Champions League Final Madrid 2010 Preview, Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan

Two time European champions Inter Milan take on four time winner’s Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium tomorrow night May 22, 2010 in a Uefa Champions League final that is expected to be the ultimate showdown between two of the continents biggest clubs.

Bayern Munich last tasted success of this magnitude a good nine years ago, not too long if you consider their opponents 38 year wait for European glory. Inter Milan last won this trophy way back in 1972  when it was still referred to as the European Cup and recapturing the title tomorrow will spark mad celebrations like never seen before.

Bayern came up against tough opposition in the form of Bordeaux, Juventus, Fiorentina, Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais to make it through to the final. Their did not have a rosy path either as they had to deal with reigning European champs Barcelona in the group stages and the semis, CSKA Moscow, Rubin Kazan and Chelsea.

The last 5 games for the Bundesliga champions have resulted in 4 wins and a draw while Inter’s last five games has seen them win 4 and lose to Barcelona. So as you can see there is no nothing to separate these 2 sides.

Both Luis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho have successfully won the Champions League as coaches so they now how to prepare their sides for a game of such magnitude. Van Gaal won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 and 9 years later Mourinho led the unfancied Porto to a similar victory.

The highlight of this game no doubt is the facing of Dutch play makers Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. Inter coach Jose Mourinho will probably opt to field a 4-2-3-1 attacking formation comprising of:

Julio Cesar - Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti - Cambiasso, Stankovic - Eto'o, Sneijder, Pandev - Milito

With Ribery out of tomorrow’s game, Van Gaal has included Turkish international Hamit Altintop in his line up. Playing in a 4-4-2 formation, Van Gaal’s probable starting line up will include:

Butt - Lahm, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Badstuber - Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger - Robben, Altintop - Mueller - Olic

Source: Soccer Tickets Online, Kicker

[QUOTES] Mark Van Bommel - May 21, 2010

"As you would for any other game. You don’t need to make huge changes, because that would disturb your rhythm. You have to approach it as a normal game. After all, it's ‘only’ a final.”

Source: FC Bayern

[QUOTES] Joerg Butt - May 21, 2010

“It's almost ten years ago. I really don’t see much of a link. The tension only really starts to build after final training."

Source: FC Bayern

[QUOTES] Louis Van Gaal - May 21, 2010

“My philosophy includes entertaining the crowd, so we have to attack.”

Source: FC Bayern

[QUOTES] Thomas Mueller - May 20, 2010

“We’re totally focused and know exactly what to expect.”

Source: FC Bayern

Jose Mourinho and Louis Van Gaal: The Pupil vs the Master

In 1997, when Dutch football manager Louis van Gaal took over at Barcelona, he inherited a coach from the Bobby Robson era. His name was José Mourinho. The 58-year-old van Gaal was far from imagining that this would be the man standing between him and European glory, 13 years later.

On the May 22, in Madrid, FC Bayern Munich and Internazionale will face each other to claim the UEFA Champions League trophy. The two managers will be trying to gain a place in history; the winner will be the third manager ever to win the Champions League with two different teams. Van Gaal achieved it the first time with Ajax in 1995, while Mourinho led FC Porto to victory in 2004.

FC Bayern, who were crowned this year’s German champions, eliminated Fiorentina, Manchester United, and Olympique Lyonnais to book a place in the final, while the Italian side beat Chelsea, CSKA Moscow, and defending champions FC Barcelona to be able to discuss the title.

Van Gaal and Mourinho worked together for three years in Barcelona, winning two Spanish Leagues, a Spanish Cup, and the 1997 European Super Cup. After van Gaal’s departure in 2000 to coach the Dutch national team, Mourinho began his career as a manager of Portuguese side SL Benfica. Having learned the psychology of football from Bobby Robson, Mourinho indicates van Gaal as the man who taught him the coaching and training aspects of the game.

Mourinho eliminated FC Bayern with Chelsea in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. The time has come to see if the pupil has got what it takes to beat the master.

Source: Bleacher Report  by Joao Escudero

[QUOTES] FC Bayern - May 22, 2010

"Could we have one more question about Bayern Munich and not Mr Mourinho? He's a friend of ours but we are Bayern Munich."

Source: The Guardian

Van Gaal: Bayern are not Europe's elite

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal still does not believe his team are among the elite sides of European football.

