Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich: 5 Reasons Blues Will Win Champions League Final

The time is upon us!

No, not the day before arguably the biggest game in Chelsea’s history, but that moment where I ignore any kind of objectivity or supposed veil of “integrity” I have for my writing and speak directly from my overly confident and overtly braggadocios fandom for my beloved Blues.

It was more than two months ago that I woke up and decided to put together my first “reasons they will win” slideshow in nothing more than a hopeful attempt to make a fanbase optimistic going into the second leg of Chelsea’s showdown against Napoli.

Since then, I have tried to make it a point to publish one of these pieces every time the boys from Stamford Bridge have their backs up against a proverbial wall. That wall may never be as big as it will be Saturday night, with Bayern Munich playing at home heavy favorites to win the European title.

If you have come here looking for an unbiased source of reason, continue your search. Everything I will say here goes beyond being bias and will border on utter stupidity, the same kind has us all following the inane act of sports with such fervor in the first place.

I will try to sprinkle some reason in here or there, but reason does not have its place in the game.

Here are five reasons Chelsea will be crowned Champions League winners.

Petr Cech

In many of my articles leading to the buildup of this match, I have made quite a big deal about the goaltending battle. It could be argued that all season long Chelsea has not faced a keeper that was better than their own, giving them a slight advantage on the defensive side and in confidence.

On Saturday, this will not be the case.

Bayern’s keeper Manuel Neuer is just another in a long line of German greats to play their traded in net. He is considered by many to be the best keeper in the world and, more often than not, lives up to that hype.

This summer will be his real test as he will be expected to contribute quite a big deal for the favored Germans to win Euro 2012. But before that he has his first big test against Chelsea.

It is the biggest game that Neuer has been in to date and probably the one where he will feel the most pressure to perform. However, Cech has seen more than his fair share of high-stake games in his career and is well versed in how to deal with the stress in the buildup and game day.

You need to look no further than what he did against Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal, Benfica in the quarters and even Liverpool in the FA Cup final.

There is absolutely no reason why anyone should suggest that Cech will not perform the same in this matchup. He is one of the most reliable keepers playing today, and his intimidation through reputation can be enough alone to throw a shooter off.

You begin to think just a bit more when firing on someone like Cech, and when you think, you are dead.

Odds are that it won’t be a shutout—Bayern is just too good especially at home.

Cech will get more than his fair share of highlight reel saves and it will be enough to keep them in the game.

Drogba’s Swan Song

It almost pains me to write this, but it could be the last time we ever see Didier Drogba in Chelsea blue. The legendary forward who cemented his legacy this season with sensational displays in every single important match, is looking more and more likely to be out of Stamford Bridge following the end of his contract this summer.

Drogba has won every trophy he can at Chelsea, from preseason Asian cups to multiple League titles. The one that has eluded him, however, is that same that the club craves more than any other —the Champions League.

This Saturday will be the second time he has played in the final and could be his last shot at it. He is 34 years old and obviously nearing the end of being competitive at the top tier level. Though he still can show shades of his former self, they are much more fleeting and management has to move on sometime.

For Didier, this is more than just some game for a trophy—it is almost like the cornerstone to complete what has been a sensational career. It is that final block in monument to greatness which, if it's not met does not bring the validity of it into question, but there is always the sense it could have been just a bit better.

It seems that Drogba has been the most important player in the match in every important game that the Blues have played this season. He only has 12 goals this season in all competitions, but six of them were the difference in winning or not and four of those are the sole reason Chelsea has gotten this far in Champions League.

There is not logical reason in my mind why he would not be able to do it again. He is well rested, so his age should not be a factor and he is going up against at least one backup defender, so quality should not favor Bayern—never are the lights going to shine brighter than Saturday night.

It all adds up to what could potentially be the biggest game of his career.

It is impossible to imagine where Chelsea would be this season without him. Heck, it is impossible to imagine where the club would be without him these past eight years.

But, come game time, none of that will matter as he will step up to the stage for the last time in his greatest performance ever.

Chelsea Are Depleted, but so Is Bayern

So much has been made about the suspensions that Chelsea is having to deal with. John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic will both be unavailable in the final, leaving two gaping holes in backline. Ramires and Raul Meireles also will not play, taking away their biggest goal scoring threat over recent weeks and someone who has turned out to be a reliable midfielder.

But for some reason, most are seeing these suspensions as the difference maker in the game and ignoring the impact of Bayern’s own lack of depth. The Germans will be without David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Luiz Gustavo, who are all also out due to suspension.

This is practically Bayern’s entire defense.

