Bayern need to win the Champions League to stamp their dominance on Europe

With FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund taking to the field at Wembley on 25th May, expectations are sky high for Die Roten. Their conquest of the Blaugrana pretty much speaks for itself and so does their near-impeccable record this season. Yet, one cannot help feeling that Bayern might just crack on the grandest stage of all, for they have been the perennial chokers of modern-day football.

In times when victory and defeat are discerned by the finest of margins, Bayern have often been on the wrong end. English domination of the Champions League ended in 2009 and since then, only the two FCB’s have been consistently dominating the competition. While Barcelona were the modern-day incarnation of beautiful football, Bayern remained the sidekicks. However, with the decline of the Catalans, FC Bayern now carry the flag of possession-oriented football, but whether they have the cutting edge or not is yet to be decided.

Technically gifted and physically strong, the present Bayern team is a perfect blend of style and substance. They have always been giants in the true sense, but since the golden 1970’s, have always played second fiddle to even more illustrious opponents like Liverpool (in the ‘80s), Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona. They have struggled to get rid of the impression of a talented team lacking mental steel. However, now, at Wembley, they have the chance to set that right.

But if we turn our minds back to last season, everyone was saying exactly the same thing. Things ended up pear-shaped for Bayern Munich, as they ended up collecting a runners-up treble. They were brilliant throughout, but in key matches they could not match their direct challengers, getting thrashed 5-2 in the DFB Pokal and inexplicably losing to Chelsea at home. The Champions League final of 2012 at Munich was perhaps the best opportunity for Bayern to stamp their dominance on Europe once more, but that did not happen. Despite being the closest to the best, Bayern, due to their choking tendencies, never found themselves on the same pedestal as underachieving Premier League clubs and the two Spanish giants.

Now is the time for FC Bayern, for when they meet Borussia Dortmund, they would have the mental advantage of having wrestled back the Bundesliga crown. In fact, not only that, Bayern would have the mental advantage of having their opponents’ best player – Mario Gotze on their side! Moreover, Jupp Heynckes would certainly be having vindication on his mind. Ostracized and underrated throughout his career, he will have a point to prove to Uli Hoeness and co. The signs look positive for Bayern, but it is they, more than Dortmund, who must be very wary as a house of cards needs only a second to crumble.

In ways more than one, this final is the boundary between this era of football and the next. Sir Alex Ferguson has retired, FC Barcelona has waned, Real Madrid is in turmoil and football will never be the same again. Only Bayern remain and look stronger than ever. It’s all about them in the Champions League final – their past, their future and the redemption they’re so thirsty for. But I’m sure Jurgen Klopp and Borussia Dortmund would like to have a say about that.