Bayern have the chance to join Liverpool as five-times winners of the European Cup when they take on Inter Milan at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid tomorrow night.

The German giants, like opponents Inter, have the chance to secure an historic treble having already won their domestic league and cup competitions, while en route to tomorrow's final they knocked out highly-fancied Manchester United having trailed 4-2 on aggregate at one point.

Despite all that though, Van Gaal feels they are not yet in the class of teams like United and last season's European champions Barcelona.

When asked if he felt Bayern had reached the highest level with their performances domestically and in Europe this season, Van Gaal said: "I don't think so. As I said before I think that Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona are the better teams of Europe. Nevertheless, we can win the title.

"We have shown our level and of course we were also a little bit lucky that time when we played against Manchester United, but it was deserved I believe.

"It's always possible that the lower level club wins, that's sport."

Van Gaal also used this opportunity to appeal to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini to introduce changes to help referees make key decisions due to the amount at stake in top matches.

"I still believe Barca have shown the best football this season in Europe, but details are always deciding the game, and when the referee is not doing what he has to do, then you have a problem," Van Gaal added.

"I've said it before, we have to help the referee as he cannot see everything. And the interest is so high. So maybe Mr Platini, maybe Mr Blatter, we have to change this."

Van Gaal, who won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995, took charge of Bayern last summer but the Dutchman suffered a difficult start to life in the Allianz Arena hotseat.

In their opening three matches Bayern only picked up two points, while in the Champions League group stages they looked destined for an early exit after taking just four points from their first four matches.

However, they scraped through in second place behind Bordeaux following victories in their final two matches against Maccabi Haifa and Juventus, before then claiming away goals successes over Fiorentina and Manchester United in the next two rounds following 4-4 aggregate draws.

In the semi-finals they cruised past Lyon 4-0, thanks largely to Ivica Olic's hat-trick in the return meeting in France.

Speaking about his time in charge, Van Gaal believes it takes time to get a team playing the way he wants.
"From day one the team tried to understand me. I have a specific way of training not only the body but the mind and this takes time," he said.

"When I was at Ajax it also took six months for the team to understand my philosophy, and also at Barcelona and Bayern. The chemistry between the players and coach is very important."

Bayern will be missing one of their key cogs tomorrow as French winger Franck Ribery is suspended.
However, they will still be able to call on flying Dutchman Arjen Robben, a player who will know the Bernabeu well having represented Real Madrid before joining Bayern.

Van Gaal also has plenty of other attacking weapons in his armoury with the likes of Olic, Miroslav Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger capable of testing an Inter defence which performed heroics in the semi-final second leg against holders Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Comparing his football philosophy to that of Inter counterpart Jose Mourinho, who was once an assistant to Van Gaal at Barca, the Dutch coach feels he is a more attack-minded coach that the Portuguese, but he is well aware that the Italian champions have plenty of firepower going forward as well.

"I think my philosophy is always to attack. I think Mourinho is more defensive tactically but he has good players who can decide the outcome of a match," Van Gaal said.

"I think Inter Milan are a very difficult opponent and I think their matches against Chelsea and Barcelona have proved that."

Source: ESPN Star 

[QUOTES] Bastian Schweinsteiger - May 21, 2010

"We have a positive attitude. The atmosphere is great within the team. Every player knows that we can achieve something historic; we can become the first team from Germany to win the treble so every one of us can't wait to play, and win, this final. We had a great evening [at the German Cup final] in Berlin and I assume it will be an even greater evening on Saturday."

Source: UEFA

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (6)

Commanding display in Lyon

After coming back to win on away goals in both the previous rounds, Bayern demonstrated their command in the semi-final against French cracks Olympique Lyon, conquerors of Real Madrid. Despite losing Ribéry to a red card for a mistimed challenge in the 37th minute of the first leg in Munich, the home team created chance after chance and eventually Robben secured the victory with a long-range effort in the 69th minute.

Even without Ribéry’s influential presence, Bayern were far too good for Lyon a week later at Stade Gerland. Olic was on blistering form, making it a personal triumph with goals in the 26th, 67th and 78th minutes. Nine years after their last Champions League triumph in 2001, Bayern had deservedly ridden their luck and capitalised on steadily improving form to reach the final again.

