Continue
On Saturday night Bayern Munich and Chelsea will square off in the biggest match in club football, the Champions League final.
It is billed as two differing philosophies battling it out, the billionaire-backed Chelsea looking to win their first Champions League trophy against the co-operative owned Bayern Munich. This will be a match between a fans' club and a club of the fans.
Since taking over in 2003 it has been Roman Abramovich's dream to assemble a squad capable of winning Europe's biggest prize, and in that time seven managers have tried and failed, with Avram Grant's charges of 2008 a post's width away from victory.
However, it has been the unlikeliest of managers to take the Blues to within 90 minutes of European glory this time round. Roberto Di Matteo's appointment as interim boss following the departure of Andre Villas-Boas was initially regarded as 'waving the white flag', but the venerable Italian managed to inspire Chelsea to the most improbably of turn-arounds, overcoming a spirited Napoli side who visited Stamford Bridge with a two-goal advantage, only to be sent packing later that night.
A semi-final against Barcelona was next for the Blues, and a surprise first leg victory against the Spaniards was furthered by a tactical masterclass at the Camp Nou with Chelsea coming from two-down, and a man down, to draw against the reigning European champions, thus ensuring their first final since 2008.
Now they have the chance to make amends for that rain-drenched night in Moscow, squaring off against a Bayern Munich side they last met in the quarter-finals of this very same competition seven years ago.
Bayern will be no pushovers though. The German giants will be looking for retribution, not just against Chelsea, but against the hoodoo English teams appear to have on the German clubs. This will be the sixth European cup final between English and German opposition, and only once have a Bundesliga side emerged victorious.
After a season in which they have been outgunned and outclassed by Borussia Dortmund, Bayern will be hoping to flex their muscles in the direction of their rivals, all in front of a capacity home crowd at the Allianz Arena.
While their league form resulted in a second placed finish, their European form has been second to none. An enthralling semi-final home victory against hotly favoured Real Madrid was just one of the seven they have enjoyed on their route to this season's final, and they now stand within a whisker of claiming their fifth European Cup.
Despite boasting some of world football's most talented individuals, talk of on-pitch disputes just adds to the recipe for Bayern Munich. They say all genius is flawed and the beauty of this Bayern team is that they have the potential to showcase sublime football, while also threatening to display an ugly side which could ruin their big night.
The Allianz Arena will host the 2012 Champions League Final. Below are some key stats on the impressive venue.
Capacity
Total: 69,901 capacity undercover (including executive boxes and business seats)
Total of 66,000 seats (with standing: 69,901)
Lower Tier: 20,000 seats
Middle Tier: 24,000 seats
Upper Tier: 22,000 seats
2,200 business seats
106 VIP boxes of various sizes accommodating 1,374 guests
165 special seats for the disabled at main entrance/exterior ground level (no change of level)
Pitch
Pitch: 68 m x 105 m, Pitch gross: 72 m x 111 m
Total surface (barrier to barrier): 120 m x 83 m
Spectator distance from pitch: 7.5 m minimum
Pitchside barrier height: approx 1.2 m
Seat row gradients:
- Lower tier: approx 24°
- Middle tier: approx 30°
- Upper tier: approx 34°
2 x 100 m2
LED Video Walls in 16:9 format, 42.5 m above ground
232 floodlights, 45 m high
Façade
Façade and roof: 66,500 m² in total, comprising 2,760 inflated panels
Major membrane-wrap of the world
1,056 (of 2,760) illuminated panels (in the colors with, blue and red)
Illuminated area 25,500 m²
