2012 Champions League Final, Bayern Munich vs Chelsea: Open Thread

The time has arrived for the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich — the traditional end to the 2011-12 season. Be sure you know where to watch Chelsea against Bayern Munich on TV. And don’t forget to read our Champions League Final preview, as well as listening to the Champions League Final preview podcast.

FOX 
Soccer 
lead 
studio 
host, 
Rob 
Stone, 
on 
whether 
Bayern 
Munich 
is 
a 
heavy
 favorite 
playing
 at 
home:

“Without 
a 
doubt 
Bayern 
Munich 
is 
the 
favorite.
 They 
would 
have 
been
 the 
favorite 
even
 if 
the
 game
 was
 held
 at 
a 
neutral 
site. 
With 
the 
form
 that 
Bayern 
Munich 
is in,
 and
 the 
offensive
 capability 
that
 they 
have,
 and
 with 
the 
suspensions 
that 
are 
hitting 
a 
majority 
of 
the
 Chelsea
 starting 
players, 
it 
is 
beyond
 fair 
to 
say 
that 
Bayern
Munich 
is 
the 
favorite.”

FOX
 Soccer 
analyst 
and 
former
 U.S.
 Men’s
 National 
Team
 striker, 
Eric 
Wynalda,
 on
 the
 match up:

“They 
are 
both 
very 
good 
teams,
 but 
it
 will 
be 
a 
different
 cast
 of 
characters 
in 
Munich 
for
 Chelsea 
because
 of 
the 
suspensions
 of 
several 
players.
 That
 said,
 [Chelsea] 
is
 riding
 the
 excitement
 of
 a 
FA 
Cup
 win
 and
 that
 will
 help.
 On 
paper 
right
 now,
 with 
the 
suspensions 
that
 both 
teams
 have, 
it’s 
going
 to
 be
 a 
very
 offensive 
game.
Regardless,
 it’s 
going
 to
 be
 a 
great 
game
 and 
either
 way
 there 
are 
going
 to
 be 
a
lot 
of 
goals
 in
 this 
one.”

FOX
 Soccer 
analyst 
and 
former 
Newcastle 
United
 defender 
Warren 
Barton 
on 
the 
game’s
 most
 impactful 
player:

“For
 me
 it’s 
Didier
 Drogba. 
I’ve 
played 
with 
people 
like 
Les
 Ferdinand
 and
 Alan
 Shearer, 
and
 Drogba
 is 
my
 type
 of
 striker.
 There
 are 
others
 more 
technically 
gifted,
but 
all 
day
 long
 I’ll
 take
 Drogba.
 He’s 
big, 
physical 
and 
fast,
 and
 he 
knows
 his
 way 
around
 the 
goal.”

Starting lineups:

Chelsea team: Cech; Bosingwa, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Mata, Bertrand; Drogba

Bayern Munich: Neuer – Lahm, Tymoshchuk, Boateng, Contento – Schweinsteiger, Kroos – Robben, Müller, Ribery – Gomez

Before, during and after today’s Champions League Final, use the open thread below to share your questions, observations, rants and raves.

Plus, feel free to include your analysis and opinions about the way your local broadcaster is televising the game, whether it’s FOX, Sky Sports, ITV or Sportsnet.