Source: FC Bayern

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (5)

Revenge for Barcelona

Bayern were very much outsiders after being drawn against long-time rivals Manchester United in the quarter-finals, and even more so after England star Wayne Rooney fired the visitors into the lead at the Allianz Arena after just 63 seconds. But with enthusiastic backing from the home fans, Bayern recovered to dominate the game and deservedly equalised after 77 minutes through Franck Ribéry’s deflected free kick. Then, in an uncanny echo of United’s 1999 Champions League final win in Barcelona, Olic rocked the stadium to its foundations when, with the last attack of the game, he wriggled free of the defence and beat Edwin van der Sar to complete a 2-1 win.

Rooney had limped off injured in Munich and it was a surprise to find him in the starting line-up at Old Trafford the following week. Again Bayern found themselves on the back foot right from the kick-off, as Darron Gibson drove home a long-range effort in the third minute, followed four minutes later by a second from Nani. When the Portuguese winger scored again in the 41st minute, Van Gaal’s team seemed to be in danger of humiliation.

But when Olic popped up to beat Van der Sar from close range seconds from the interval, Bayern suddenly saw a chance to get back into the game – especially after United’s Brazilian defender Rafael was sent off in the 50th minute after receiving a second caution for hauling down Ribéry. From then on there was only one team in it, and Robben clinched the visitors’ semi-final berth in magnificent fashion, volleying Ribéry’s corner crisply into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Source: FC Bayern

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (4)

Luck on their side

Bayern entered the knock-out stages of the Champions League transformed from their earlier struggle for form – and perhaps as importantly, enjoying a healthy slice of good fortune. That much was clear from the goal that won the home leg against Fiorentina in the round of 16. After Arjen Robben’s 45th minute penalty was cancelled out by an equaliser from Per Kroldrup five minutes after the interval, all Bayern’s efforts to force a winner seemed in vain – until, a minute before the end, Olic found Miroslav Klose in a position that looked suspiciously offside, but the German international striker’s goal was allowed to stand.

In Florence’s Artemio Franchi Stadium three weeks later, Juan Vargas gave the home side a 28th-minute lead, before the game was decided in an unforgettable 11-minute second-half spell. When Stevan Jovetic scored a second for Fiorentina in the 54th minute, Bayern were in danger of slipping out of the competition, but six minutes later Van Bommel’s long-distance drive levelled the tie on aggregate. In the 64th minute Jovetic’s second goal roused the home fans to a frenzy, but they were silenced less than 60 seconds later as Robben went on a mazy run before curling his shot into the corner of the net from 30 metres out, clinching victory for Bayern on away goals despite a 3-2 defeat on the night.

Source: FC Bayern

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (3)

About-turn in Turin
Laurent Blanc’s side did their bit, beating Juventus 2-0 while Bayern struggled to a 1-0 win at home against Haifa, thanks to a 62nd minute Ivica Olic strike. “You can see our team isn’t displaying the confidence it ought to,” noted president Uli Hoeneß. However, the result left Bayern’s chances of reaching the knock-out rounds in their own hands in the final group game against Juventus in Turin.

As the players travelled across the Alps at the beginning of December, they knew only a win would be good enough to progress. When David Trezéguet gave the home side the lead in the 19th minute, it seemed to be all over. But then Bayern began a startling resurrection – not only in this match but across the club’s season as a whole. When Olic won a penalty in the 30th minute, Jörg Butt nervelessly beat Gianluigi Buffon to level the scores.

In the second half it was one-way traffic as Bayern pressed the home side back into their own half, and further goals from Olic, Mario Gomez and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk sealed an incredible 4-1 victory. “It was a magical night,” enthused club chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as Bayern qualified for the round of 16 behind group winners Bordeaux.

Source: FC Bayern

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (2)

Double trouble against Bordeaux

But in the space of two weeks, Bayern’s solid start had been thrown into turmoil by back-to-back defeats at the hands of French champions Bordeaux. Munich were drawing 1-1 in Bordeaux when Müller received a second yellow card in the 30th minute, and they were reduced to nine men two minutes from the end when Van Buyten saw red as well. “That was not worthy of a top team,” captain Mark van Bommel said of his team’s listless display.

It was to get worse as, without the suspended Van Buyten and Müller, Bayern lost 2-0 to the same opponents two weeks later at the Allianz Arena. With just two group matches left Bayern were bottom of the table with four points, far behind Bordeaux with 10 and Juventus with eight. “We’re not finished, we still have some kind of chance,” Van Gaal said – but to progress his team also needed help from Bordeaux.

