Two of Europe’s most storied clubs will meet in the Champions League final on May 22 in Madrid (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX) as Germany’s Bayern Munich faces off against Italy’s Inter Milan.
Inter booked its place in the finals by ousting defending champions Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate after a tense encounter at Camp Nou that saw midfielder Thiago Motta ejected en route to a 1-0 loss. Bayern brushed aside France’s Olympique Lyonnais 4-0 on aggregate, with striker Ivica Olic collecting a hat trick on Tuesday to seal their progress.
COACHING COMPARISON
The matchup pits master against student. Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho worked under Bayern manager Louis van Gaal in the early 90s at Barcelona. And in a twist, both men have the chance to do what only two other coaches in history have accomplished.
The late Ernst Happel and former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld are the only men ever to win a European Cup with two different teams. After this year’s final, they will be joined in the history books by either van Gaal or Mourinho, who both enter with European Cups already on their resumes.
OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE
The matchup will pit what is arguably Europe’s most feared attacking trident against the continent’s stoutest defense in a competition that usually rewards conservative tactics. At Camp Nou on Wednesday, Inter demonstrated their twist on the classically Italian defensive style of football, catenaccio, by blunting Barcelona’s attack for a full 84 minutes. Such defensive steadiness and organization is the stylistic hallmark of Mourinho, who led Porto to unlikely European glory in 2003-04 and helped establish Chelsea as an English powerhouse.
Bayern, led by Dutch winger Arjen Robben, boasts an explosive attack. Against Lyon, they were smothering, keeping their front line so high that the French midfielders couldn’t even get a shot on Hans-Joerg Butt’s goal. But Bayern will have to win in Madrid without star midfielder Franck Ribery, who was banned for three games this week by UEFA after a vicious tackle on Lyon’s Lisandro in the first leg of the semifinals.
ANCIENT HISTORY VS. STORIED HISTORY?
While Inter are one of the few teams to successfully defend their European Cup title, they did it over 40 years ago, winning from 1963-1965. Inter’s last appearance in the finals was in 1972, 38 long years ago (it’s worth noting that in the modern era, no team has been able to successfully defend: AC Milan were the last to do it, back in 1988-90).
Bayern is the more storied side, and one of the most successful teams in Europe. The Germans have won the European Cup four times, most recently in 2001, and finished as runners-up three times.
DOMESTIC FORM
Inter is aiming for its fifth straight Serie A title, and currently holds a two-point lead over Roma with three matches remaining. Roma lost to Sampdoria last weekend, allowing Inter to reclaim its place at the top of the table.
Bayern, meanwhile, is locked in a battle for the Bundesliga title with Schalke. The two teams are tied with two matches to go. Bayern can also win the German Cup if they defeat Werder Bremen next month in the DFB Pokal final.
Jamie Trecker is a senior writer for FoxSoccer.com covering the Champions League and European football.
