Thanks for that clarification, Zippy. From reading the article, you would have thought it was the second leg, but I am sure you are correct.

No problem, it was apparently an argument about a free kick just before half time that Ribery wanted to take. Robben insisted that Toni Kroos took it and they had a bit of a barney about it in the dressing room straight afterwards.

The stadium will not be lit up in red/blue 50/50 as previously reported but will be in green and turqoise with the uefa CL logo on it according to the German press.

So it seems that our plan will be to defend for most of the time and hit them on the counter, like we did against Barca (except they'll probably have a weaker defense). I can see us getting criticised again if we win...

I am not quite sure that plan will work as well against someone like Gomez than it did vs the team play of Barcelona but who knows. If we did get criticized for it it should also be mentioned about the fact that it was likely forced through yellows depletion and not because of tactics that were freely chosen. Even if we do get criticized for it, it is still a statement of desire, defence alone cannot win you championships and this team if they do win the final through means like that will have shown that pure desire and will have won the championship. I know "beautiful footballers" will criticize it, but how often do teams like Chelsea win in this way? It will be a testament in itself not a pejorative in my opinion.

Just thinking....anyone think that if we're not grabbing 4th it'll push the team even further to win the final? We seem to have performed best this season (certainly recently) when our backs have been against the wall....

So it seems that our plan will be to defend for most of the time and hit them on the counter, like we did against Barca (except they'll probably have a weaker defense). I can see us getting criticised again if we win...

Mate we'll likely get criticised no matter how we win! No one likes us, we don't care! :)

Mate we'll likely get criticised no matter how we win! No one likes us, we don't care! :)

LOL, you have a point. At this point I don't care if a spectator runs onto the pitch and scores a goal for us, I just want us to win.

Mate we'll likely get criticised no matter how we win! No one likes us, we don't care! :)

So long as we win. They can stick their critisism...

Just thinking....anyone think that if we're not grabbing 4th it'll push the team even further to win the final? We seem to have performed best this season (certainly recently) when our backs have been against the wall....

I think the players are thinking the trophy so much they wont have time thinking about next season or Prem table or anything else for that matter. Don't think it makes a difference.

We have 5 must win games and then the season is over. Newcastle-Scum(Fa-final)-Scum-Blackburn-Bayern. Nice schedule we've got. Only in the scum prem game are we facing a team with nothing to play for except pride. Newcastle is CL bound and Blackburn is fighting against relegation. I'm glad there is pressure

Just thinking....anyone think that if we're not grabbing 4th it'll push the team even further to win the final? We seem to have performed best this season (certainly recently) when our backs have been against the wall....

If qualifying for next season's CL is a bigger motivation than winning it this season then I'd have to question the attitude of the team. Fortunately I dont think this is the case.

I think the thought of being crowned European Champions for the first and quite possibly the last time for a big chunk of the squad is as big a push as the team can get. The added bonus of qualifying for next season's competition is a trivial matter in comparison.

The fortitude of these players in recent weeks has been remarkable to say the least. Bayern are a great side and the home advantage, despite the tickets divided evenly, might give them an advantage. Unlike the Spanish teams the German side is strong physically and it will certainly be a hard fought battle down the sidelines. I wonder if this a 'bridge too far' given the amount of must win games we would have played before this game and with Bayern having rested up before the big night. Despite them losing some key players the loss of our key players, especially at the back might be a bigger deciding factor than first realized. The midfield will be weaken and they will have to play out of their skins, especially Lampard and Essien. As a Chelsea fan I am proud what this team has acheived in recent weeks and we can reflect back on what 'should have been' all season and I should say Chelsea will win, however my head says otherwise and I fear another heartache. A close battle but I think Bayern just might have the slight edge with the boys doing us proud......I hope I am totally wrong and we win 3-1.

Not worried about the home advantage as Chelsea this season more than ever excel in diversity....just when we think it is all over...........my one concern with BM is Gomez, didnt look great v RM but good in the air and we will need Luiz/Cahill to have a real chance I feel

Any news about Cahill and Luiz's injury? God forbid they both can't play it'll have to look something like this:

Cole-------Romeu/maybe Essien-----Bosingwa--------Ferreira.

