Champions League Final 2013: Stars Who Must Shine for Bayern Munich to Prevail

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will meet in an all-German UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday with The Bavarians seemingly holding the advantage in terms of overall talent. That certainly doesn't guarantee victory, but it's easy to see why Munich is the favored side.

Dortmund won't go quietly, though, as it has a strong team in its own right. Provided both squads play to their full potential, however, this game is Munich's to lose. In order for The FCB to play at the highest level it possibly can, there are several stars who need to step up.

Here are three in particular who must take over the match on Saturday to ensure that Bayern Munich secures the prestigious European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Thomas Muller

Munich boasts a great deal of offensive talent, but attacking midfielder Thomas Muller certainly tops the list. Muller was dominant for Bayern during league play, but has been even better in the Champions League. Muller leads the team with eight goals in 11 matches and has added two assists as well. He  must continue that fine play if Munich is going to take care of Dortmund.

Muller scored a late goal for Bayern against Chelsea in the Champions League Final last year to take a 1-0 lead, but Didier Drogba tied it in the 88th minute and Chelsea went on to win via penalty kicks. While that loss had to be disappointing, Muller believes that it will help them rather than hurt them during this year's title match, according to Andrew Haslam of UEFA.com.

It remains to be seen if Muller's feelings will ring true, but he proved last year that the moment isn't too big for him. Bayern was just a couple minutes away from winning it all thanks to his marker in the 83rd minute, but it wasn't to be. Expect Muller to be in great form as he aims to taste the victory that Munich came so close to achieving last year.

Manuel Neuer

While the focus when it comes to Munich is often on its offensive stars, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been just as responsible as anyone for the team's success. There have been questions about Neuer's consistency in the past, but that simply hasn't been an issue this year. He has especially taken his game to another level in Champions League play as he has been nearly unbeatable throughout the tournament.

It doesn't take an expert to understand how well Neuer has been playing as he recorded four clean sheets in the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals. According to Champions Matchday, however, Neuer is the first goalkeeper to accomplish that feat since Edwin van der Sar turned the trick for Manchester United in 2008.

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#DidYouKnow @fcbayern keeper Manuel Neuer is the first man to keep 4 clean sheets in the QFs & SFs since Edwin van der Sar in 2008!

— Champions Matchday (@ChampionsMag) May 23, 2013"

Goalkeeping is always a big deal, but it is of the utmost importance in a Champions League Final. One minor slip up can lead to a goal and all it takes is a single marker to win in some cases. Munich should have enough offensive firepower to put some shots in the back of the net, but it isn't a given. As long as Neuer continues to play at his current level, though, Bayern should ultimately be fine.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

It probably isn't fair to place blame on one player for Munich's Champions League Final loss last year, but midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger took the brunt of the criticism. Schweinsteiger was Bayern's fifth penalty kick taker against Chelsea and had a chance to put the pressure on Didier Drogba. He was stopped, however, and Drogba went on to deposit his attempt in the net to give Chelsea the victory.

Schweinsteiger had played a fine game to that point and had an excellent season, but that seemingly didn't matter after his failure.

Schweinsteiger bounced back this season and has been a huge part of Munich's return to the final. With two goals and four assists, he is among the team's most dangerous offensive producers. Schweinsteiger is confident in his ability as well as the team's ability to get the job done this time around, according to GOAL! Bundesliga.

He is an extremely versatile player, excelling both offensively and defensively. That type of two-way game should come in handy during a match that is sure to be tightly contested. As long as Schweinsteiger doesn't allow last year's result to weigh on his mind, he will be a key contributor on Saturday.

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