Alas we’re coming to the end of another season of elite European football action. This weekend sees the Champions League Final take place at Wembley in a night that will immortalise one team as the kings of Europe whilst another fades away into the forgotten wilderness of second place. The teams competing for the crown both hail from Germany – Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund, settling up the first all-German final in Champions League history. The discerning gent football fan should be treated to a fiery encounter as these rivals line up against each other. Let’s take a look at the teams.
Bayern Munich
Already crowned champions of the Bundesliga having comfortably won the title this season, this Bayern team is going for the unique treble of title, cup and Champions League. It’s a hard feat for any team to achieve but this well-drilled Bayern outfit has been the epitome of German efficiency throughout the season and the stats only back this up: highest points’ total, most victories, most clean sheets, fastest title ever, fewest goals conceded and more.
Outgoing coach Jupp Heynckes has created perhaps his finest squad ever. A team bursting with vibrant youth and canny old heads. His team plays a fluid and fast game that wears down opponents with relentless tenacity. Manuel Neuer (goalkeeper) and the defensive back four of Philipp Lahm, Dante, Jérôme Boateng and David Alaba is the defensive rock of this team providing the security and assurance needed for the rest of the team to flourish.
The engine room of midfield is marshalled by Bastian Schweinsteiger and the Spaniard Javi Martinez – together the heartbeat of the team and from where much of the play will be dictated from. Ahead of them lies the goal scoring threat which has done so much damage this season. An attack spearheaded by Mario Mandžukić who is flanked by Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. Behind the main striker is Thomas Müller – fast, cunning and deadly in-and-around the box. It’s this attacking combination that did so well to brush off the might of Barcelona in the semi-final with a 7-0 aggregate win.
Borrussia Dortmund
Having lost their Bundesliga crown to Bayern this season following two years of title triumphs, Dortmund will see the Wembley final as the ideal scenario to exact revenge and scupper any hopes of the treble. Coach Jurgen Klopp has crafted a side in the way he likes to see football played – quick counter-attacking flair with plenty of fast one-touch passing and a high-pressing game.
Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels are the defensive platform of the side – Subotic the combative and warrior-like force to compliment the ball-playing and composed figure of Hummels. Ahead of them is the industrious midfield of Sven Bender, Iklay Gündogan and Jakub Blaszczykowski. The trio will provide plenty of energy, drive and positional intelligence to try and hustle the Bayern machine.
Upfront is jewel in the crown of this Dortmund team. Lead by Robert Lewandowski in attack with support from Mario Götze and Marco Reus behind and on the flanks, this attacking trio can cause any opponents trouble. Lewandowski bagged four goals against Real Madrid in the semi final first leg and will cause the Bayern centrebacks plenty of headaches on the night. However it is Götze who is the creative spark of genius that provides the edge. If any spice was needed, in something of a coup rivals Bayern announced the signing of Götze for next season in a £31.5m deal that marks the start of the new era under Pep Guardiola. Götze, who Franz Beckenbauer describes as the ‘Lionel Messi of Germany’ will be a huge loss and it’ll be interesting to see how the news has rocked the Dortmund team ahead of the final.
Champions of Europe?
The all-German affair at Wembley will be an intriguing encounter. Here we have two teams that like to play attractive attacking football. For the neutral fan it will be great to witness the best two teams in Germany battling it out, but the question remains: who will win?
Beaten finalists last season, and again in 2010 final too – perhaps this Bayern team feels it’s going to be third time lucky in 2013. However these defeats could pose a mental block that is hard to overcome. If Bayern are to win it they will need to conquer these ghosts but it will not be easy against this Dortmund side. Jurgen Klopp will know all about the Bayern team and will have been plotting a plan since beating Real Madrid en-route to the final. With the attacking trio of Lewandowski, Götze and Reus he’ll feel he has the firepower needed. Elysium Magazine tends to agree with Klopp here so we’re predicting a Dortmund victory – although it’ll be a very close game. Onto Saturday’s final (25th May, kick-off 7.45pm) to find out…
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