What the Champions League Final Will Tell Us About European Football

A resounding victory in the Nou Camp for Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening has ensured that the Champions League final will be an all German affair, with the Bavarians meeting Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on May 25.

No one can argue that the two sides don't deserve their place at European football's showpiece occasion (except maybe Manuel Pellegrini and Malaga), the duo having proven the outstanding twosome in this season's competition.

But when the German clubs and their loyal band of passionate supporters make their way to London in three weeks' time, what will the match itself tell us about the state of European football and the direction in which it is heading?

Bundesliga on Top

For years it was Italian football which dominated the landscape of European football. Then, along came the Premier League and La Liga and now it appears that it may well be Germany's turn at the pinnacle of the European game.

German football has experienced quite the change since Euro 2000 and a national team display which became the embarrassment of a nation. Money was plunged into facilities and coaching. German clubs have invested well in excess of half a billion euros in academies since 2001-02.

Out went the old, defensive style of football. The sweeper system and the slow, stale approach to attacking made redundant by tactical advances elsewhere. 

In came the need to produce not only those that were tactically clever, but also technically outstanding footballers. A professional foundation was required, and it was this such revolution which acted as the proverbial phoenix from the ashes.

As such, Germany, with a league full of attacking intent and technically gifted, mostly-German footballers has risen and surpassed many of its rivals. The fruits of that post-2000 labour are now being reaped across the league, not merely with their two finalists.

Thus, whilst Wembley will be a sign of the strength of the Bundesliga's two best sides, it will also be a celebration.

A celebration for those who backed and helped bring about change.

A celebration for the German Football Association (DFB).

A celebration for the Bundesliga.

Days of Indulgence Are a Thing of the Past

One of the most surprising moments of the semi-final win for Bayern Munich at Camp Nou, particularly for Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, was the amount of defensive work being undertaken by Bayern winger Arjen Robben.

The Dutch flyer, notoriously flaky when it comes to his defensive duties, was the very embodiment of someone giving his all for the system. No one is indulged and allowed to forgo their defensive duties, as Cristiano Ronaldo is exempt at Real Madrid or like Ronaldinho was at Barcelona under Frank Rijkaard in 2006

Over the two legs Robben's ability to defend and help his full-back, before breaking quickly into the attacking third, was a key component in the Bavarians success. Compare and contrast with how Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil didn't help out their respective full-backs during the first leg in Dortmund, likewise Pedro and Alexis for Barcelona in Munich.

Robben's willingness for the cause was Jupp Heynckes system in microcosm. Similarly, the performances of Marco Reus for their final opponents. Both are outstandingly talented individuals who make key differences in attack. However, both have also bought firmly into their manager's tactical plans and thus work within the structure.

Both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have reached the final due to the strength of the collective. 

There is an appreciation from both sets of players, so noticeable by how they work during the game and how they celebrate success at the end of it, that they couldn't do it single-handedly. Everybody works their socks off for the good of the team.

Expect the final at Wembley to show us once more that at the very, very top level of European football, the best teams can't, and don't, carry passengers.

Are Bayern Set to Reign...

The 7-0 aggregate evisceration of Barcelona in the semi-finals has largely been signalled as the end of an era for the Catalan side, with numerous predicting that the age of Bavaria is set to begin.

Additionally, throw into the ring that they have dominated the Bundesliga, winning it in record-breaking time, and are chasing a historic treble with a German cup final to come also.

With key performers such as Manuel Neuer, Javi Martinez, Philipp Lahm, David Alaba, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller either approaching or at present in their respective primes, the future certainly looks bright.

Their semi-final performances showcased everything that has been good about Bayern this season—defensive resilience, intelligent passing, clinical finishing, lightning-quick counterattacking and physical domination.

And it is for these reasons, allied to the summer arrivals of German wunderkind Mario Gotze and new manager Pep Guardiola, that Bayern are being widely tipped to begin a European reign to rival their trio of successive European Cup wins of the 1970s.

Or Remain as Serial Showpiece Event Chokers?

May 25 will represent Bayern Munich's third Champions League final in four years. Die Roten supporters will be hoping that the occasion is very much third time lucky.

Defeat in 2010 by Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu represented something of a non-performance, the club failing to secure the same German treble at which they have another shot this season.

Likewise, Bayern failed last season in the final against Chelsea, losing on penalties despite enjoying home advantage and having has multiple chances over the course of 120 minutes to claim the trophy as their own.

Of Jupp Heynckes likely starting 11, only the Brazilian defender Dante and Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic have no past experience of European football's major final.

For the rest, it is very much a case of putting old demons, particularly those from last year's loss to the English club when they were mere minutes from victory, firmly to rest

Lose again however, and a crop of German players—Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Neuer, Muller, Jerome Boateng, Kroos, Mario Gomez—who have plenty of 'big game' experience, but with a respectively small amount of medals to show for it, will have their mentality questioned once more.

Can Fairytale Stories come true?

Borussia Dortmund became the first Bundesliga side to be traded on the stock market when they went 'public' just after the turn of the millennium.

However, having spent well beyond their means over the next couple of years, 2005 saw the clubs share price plummet, shedding 80 percent of its value and the club staring bankruptcy in the face.

Though the club would be saved and financial affairs began to be restored to order, 2008 saw a 13th place finish under Thomas Doll, Die Borussen's lowest in 20 years.

Enter Jurgen Klopp, a cast of young, hungry and talented footballers and fast forward to the present day.

Two Bundesliga titles have been secured, whilst Bayern themselves were humbled in the DFB-Pokal final last season. Numerous youngsters have blossomed and Dortmund are the envy of many across Europe for their forward-thinking manager and their oh-so-attractive attacking style of play. Throw in their vociferous support for good measure.

However, with success comes the calls for players to move to new, supposedly greater pastures. Shinji Kagawa left last summer. Mario Gotze has already agreed a move to Bayern, whilst Robert Lewandowski has intimated his future lies elsewhere. The sharks are also likely to circle for others.

May 25 represents the pinnacle for this BVB side, perhaps the end of an era.

For the job Jurgen Klopp has done over the past five years, a fairytale ending would be fitting.

Whether it comes true is another matter.