Let's hope they can get fit soon.

Good news for Bayern, Daniel van Buyten looks like being fit for the final which will greatly help our defensive gaps due to suspension. He will only be on the bench but would be experienced cover.

Arjen Robben also signed a new contract until summer 2015 today which gets that worry out of the way before the two cup finals.

Good news for Bayern, Daniel van Buyten looks like being fit for the final which will greatly help our defensive gaps due to suspension. He will only be on the bench but would be experienced cover.

Arjen Robben also signed a new contract until summer 2015 today which gets that worry out of the way before the two cup finals.

The commentators on my stream for Bayern - Dortmund gave me the impression that Robben was being given a lot of stick in Munich for his play style/attitude (particularly the team having to facilitate him). Missing the penalty and the golden chance at the end made it seem even more likely. I presume this isn't true?

Also who will your defence likely be? I'm guessing: Lahm - Boateng - ??? - Rafinha ?

The up-side of having basically lost out on 4th is that we can rest our players in the last 2 games, maybe resting against Blackburn will ensure QPR go down :D

The commentators on my stream for Bayern - Dortmund gave me the impression that Robben was being given a lot of stick in Munich for his play style/attitude (particularly the team having to facilitate him). Missing the penalty and the golden chance at the end made it seem even more likely. I presume this isn't true?

Also who will your defence likely be? I'm guessing: Lahm - Boateng - ??? - Rafinha ?

The up-side of having basically lost out on 4th is that we can rest our players in the last 2 games, maybe resting against Blackburn will ensure QPR go down :D

Robben and Ribery had a bit of a ding dong and before that there was press talk about Robben's ego. But tbf it was all blown out of proportion, team spirit is good in the squad but it's Bayern, so the press need to find something negative to write about even if it means inventing most of it.

The defence will probably be : Lahm - Boateng - Timoschchuk - Rafinha (or Contento).

so the press need to find something negative to write about even if it means inventing most of it.

Haha, we know all about this, just check out any newspaper article regarding Chelsea up until AVB got fired!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xHWPsdG7f0

EPIC.

Zippy, you've won four European cups mate (or is it 5?), please, please just let us win this one

The defence will probably be : Lahm - Boateng - Timoschchuk - Rafinha (or Contento).

Think you could pick 4 fans out of your section at the back and it not make much of a difference overall because of how impressive your midfield and front line is. That combination of Kroos, BS, Muller, Robben, Ribery and Gomez is a better attack than Barca, Real or anyone else for that matter could assemble imo.

Yes, but all good teams are based on their back four. You can't simply ignore it.

Zippy, you've won four European cups mate (or is it 5?), please, please just let us win this one

I'm a nice guy but I'm not that nice ! Seriously after the disappointment of losing to Internazionale two years ago I'm desperate for us to win this one.

We've won four out of eight up to now but only one of our last five, so we know all about being disappointed too. We are absolutely determined to win this one but we know it will be a tough game against a good team and could go either way.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by zippy

Slightly off topic but I've just been reading about season ticket prices in the UK. I couldn't afford to go much if I still lived over there, God knows how you lot put up with the prices !

It's ridiculous that my English club (Sheffield United) charge more than the likes of Bayern, quite a bit more in fact. If clubs over here started charging what you lads had to pay the fans would be out on the streets protesting !

Zippy, you've won four European cups mate (or is it 5?), please, please just let us win this one

Zippy: I was at Hamden in May 1976 and saw your lot beat St Ettiene 1-0 to win it for the 3rd time.

Agree with 6 times. Go on let us win it this time. Please

Zippy: I was at Hamden in May 1976 and saw your lot beat St Ettiene 1-0 to win it for the 3rd time.

Agree with 6 times. Go on let us win it this time. Please

A - Slightly before my time as a Bayern fan ! My first live Bayern game was in August '83 at home to Düsseldorf. My first european game, away to Spurs a few months later.

The young Kalle Rummenigge was so nervous before the St.Etienne game that the physio gave him a double cognac before the match !

B - I don't think I'm in the squad mate ! Seriously ever since it was decided that the final is in Munich we have been desperate to win this one, we don't want to fail having got this far !

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by zippy

we don't want to fail having got this far !

Nor do we!