Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea: Date, Start Time, Live Stream, Preview and More

Bayern Munich will try to prevent Chelsea from finally wining the European crown when they host the Blues in the 2012 UEFA Champions League on their home pitch at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

Chelsea's improbable comeback in the second leg of the semifinal at the Nou Camp against defending champion Barcelona with 10 men gave the team a ton of confidence and the belief that they can overcome any odds.

However, defeating a world-class squad like Munich will be tough for Chelsea since several important players are suspended for the final because of yellow or red cards.

Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles, John Terry and Ramires will all miss the final for Chelsea, which is a problem that could be intensified if centre-backs Gary Cahill and David Luiz cannot get fit in time for the match. 

Ramires is the biggest loss for the Blues because of his ability to defend, score on the attack and give the club pace in the middle of the pitch. Terry is a big loss as well because of his strong defense and leadership as captain.

Holger Badstuber, David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo will miss the final for Munich, and while these are three quality players, there's no reason why Bayern can't overcome their absences.

Will Chelsea finally achieve their goal of winning the Champions League, or will Munich win their fifth European crown?

Let's look at everything you need to know for the 2012 Champions League Final.

Where: Allianz Arena; Munich, Germany

Watch: Fox Sports, Sky Sports HD1

Live Stream: UEFA Match Centre

When: Saturday, May 19 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Most Important Player to Watch: Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba needs to score and play well for Chelsea if they want to capture the European crown. He impressed against Barcelona in the semifinal and is one of the most clutch players in club football.

Drogba must use his size and strength to his advantage over a Munich defense that isn't very big and is not used to dealing with strikers as powerful as him.

Chelsea doesn't have many primary attacking options, so Drogba will need to dominate for the Blues' attack to be effective in the final.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Chelsea has success if Drogba plays poorly.

Key Matchup: Mario Gomez vs. Chelsea centre-backs

With Terry, the leader of the Chelsea defense, suspended for the final because of a red card received in the semifinal, the Blues back line will have to contain Munich striker Mario Gomez, or it's going to be a disastrous night for them.

Gomez is a strong striker who has a very powerful shot. He dominated the Bundesliga this season with 26 goals.

With Terry banned and centre-backs Cahill and Luiz fighting injury, Chelsea could be really short-handed in the center of the defense. 

Whoever plays at centre-back must not take chances going forward because Munich has several players such as Gomez, Arjen Robben, and Franck Ribery who have the pace needed to cause major problems on the counter attack.

If the Chelsea centre-backs make just a couple mistakes, Munich could capitalize on them and bury the Blues.

What They're Saying

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has expressed that his team is very confident after beating Barcelona, saying via Soccernet:

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"If you manage to go through two legs against Barcelona, I think then you can beat anybody in European football," Di Matteo said at Chelsea's player of the year awards. "They're supposed to be the best team and I think we have a fantastic group of players with tremendous quality and belief.

"The confidence is very high. The spirit is very high."

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Former German National Team captain and Chelsea star Michael Ballack thinks Munich's home advantage will be a big boost for them, saying via Soccernet:

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"It is a huge advantage when you are at home in a final, where a lot of emotions play a role. This is an emotional advantage that Chelsea cannot compensate for.''

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Prediction: Munich win 3-1

Without the defensive talents of Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, Bayern Munich will score three goals in the final, which will be enough to carry them to their fifth European crown.

Chelsea will find the back of the net once, but they don't have the firepower to compete with the Munich attack, especially with world-class goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in top form for the Germans.

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