Source: FC Bayern

Bayern’s road to the final in Madrid (1)

Bayern’s process to the Champions League final was a rollercoaster ride, beginning unexceptionally, later almost turning to disaster, and eventually ending in triumph. It’s a long time since the record German title-holders have tortured the nerves of their fans so regularly and acutely. But it’s also a long time since Bayern won over as many neutrals as they have done during this remarkable 2009-10 season.

It all began straightforwardly enough with a 3-0 win for Louis van Gaal’s side in their opening Group A match against Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, an easy win clinched by two goals from Thomas Müller and one from Daniel van Buyten. Bayern topped the group table and stayed there after a 0-0 draw with Juventus at the Allianz Arena. “I don’t think we’ve seen a better game all season,” said the coach afterwards, although he was concerned about missed opportunities: “We had many clear-cut chances – it’s a shame we didn’t take any of them.”

Source: FC Bayern

Treble-chasing Bayern wary of Werder

Dutch winger Arjen Robben says his Bayern Munich side must be wary of defending champions Werder Bremen in tomorrow's German Cup final as they look to take another step closer to the treble.

Bayern secured the Bundesliga crown last weekend at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, but will return there tomorrow to face cup holders Bremen before heading to Madrid for next weekend's UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan.

Robben has terrorised defences in Germany since his arrival from Real Madrid last October with 22 goals, 18 of which came in the Bundesliga, but says Bayern must be on their guard against Bremen.

The Thomas Schaaf-coached side earned a Champions League qualifying place by finishing third in the German league thanks to a strong finish to the season. Bayern beat Bremen 3-2 in the league when the sides last met in January, with Robben's free-kick winning the game, but the Dutchman says his side must be on their guard.

"That result counts for nothing now," said Robben. "Bremen didn't lose in the league after that and set off on a great run. Werder are a good side with lots of attacking quality, players like Mesut Oezil, Claudio Pizarro, who I know from Chelsea, Marko Marin and so on.

"They were second top scorers in the league after us. I'm not sure we're overwhelming favourites on Saturday, anything could happen, and it'll be about form on the day. We'll have to give it 100 per cent."

Between them, Bremen and Bayern have won eight of the last 12 German Cup titles and Robben says he expects to see the goals fly. "I'd be really surprised if it ended 0-0. I'm sure there'll be goals, and I'm also sure of this: if we keep a clean sheet, we'll win."

Tomorrow will be the highlight of Bremen's season, but Bayern's will come a week later in Madrid. "It shouldn't be a problem, as there's a full week between matches," said Robben.

"Come Saturday, we'll be totally focused on Bremen. At this stage, Madrid might be somewhere in the back of our minds, but once we run out at the Olympic stadium, we'll be thinking only of Bremen. We've shown often enough we're capable of taking each game as it comes."

Bayern have good reason to fear Bremen as their captain Torsten Frings said nothing pleases him more than beating his former club. "There is nothing better than winning against Bayern," said the ex-Germany midfielder. "You only have to look at how much they have invested."

Frings was only 22 the last time the two arch-rivals met in the German Cup final and was on the winning side as Bremen ran out 5-4 winners on penalties to claim their first title under Schaaf. Bayern had already seen their dreams of winning the double crushed as they lost the Champions League final 2-1 to Manchester United in Barcelona a fortnight before.

And Frings says he hopes that will play in Bremen's hands. "Everyone is only talking about Bayern, nobody has us on their minds," said Frings. "It was also like that in 1999, the only question about the result was how many we would lose by."

Source: FIFA

[QUOTES] Ivica Olic - May 14, 2010

"We do not want just one trophy, but all three. This is a chance which doesn't come along that often in life, but it will not be easy."

Source: UEFA

FC Bayern Adidas new home jersey 2010/2011

 FC Bayern launch 2010/2011 new home kit this May. It has been available to club fans since May 3, 2010. The red and white striped retro kit is designed to mark 110th anniversary. The motto Legenden und Loyalität and a depiction of all-time leading scorer Gerd Müller is woven into the collar. It succinctly embodies the core components of the club’s successful history.

“The new kit expresses the special affinity between the players and the fans. Legends only grow out of shared values and a will to succeed, just as at Bayern.” -Philipp Lahm, vice captain-

Source: FC Bayern