Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea: Poor Premier League Finish Puts Pressure on Blues

As if winning the European Cup without the services of no fewer than four key players weren't reason enough to worry, Chelsea will have at least one other significant concern with which to contend during Saturday's UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich in Germany.

If the Blues lose, their only hope for continental football will be in the Europa League (if they're lucky).

Poor results against Fulham, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Liverpool over the final five weeks of the season put Chelsea in sixth place in the English Premier League table. The Blues' 64 points left them five behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur for a return to Europe in some form or fashion.

As such, it'll be do-or-die time for Chelsea at the Allianz Arena this weekend. Missing out on the financial windfall that comes with Champions League football won't matter too much to the Blues, thanks to the deep pockets (and even deeper reach into them) of Russian billionaire owner and James Bond villain Roman Abramovich.

On the other hand, luring big-name transfer targets to Stamford Bridge without the prospect of European football, when other clubs (i.e. Manchester City, Juventus, Real Madrid) can offer both, might not be so simple.

Which, again, brings the Blues back to Saturday's season finale, for better or worse.

Worse, as in John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and Ramires watching from the stands on account of booking-related bans, and David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Florent Malouda potentially parked amidst fitness concerns.

Better, as in Bayern missing Holger Badstuber, David Alaba and Luis Gustavo to suspensions and likely having to rely on a more defensively susceptible midfield as a result.

Either way, the Blues know precisely what's at stake, or should. Whether that's enough to propel them to a Champions League crown will depend as much on what they themselves bring to the pitch as on the pressure administered by Munich in Munich.

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