adminEuropean title.
This will be Bayern’s third European final in four years after the 2-0 defeat in 2010 to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in Madrid, then the acute disappointment of losing last May’s penalty shoot-out in Munich.
Ever since it was announced in January 2010 that the 2012 final would be held at Bayern’s Allianz Arena, the Bavarians had targeted lifting the cup “dahoam” — “at home” in the local dialect.
Having beaten Basel, Marseille and Real Madrid to reach the final, Germany star Thomas Mueller gave the hosts an 83rd-minute lead, putting Bayern on course for their fifth European title. Until Chelsea ruined Munich’s party.
Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba — on his last appearance in a Blues shirt — equalised from his team’s only corner of the game on 88 minutes, then converted the final penalty as the Londoners won the shoot-out 4-3 to break Bayern’s hearts.
“I experienced the 1999 final, when we lost so dramatically to Manchester United in Barcelona,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the wake of the Chelsea defeat.
“That was also unbelievably brutal, but I have the impression that this is even more bitter, brutal and has superseded that.”
The Bavarians came back stronger, adding centre-back Dante and striker Mario Mandzukic to their squad, and brushed aside all-comers to win this season’s Bundesliga with a 25-point margin.
They claimed more than two dozen records, including most points (91), most wins (29 of 34 games), biggest goal difference (80+) and fewest goals conceded (18).
They are bidding to become the first German team to win the treble of European, league and cup crowns, but insist the 2012 final disappointment is just a distant memory.
“This is an incredibly stable squad, in its mentality and psychologically,” said coach Jupp Heynckes, who will bow out to be replaced by Pep Guardiola after the German Cup final on June 1 against VfB Stuttgart.
“We don’t let anything upset us and we have a very clear goal to win the European cup. Nothing will dissuade us from that. I have never experienced such a focused team, as a coach or as a player.”
Meanwhile, Franck Ribery says the time for talking is over as Bayern Munich owe it to their fans to make up for their two recent failed attempts by winning the Champions League title in Saturday’s final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
“We have to win for the fans, the club and the whole team,” said Ribery, after Bayern lost both last season’s final at home to Chelsea and suffered defeat in the 2010 final to Inter Milan in Madrid.
This is our third time, we have more experience, know what it means to play in a final, so it’s nothing new for us, everyone knows what they have to do and how we have to play against Dortmund.
“If we play like we did against Barcelona, we have a huge chance.”
Bayern played Barcelona off the park with two impressive displays to win the Champions League semi-final 7-0 on aggregate and the Bavarians won this season’s Bundesliga title by a record 25-point margin. — AFP.
Online Reporter