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London's "Chelsea" veterans' dreams have come true. What they couldn't achieve four years ago in Moscow, they managed to achieve in Munich. The collection of blue trophies will finally be complemented by the long-desired Champions League trophy. The London team's name has never been engraved on the trophies awarded to the Champions League winners. It's no secret that Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who invested hundreds of million euros into the club, has been longing for this.
Meanwhile, Munich is drowning in tears. In 2010, the Bavarians lost the UEFA Champions League final to Milan's "Inter" in Madrid. On Saturday, they had a great chance to triumph in front of their own fans. But they missed a lot of opportunities, including a golden chance for Arjen Robben to score from the penalty spot. The Munich team missed the opportunity to win a fifth Champions League trophy and equal "Liverpool" in this regard.
The hero of the match
Undoubtedly, credit must be given to Chelsea's goalkeeper Petr Cech, who not only outperformed his colleague Manuel Neuer in the penalty shootout but also blocked A. Robben's penalty in extra time.
Another hero to be mentioned is Didier Drogba, the Ivory Coast forward, whose perfect header allowed the London team to take the game into extra time. Didier has recently proven to Abramovich that he is indispensable to Chelsea in the upcoming season.
Match disappointment
It could be argued that Arjen Robben was the most disappointed player, as he missed another crucial penalty. Just over a month ago, the Dutchman failed to convert a penalty in a crucial German championship match against Dortmund's "Borussia." Bayern lost that match 0-1 and practically lost the chance to fight for the German champions' title.
However, perhaps the most disappointed player should be Mario Gomez, another Bayern star. The striker, who had scored 12 goals until then, looked subdued and couldn't capitalize on several good opportunities. It was emphasized before the match that Chelsea's success largely depended on whether they could control M. Gomez, and after the match, it was evident that David Luiz and Gary Cahill had fulfilled their task.
The match outcome
In a nutshell, Franck Ribery had earned a penalty that Robben missed. In the semifinals of the Champions League, Iker Casillas missed by a small margin to stop Arjen's shot. However, in both the semifinal penalty shootout and the final, Robben didn't take a penalty shot at all. In hindsight, perhaps Philipp Lahm should have taken the penalty against Chelsea?
Jupp Heynckes, Bayern's coach, also had to deal with other distractions, as employees of the sausage factory owned by his family were rooting for his team in a special section he had rented out for them, costing him 53,000 euros.
On the other hand, Roberto Di Matteo, who received no shortage of praise from Heynckes before the match, chose an optimal tactic, playing Chelsea as the second fiddle and focusing on disrupting Bayern's game and attempting counterattacks whenever possible.
Substitute debutants
Ryan Bertrand became the first player in Champions League history to make his debut in the final match. Bertrand did not stand out too much and was replaced in the second half by the more experienced Florent Malouda.
Chelsea's defensive midfielders David Luiz and G. Cahill successfully neutralized M. Gomez, while the absence of Raul Meireles and especially Ramires was keenly felt. This forced R. Di Matteo to opt for a more defensive strategy, as Chelsea's attacking prowess lost its creative spark.
Wasted opportunities
Not long ago, Bayern could dream of a season crowned with three trophies. However, they lost the Bundesliga title to Dortmund. "Borussia" blocked Munich's path to the Champions League and the German Cup final, where Bayern was humiliated 5-2. Ultimately, the Champions League trophy slipped away from Bayern and went to the London team.
On the other hand, Chelsea is celebrating a double this season – winning the FA Cup and being named the strongest team in Europe. These achievements are a significant bonus for coach R. di Matteo, who is still unsure whether he will remain at the helm of the team next year.
London rejoices, London mourns
Not all of London celebrated Chelsea's triumph on Saturday. The fans of another team from this city, Tottenham, who closely followed the final, were left disappointed. Chelsea's victory cost Tottenham a place in next year's Champions League and a substantial amount of money earned from participating in the tournament. This happened because Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League but secured a spot in the next year's tournament by winning the final. However, only four teams from one country can compete in the Champions League, so Chelsea will represent London in next year's tournament at the expense of Tottenham, who finished fourth in the Premier League.
