"The Final"

It's perhaps the biggest sports organizational event of the year tomorrow.  I really think at the end of the day it's a toss up between the Super Bowl and the Champions League final; I do believe that this final is more difficult to win though.  In the NFL, you are only required to play 3 or 4 extra games in order to have an opportunity to win the most coveted trophy.  If you participate in Champions League, the very least is you play another 13 games.  This is also on top of international commitments, cup ties, and player suspensions.  You can get 10 holding penalties in one NFL game as an offensive lineman, but you are still going to get to play in the next game, no questions asked.  Anyway, enough between debating the two.  I love them both equally.  But this game is massive.

Chelsea:  So the stakes are simple.  Win, and these players are legends as it would be the club's first European title, and this is the only major trophy that escapes them.  Plus, the big bonus of playing another year in Champions League.  Lose, and the manager will probably get canned, changes will start to occur (Drogba, Malouda, maybe Lampard), they play in Europa League next season, and lose out on some potentially major signings (Modric, Hulk).  The goal couldn't be more clearer.  Players like Ashley Cole, Fernando Torres and Mata were brought in to win this type of trophy.

They will be missing many components tomorrow.  John Terry, Ramires, Ivanovic and Raul Meireles will all be watching from the stands tomorrow.  Gary Cahill and David Luiz could be missing too.  They have it all to do.  I still think they could be considered the favorites however, because of the three players that are available.  Petr Cech has been sensational for them at times this season.  He was brilliant against Barcelona, and he had a couple of great saves earlier this season against Manchester City.  He will need to be in sparkling form again.  Didier Drogba's legacy as a Chelsea player will be complete with a goal and a win tomorrow.  Last time they played in the final, he decided to slap my wonderful central defender and there were huge consequences.    This time he must keep his cool.  Finally, Juan Mata has been one of the best signings of the season.  I know he was a great player over in Spain, and I was shocked that Madrid didn't keep him back when he was on their payroll.  Their loss is Chelsea's gain, and he might be lifting the cup tomorrow.  Then again, so may Robben.

Bayern Munich:  This is a little bit of a different approach for this team.  Win, and it completes what most of us already know as a great generation of Bayern Munich players.  Never as good as the teams from the 1970's, but better than the team that made it to two finals in 1999 and 2001.  Lose, and the cracks will start to show.  Most of these players are currently in their prime years, but salaries and envious glances from England and Spain may break this team up sooner than later.

 They have one of the most difficult attacking prongs to defend in the world with Ribery-Gomez-Robben.  Bastian Schweinsteiger is probably one of the most underrated players of this generation.  He comes not quite in the Xavi mold, but still one of the most difficult deep-lying midfielders to contain.  He can score from anywhere.  Toni Kroos is the best player a lot of people haven't heard of.  He can come back and help defend, can score from set pieces, and passes the ball more like a Brazilian or Argentine.  It's very rare that all these players play at the same time, but because of similar suspensions, Bayern may be forced to do so.

Bayern will be missing David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Luiz Gustavo through suspension.  Outside of their fullbacks, these players are the most important part of the nature of Bayern's style of play.  They play very aggressively, and work well to maintain possession for the forward players.  This team is missing a Sami Khedira/Prince Boateng type player that I think would put them over the top, but they are just a few special moments away from again being one of the best sides in the world.  Plus, I have no doubt, that if anyone can match Petr Cech save-for-save, it would be the German keeper Michael Neuer.

Verdict:  This is as tough a match to predict as I can remember.  Last year set up beautifully for Manchester United against Barcelona; game was at Wembley, they crushed Schalke in the semi-finals, revenge factor, etc.  They got destroyed.  This year does set up very similarly.  Bayern is playing in their own arena, the heart and soul of Chelsea is missing, Robben and Ribery have been delicious this season, German sides never lose in penalties.  So would you go the other way?  I'm not sure, and while I do believe that Chelsea has it all to do, they will certainly be up to the challenge.  Enjoy the match!