winners (super cup, club world cup, better players etc) or the sheer disappointment of a loss (spurs in CL, players ignoring the club and possibly the worst of all - drogba, lampard, cole, cech etc - 2 champions league finals - 0 wins)

[Au blues 29]

Capri have you ever watched Tello? The skill the lad has is unbelievable nevertheless I agree that kallou needs t play. I think that Torres out of position on the wing or cutting into the hole is a better option than what we have available..

Strike might disagree but should realise that the the red card Torres got against Swansee was harsh havent seen to many of those given even the other night aims inst the scum there were yhree that could have gone the same way. Desfending wise again Torres will look at his defenders and move up as against Barca look at replay of the disallowed goal and yon will see he new therefore I honk that he'll do the job that others arntb( studridgenin particular) he jumps or turns around at tackles

[Billy. 2,742]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18034072

Chelsea duo David Luiz & Gary Cahill in fitness battle

Chelsea boss Roberto di Matteo says the club will do all it can to get injured defenders David Luiz and Gary Cahill fit for the Champions League final.

Both will miss Sunday's final Premier League game against Blackburn in the hope they can recover for the showdown with Bayern Munich on Saturday, 19 May.

"We hope to have them in the group training next week," said Di Matteo.

"With the suspensions we have, we have to try our hardest and push them as hard as we can."

Chelsea are desperate to get Luiz and Cahill fit for the final in Bayern's Allianz Arena because regular defenders John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are suspended.

Chelsea's suspended quartet

• John Terry
  
• Branislav Ivanovic
  
• Raul Meireles
  
• Ramires
  

Luiz was seen doing some ball work at Chelsea's training ground on Thursday, raising the prospect of him playing some part against Blackburn.

"We tried, but he wasn't ready so now we're trying for the last game," said Di Matteo.

"It's difficult to give it as a percentage. They're at similar stages - not available for Sunday, and next week we'll push them to be available for the group."

Luiz has not played since the FA Cup semi-final victory over Tottenham on 15 April, with Cahill sidelined limping off in the Nou Camp nine days later.

The added complication for Cahill is that aggravating his injury would put his England place in doubt ahead of Euro 2012.

But Di Matteo said: "We need to think about ourselves and what the club's interests are.

"If he's fine, he'll be available. If he's not, he won't be. As simple as that."

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

rumors are coming from twitter that Bastian Schweinsteiger is still having problems on his knee, he might miss the Borussia Dortmund and the Chelsea game.

No chance he misses the finals! I would say amen to that idea... These are all smokescreens just like Cahill and Luiz being in doubt for the final

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Anyone a tad concern with that stat??

No because a lot of the big scoring games were with AVB at the helm, 3-3 to Man Utd(2 pks not the defences fault) and 3-1 to Napoli. The Diame goal from the Wigan game was a screamer!

[tmessy 139]

i think we need to start with a Drogba Torres frontal attack, with Mata trailing them...

wish Rami was available for this game, we need him...

[MUTU 37]

FC Bayern's central defender Daniel van Buyten has shaken off his injury and is curently playing (and getting owned) against Ingolstadt's reserve team. http://www.bayernforum.com/bundesliga-f3/bayern-munich-ii-and-youth-teams-matches-t5545-255.html#p158766

[BlueSanti 290]

FFS Kalou is a must. We haven't lost a single game when he was in starting lineup, and you know that not loosing this games means winning it.

Do not surrender capri I support you with the Kalou thing in this one!

[Predator 114]

FC Bayern's central defender Daniel van Buyten has shaken off his injury and is curently playing (and getting owned) against Ingolstadt's reserve team. http://www.bayernfor...55.html#p158766

I really don't think he should play tbh

I don't trust Tymo as CB just as much as the guy next to me but it would be a HUGE risk to play him in the final

[Billy. 2,742]

look like we are wearing our current kit for this game

http://www.chelseamegastore.com/stores/chelsea/products/product_browse.aspx?category|category_root|3507=promotions&category|cat_3507|28766=ucl+2012+final+range

[Predator 114]

Here is an analysis from a Bayern fan on another forum\

I've thought about the tie a bit, and frankly I was worried as f*ck by the way Chelsea took their chances against Barca. Bayern are nowhere as clinical.

