Live and in HD on ESPN Foxtel, Austar and SKY NZ & espn3.com
With the finish of the domestic European club football season last weekend all eyes now turn to the world’s most-watched club competition final and ESPN will be there, bringing all the action LIVE from "Fußball Arena München" in Germany as Bayern Munich and Chelsea face each other for the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League Title.
ESPN’s coverage will be broadcast in 31 countries and territories in Oceania, Asia and Brazil with a household reach of 169.1 million.
A half hour Press Pass pre-game preview will kick off proceedings at 4am before the match coverage starts LIVE at 4:30am. Australian Andrew Orsatti will host from the studios where he will cross to the commentary team of Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe, on location in Munich. A LIVE 60 minute post-game show featuring special guest Chelsea Legend Frank Leboeuf will follow the match coverage.
To whet the appetite ESPN2 continues this week with the ‘Best Of UEFA Champions League 2011-12,’ nightly at 8pm. The remaining matches include Chelsea vs. Napoli, Leg 2 Thursday, May 17, Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, Leg 2 Friday, May 18 and Barcelona vs. Chelsea, Leg 2, Saturday, May 19.
The 57th staging of the Champions League Final has all the hallmarks of a classic battle with the mighty German team primed for victory in front of a home crowd, especially when this weekend’s match will mark the first time that a Champions League finalist has had home stadium advantage. For Chelsea, the proud English club is playing for a Champions League berth.
Bayern, Europe’s four time UEFA Champions League winners, have won the German Bundesliga a record 22 times and its domestic cup another 15. It has its four UEFA CL titles from eight finals appearances, winning in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001 and losing in 1982, 1987, 1999 and in its most recent appearance in 2010 to Inter Milan. The most successful football club in Germany, only Spain’s Real Madrid can claim more all-around success than what the Germans have done in their time.
A club of their sizeable history however will still be smarting from losing out in the recent Bundesliga and will not want to finish the season without a trophy.
In contrast, Chelsea has reached the Champions League final just once before, losing to Manchester United in 2008 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at full time. The London-based club hasve a proud history having been named English and League Cup champions four times respectively and FA Cup winners seven times, most recently defeating Liverpool 2-1 to take the crown on May 5 earlier this month.
To reach the final, in the knockout phase Bayern defeated Basel, Marseille, and Real Madrid (3–1 on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate score), while Chelsea downed Napoli, Benfica, and the defending champions Barcelona (3–2 on aggregate).
The teams have met only once before with the English team coming out on top in a goal-laden UEFA Champions League quarter-final in 2004/05. Chelsea advanced into the Champions League semi-finals despite a defeat against Bayern Munich (2-3), forging ahead on a 6-5 aggregate.
Throw into the mix that both teams have significant names out and the build up is mouth-watering.
Chelsea will be without defender Branislav Ivanovic, midfielders Raul Meireles and Ramires and influential captain John Terry as all have been ruled out due to suspension. Terry was suspended after being red-carded in the semi-final, which automatically excludes a player from the final. The others received yellow cards in the semi-finals, which took them over the limit of a third yellow card of the competition.
Also set to miss the final due to suspension are highly regarded Bayern starters Luiz Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and young gun David Alaba who at 19 was named man of the match in the semi-final second leg against Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, the same match where all three were booked.
The UEFA Champions League Final – Bayern Munich v Chelsea is LIVE on ESPN at 4:30am, Sunday May 20 AEST.
Replays will air the same day @ 9am (ESPN), 3:30pm (ESPN2), & 8pm (ESPN)
ESPN’s coverage will be broadcast in 31 countries and territories in Oceania, Asia and Brazil with a household reach of 169.1 million.
A half hour Press Pass pre-game preview will kick off proceedings at 4am before the match coverage starts LIVE at 4:30am. Australian Andrew Orsatti will host from the studios where he will cross to the commentary team of Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe, on location in Munich. A LIVE 60 minute post-game show featuring special guest Chelsea Legend Frank Leboeuf will follow the match coverage.
To whet the appetite ESPN2 continues this week with the ‘Best Of UEFA Champions League 2011-12,’ nightly at 8pm. The remaining matches include Chelsea vs. Napoli, Leg 2 Thursday, May 17, Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, Leg 2 Friday, May 18 and Barcelona vs. Chelsea, Leg 2, Saturday, May 19.
The 57th staging of the Champions League Final has all the hallmarks of a classic battle with the mighty German team primed for victory in front of a home crowd, especially when this weekend’s match will mark the first time that a Champions League finalist has had home stadium advantage. For Chelsea, the proud English club is playing for a Champions League berth.
Bayern, Europe’s four time UEFA Champions League winners, have won the German Bundesliga a record 22 times and its domestic cup another 15. It has its four UEFA CL titles from eight finals appearances, winning in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001 and losing in 1982, 1987, 1999 and in its most recent appearance in 2010 to Inter Milan. The most successful football club in Germany, only Spain’s Real Madrid can claim more all-around success than what the Germans have done in their time.
A club of their sizeable history however will still be smarting from losing out in the recent Bundesliga and will not want to finish the season without a trophy.
In contrast, Chelsea has reached the Champions League final just once before, losing to Manchester United in 2008 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at full time. The London-based club hasve a proud history having been named English and League Cup champions four times respectively and FA Cup winners seven times, most recently defeating Liverpool 2-1 to take the crown on May 5 earlier this month.
To reach the final, in the knockout phase Bayern defeated Basel, Marseille, and Real Madrid (3–1 on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate score), while Chelsea downed Napoli, Benfica, and the defending champions Barcelona (3–2 on aggregate).
The teams have met only once before with the English team coming out on top in a goal-laden UEFA Champions League quarter-final in 2004/05. Chelsea advanced into the Champions League semi-finals despite a defeat against Bayern Munich (2-3), forging ahead on a 6-5 aggregate.
Throw into the mix that both teams have significant names out and the build up is mouth-watering.
Chelsea will be without defender Branislav Ivanovic, midfielders Raul Meireles and Ramires and influential captain John Terry as all have been ruled out due to suspension. Terry was suspended after being red-carded in the semi-final, which automatically excludes a player from the final. The others received yellow cards in the semi-finals, which took them over the limit of a third yellow card of the competition.
Also set to miss the final due to suspension are highly regarded Bayern starters Luiz Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and young gun David Alaba who at 19 was named man of the match in the semi-final second leg against Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, the same match where all three were booked.
The UEFA Champions League Final – Bayern Munich v Chelsea is LIVE on ESPN at 4:30am, Sunday May 20 AEST.
Replays will air the same day @ 9am (ESPN), 3:30pm (ESPN2), & 8pm (ESPN)