Alaba and Badstuber have been the two choice backs for Jupp Heyneckes on the right and center respectively. Gustavo was the wall in front of them, making it difficult for easy movement of the ball in the midfield and allowing the quick Bayern counter that has been so effective for them.

In all likelihood, Heyneckes will be bringing in Daniel Van Buyten or Antoliy Tymoshchuk in the middle and perhaps doing some shuffling around with the fullbacks. In either case, the drop from Alaba, Badstuber and Gustavo is much greater than from any Chelsea player.

Though the Blues would love to have Terry and Ivanovic on the backline, replacements David Luiz and Gary Cahill are not just any backup defenders. There was a time when both could have argued for a starting place over either and likely would have if not for their injuries.

It also benefits them that the Chelsea defense starts primarily through the midfield. As great as the defense was at keeping Barca quiet, it was only because of the shutdown play in front of the backline.

Luiz and Cahill may not be as good as the players they are replacing, but they are also asked to not do as much as the Bayern defenders who will be tasked with stopping one of the most inventive forwards in the game.

For me, it just seems like at best the suspensions are equal for both sides and perhaps even Chelsea has the upper hand.

Robert Di Matteo Can Do No Wrong

It was the only good move that former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas made in his tenure and probably one that was as much on the advice of the board than any, but no one could argue that Roberto Di Matteo’s return to Stamford Bridge has been nothing more than sensational.

He does not have a blemish free record, nor does he always make the best choice on subs or starting 11.

At times you wonder how long his "live on the edge of your seat" tactics will hold up and even criticize him for his overly defensive approach.

But there has never been an out pour for his head; on the contrary, some fans are livid that he has not already been offered the full-time spot. 

I have to ask why a manager with an okay 12-4-3 record, but was destroyed by Liverpool, gave up a lead to Manchester City and still has not yet qualified for Champions League next season is getting so much support.

The answer is simple: he gives the team hope.

The reason why it seems that Di Matteo can do no wrong is because he really has not. All we ask of a manager is to give his team the best chance to reach their goals week in and week out.

He doesn’t create unnecessary unrest by deviating from the script on interviews. He doesn’t call out players who are underperforming in public. He doesn’t make every game a question mark about the outcome.

For the first time ever in following the club, I felt uneasy about games under AVB. When Chelsea played West Brom, I was not sure if they were going to win, and when they played United, I knew they would not win. In the past, I never had this feeling and was always confident that no matter the opponent they would come away victorious.

 Di Matteo has restored that confidence for me and the fans. On Saturday night, I will be as confident as ever.

Fate

If you have ever read any of my articles, you know how much of a farce I think the idea of “fate” is. It is just a storytelling device used to embellish an occurrence in life and make it seem more probable than it really is. For some reason people believe it, so why not make it a reason for Chelsea’s impending triumph.

It was three and a half months ago that Chelsea was dead in the water. Their chances of winning the League was out of the question, fourth place was just out of reach, and they needed a victory against Birmingham at St. Andrews (where they had not lost all season) to stay in the FA Cup and were in danger of being bounced from Champions League. The beginning of the epic, Chelsea FC 2011-12.

My, that seems like some time ago.

Today, Chelsea are the 2012 FA Cup champions on the eve of a Champions League Final and have arguably been the best team in the world over the past few weeks.

You could pick from half a dozen games played over that span and be able to write novels on them. The incredible comeback over Napoli, their thrashing of Tottenham or the two most perfect games of football I have ever seen played against Barcelona.

All would be gripping tales of athleticism, determination and the gods of the games that dictate the unpredictable.

Chelsea will win for no more reason that no god is cruel enough to rob an author of what could be one of the most storied seasons in all of sports. A perfect bookend to an emotionally exhausting stretch that dates back to June 2011. A epoch of drama capped with a the kind of ending that only happens in storybooks.

A perfect season.

Why Do You Think Chelsea Will Win?

If you made it through this entire article without feeling the need to strangle me for my ridiculous proclamations, then you probably have blue running through your veins.

Like I said, this is not meant to be an impartial piece to stimulate debate, but rather to get the fans excited for the coming victory in Munich.

However, if you do want to argue against me, please do. I am sure there are plenty of fallacies in my logic and even more reasons why Bayern is favored.

But I and every other Chelsea fan on here will answer you with the same overenthusiastic bravado that wrote this in the first place.

So why do you (or don’t you) think Chelsea will win Saturday night?

As always, please leave your comments below and thanks for reading!

#KTBFFH!!!!

For all my articles, follow me on Twitter: @thecriterionman