But let's look at it from the perspective of a comparison to the Chelsea v Barca ties:

Bayern are like Barca in the way that:

- Both teams like to hold on to possession

- Both teams, for the most part, have a rather slow build-up play

- Both teams have excellent technicians, and defend by denying opportunity, not breaking up play

Bayern are unlike Barca in the way that:

- Bayern are more balanced, they got a couple physical players more, able to muscle basically anyone off the ball

- Bayern got less chemistry and are less good at keeping possession than Barca

- Bayern have a true, natural striker as a forward, someone who can run through two or three defenders, knocking them all over, and still reach a high cross

- Bayern are wing-heavy, while Barca play more through the middle, if they go through the wings it's because they've stretched themselves out, it's not their natural path, this means that Chelseas bus-parking exercise was more effective against Barca than it will be against Bayern, who will force Chelseas defence to spread out

- Bayern are willing to let go of possession to force a shot on goal, and play risky passes to force opportunities, this will mean a far higher chance to score against how Chelsea defended, but it also means far more opportunities to counter-attack

- Bayern have tall players, making them better at defending, and scoring from, set pieces

- Bayern are nowhere as intimidating as Barca was, and Chelsea probably won't park the bus against them, but rather try to score first, so they can sit back after. This will open space for both teams, something, which probably serves Bayern more than it will Chelsea

So that being said, I'm a bit more optimistic than before making that analysis, but TBH, Bayerns main weaknesses are still vulnerability to counters, and their lack of efficiency in front of goal, both of which the main factors that already killed Barca off.

I do think, however, that Bayern are a more versatile and complete squad than Barca, on the merit of being less specialized, and thus being worse specialists, but better alrounders. Meaning, Bayern won't completely dominate possession, but on the other hand they really won't need to.

I will look forward to this match on a slightly optimistic note.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Here is an analysis from a Bayern fan on another forum\

What a joke...

The expert analysis seems to suggest that Chelsea will defend exactly the same way they did against Barca and that where Barca made mistakes is where Bayern will capitalize. Give it a rest buddy, its gonna be a great game no one can tell what's going to happen.

[Sheva. 5,373]

The expert analysis seems to suggest that Chelsea will defend exactly the same way they did against Barca

I was going to make the same point, before reading this part: "Bayern are nowhere as intimidating as Barca was, and Chelsea probably won't park the bus against them"

Think we will play on the counter as we have been doing frequently under RDM, but it will not be 11 players behind the ball like against Barca.

[OneMoSalah 8,887]

Play Eva upfront and we will win, they will be too distracted and all try to "mark" her...

[Predator 114]

What a joke...

The expert analysis seems to suggest that Chelsea will defend exactly the same way they did against Barca and that where Barca made mistakes is where Bayern will capitalize. Give it a rest buddy, its gonna be a great game no one can tell what's going to happen.

I was going to make the same point, before reading this part: "Bayern are nowhere as intimidating as Barca was, and Chelsea probably won't park the bus against them"

Think we will play on the counter as we have been doing frequently under RDM, but it will not be 11 players behind the ball like against Barca.

I think that answers it.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I think that answers it.

So what's the point of even mentioning Barca and Bayern when in all likelihood we won't defend the same way? I would think we will give your central defense a world of trouble with Drogba's physicality should we compare what differences we present to Bayern in respects to how Real played?

[Predator 114]

So what's the point of even mentioning Barca and Bayern when in all likelihood we won't defend the same way? I would think we will give your central defense a world of trouble with Drogba's physicality should we compare what differences we present to Bayern in respects to how Real played?

I didn't write the analysis first of all, I just thought I'd share

The point in posting it is to show that we are a very different team than Barca and to give an idea of what tactics both teams should change

And sure, make an analysis of that if you wish

[robdog 2,084]

So what's the point of even mentioning Barca and Bayern when in all likelihood we won't defend the same way? I would think we will give your central defense a world of trouble with Drogba's physicality should we compare what differences we present to Bayern in respects to how Real played?

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over it. They are chair-bourne gaffers like the posters we have here. They all earned their certs from one of the FIFA video games

[manpe 10,861]

Barca are the only team in the world against whom we play like that. They are an exception that requires extreme measures. Bayern can forget about bus parking.

How is bayern's pressing game? The main reason why we can't hold possession against barca is because they press like crazy, it's also the main reason why we score so profilically in counter-attack against them. How big emphasis do bayern have on pressing?

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I didn't write the analysis first of all, I just thought I'd share

The point in posting it is to show that we are a very different team than Barca and to give an idea of what tactics both teams should change

And sure, make an analysis of that if you wish

No shit you're not Barca! Thanks for taking the time to point that out.... LOL. Previous opponents mean nothing because Bayern haven't come up against a side like Chelsea and vice versa. When was the last time Bayern had to face a CF like Didier Drogba?