Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea: Thomas Muller and Reserves Sure to Impact Final

Since Bayern Munich and Chelsea are so evenly matched, there is a great chance that the Champions League final won't be decided until the closing moments. Both squads have elite players in their respective starting lineups, but they have incredibly talented reserves as well. With that in mind, those backups may play a major role in the result of this match.

Both sides are going to expend even more energy than usual in this match since the stakes are so high, and that means the importance of the reserves will increase dramatically. Bayern Munich is a team that doesn't make many lineup changes usually, while Chelsea often exhausts its three substitutions, but bench players are going to have to come up huge on Saturday.

Here are three reserves in the Champions League final that will have an absolutely massive impact on the outcome of the game.

Thomas Muller

Bayern Munich is a team with such great conditioning that it normally selects a starting XI and sticks with it for the most part over the course of the game, but one sub who is often utilized is midfielder Thomas Muller. He is usually brought in to replace Bastian Schweingsteiger in the middle stages of the second half so that Munich's midfield doesn't lose any pace. The 22-year-old star is extremely gifted offensively and has been big this season with seven goals and eight assists in league play.

Muller was a breakout performer at the 2010 World Cup as he won the Golden Boot, and while he may not be a regular for Bayern Munich, he plays in nearly every game. There is a good chance that the Munich offense is going to need a pick-me-up at some point in the second half, and Muller is going to have to be the guy who delivers it.

Fernando Torres

This certainly hasn't been a dream season by any means for talented striker Fernando Torres, but things have been looking up lately. The Spanish star has been unable to crack the Chelsea starting XI for the most part, although he managed six EPL goals as a reserve.

Even in his reduced role, though, Torres has become an important player. His equalizer in the final minute against Barcelona killed the game and allowed Chelsea to move on from the Champions League semifinal.

Torres is as creative and dangerous as they come, and while his effort has been questioned at times, there is no doubting his world-class skill. The early stages of this game could very well be tentative and result in little to no scoring, so Torres may be counted on heavily in the second half.

Torres will probably step in for Didier Drogba and he will look to create some instant offense, particularly if the Blues are tied or trailing.

Jose Bosingwa

He may not be as well-regarded as the likes of Muller and Torres, but there is no doubt that Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa is a very important reserve for the Blues.

Bosingwa is an attacking back who can really press the issue, so if Chelsea needs a goal late, he very well may be able to create it thanks to his impressive pace and vision. Even if Chelsea is nursing a lead, Bosingwa's mobility will come in handy.

Gary Cahill was injured early in the Blues' second-leg semifinal match against Barcelona, so Bosingwa was pressed into action quite quickly. To make matters worse, John Terry was sent off late in the second half.

Chelsea was forced to play the majority of the match with 10 men, but they somehow managed to pot two goals during that time. Bosingwa's effort was absolutely heroic on the back end and the Blues will look for something similar on Saturday.

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