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The match kicks-off at 8:45pm.
It is only two years since Barcelona confirmed their status as Europe’s pre-eminent side by outclassing Manchester United in the same arena to win the 2011 tournament, but the way that Bayern and Dortmund have torn through this season’s competition suggests a new continental order is asserting itself.
Bayern left Barca in ruins with an incredible 7-0 aggregate win in the semi-finals, while Dortmund’s 4-1 defeat of Real Madrid in the same round left the football world open-mouthed in amazement.
Irrespective of the result, it is certain to be a monumental evening for German football, but the two sides approach the game driven by very different motivations.
For Bayern, the game represents an opportunity to make amends for painful final defeats in 2010 and, in particular, 2012, when a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out loss to Chelsea was played out before a crowd of horrified and disbelieving fans at their own Allianz Arena.
Dortmund, the 1997 champions, yearn to inflict further misery upon Bayern, who have gravely undermined their opponents’ attempts to establish themselves as creditable long-term rivals by snatching away star playmaker Mario Goetze in a sensational 37 million euros transfer.
A hamstring injury to Goetze has reduced the risk of diplomatic embarrassment today, but Bayern are also believed to lead the race for Dortmund’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who put Madrid to the sword with an extraordinary four-goal haul in the first leg of their semi-final.
Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller has tried to downplay the significance of Goetze’s injury by pointing to the 2012 German Cup final, when Dortmund thrashed Bayern 5-2 in his absence.
After losing five times in a row to Dortmund during the Ruhr club’s back-to-back Bundesliga title successes in 2011 and 2012, Bayern have redressed the balance this season, avoiding defeat in all four of their most recent contests en route to a nigh-on flawless triumph in the German title race.
Today’s game will be the 101st competitive meeting between the sides and after seven encounters over the last two seasons, Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes believes there is little scope for sleight of hand.
Probable starting line-ups
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm (c), Jerome Boateng, Dante, David Alaba; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez; Arjen Robben, Thomas Mueller, Franck Ribery, Mario Mandzukic
Coach: Jupp Heynckes
Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Roman Weidenfeller (c); Lukasz Piszczek, Neven Subotic, Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer; Sven Bender, Ilkay Gundogan; Jakub Blaszczykowski, Marco Reus, Kevin Grosskreutz; Robert Lewandowski.
Coach: Juergen Klopp
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (ITA)
Online Reporter