Bayern Munich Beat Dortmund 2-1 To Win Champions League

Bayern Munich finally stood victorious in the UEFA Champions League as they beat German rivals Borussia Dortmund in what turned out to be one of the best finals the tournament has seen in the recent past.

The stage was set for what many were calling a David versus Goliath battle, but the German fans knew that this was a tryst between two teams on almost equal footing when at their best. Both sides hadnai??i??t faced European success in what seemed to be an eternity, Bayern having come within mere inches of lifting that marvelous trophy on more occasions than one.

It was a night that required the very best of every single player on the field. Mistakes were going to be punished, and punished severely. Brilliance would be credited beyond measure comprehensible. Both Bayern and Dortmund made their fair share of defensive cock-ups, had their goalkeepers to thank on multiple occasions and were separated by one deft finish from a Dutchman under much criticism.

Heynckes aptly said, ai???It was a very intense match for both teams ai??i?? they both went for it and fought hardai???. For those neutrals whoai??i??d watched the previous final against Chelsea, this would come as an absolutely pleasing game, while for a Bayern fan it was nothing short of a relief. Dortmund had their fair share of moments but barring the first fifteen minutes of the game, always seemed a step behind the Bavarians.

Dortmund started brightly with Robert Lewandowski, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Marco Reus forcing Manuel Neuer into good saves. But things started going in favor of Heynckesai??i?? side around the half hour mark as the duo of Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger began to stay an inch ahead of Dortmundai??i??s double pivot at every step. Bayernai??i??s seamless positional interchanges began to take their toll on an unsteady Dortmund defense and were it not for Roman Weidenfeller, the game could have been killed in the first half.

The second forty five began quietly but it proved to be the lull before the storm. An intricate pass from Franck Ribery put Arjen Robeen through on goal but the Dutchman cut wide and squared the ball to Mario Mandzukic who was left with the simple task of tapping into an empty net. It took Dortmund less than ten minutes to level things as Marco Reus was bulldozed by former teammate Dante to give Die Borussen a penalty. Ilkay GA?ndogan stepped up and slotted calmly past Manuel Neuer.

With the game wide open and both defenses being stretched, it seemed inevitable that a winner would come in normal time. And it came in most dramatic fashion as under fire Arjen Robben saw the ball sneak through to him inside the penalty box with just two minutes of normal time remaining, leaving him with the simple task of tapping past Weidenfeller, which he did successfully after having failed a couple of times earlier in the night.

It was a much deserved and long awaited victory for Bayern Munich and the perfect swan song for the legendary coach Jupp Heynckes. Dortmund were left to rue their chances but have won innumerable hearts in this memorable campaign. It was an exhilarating end to a thoroughly enjoyable European season.

Formations, Tactics & Key Performers

Borussia Dortmund

Formation [4-2-3-1]: Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; GA?ndogan, Bender; Blaszczykowski, Reus, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski

The big question ahead of this game was how JA?rgen Kloppai??i??s side would line up in the absence of Mario GAi??tze. The options that Klopp had were to shift GA?ndogan into the pocket behind the striker and field Nuri Sahin/Sebastian Kehl in the double pivot or to play Kevin Grosskreutz on the left and shift Marco Reus into the central role normally occupied by GAi??tze. Klopp chose the latter with the hope of Grosskreutzai??i??s work rate aiding the unreliable Marcel Schmelzer in defense.

Things didnai??i??t pan out as Klopp would have liked when it came to Grosskreutz. The Dortmund born attacker was inconspicuous over the entire ninety minutes, never tracking back to help Schmelzer nor providing anything to Dortmundai??i??s attacks. Luckily for Dortmund, Grosskreutz’s ineffectiveness wasnai??i??t too greatly punished as Philipp Lahm didnai??i??t foray forward with his usual gusto. Schmelzer continued to have a hard time with Arjen Robben all night long and the Dutchmanai??i??s constant shifting of positions left Schmelzer uncertain of what to do and when. His attacking runs were limited and more or less fruitless.

Defensive vulnerabilities characterized the night and at the center of it was Mats Hummels. Showing composure and commendable ability when moving forward with the ball, Hummels played the role of a defensive midfielder fairly well. But the German international was deployed as a center back and was found wandering aimlessly, leaving his man free, on countless occasions. In a game of this stature and for a player of his ability, Hummels left a lot to be desired.

With Hummelsai??i??s unpredictable forays leaving gaps in Dortmundai??i??s defense, Sven Bender was often seen playing in an uncomfortable position somewhere alongside Neven Subotic. This had GA?ndogan either playing far too deep or as a lone midfielder being run over by Schweinsteiger and Martinez. With GA?ndogan unable to exercise his usual influence in midfield and Grosskreutz in hiding, Reus, Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski were left to fight it out against a six man Bayern unit, making the task of scoring all the more difficult.

The Polish captain wasnai??i??t at his best down the right flank and his partner Lukas Piszczekai??i??s attacking runs limited due to injury and Franck Riberyai??i??s presence. With Dortmund being toothless down the wings, the attacking onus was completely on Lewandowski and Reus. The latter fought hard early on but his influence began to wane as the game went on. Reus was undoubtedly Dortmundai??i??s best outfield player, his fast paced, mazy runs remaining their most potent threat. Weidenfeller deserves credit too for his string of impressive saves and was probably Dortmundai??i??s most crucial figure on the night.

Bayern Munich

Formation [4-2-3-1]: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martinez, Schweinsteiger; Robben, MA?ller, Ribery; Mandzukic

Lahm and Alaba were uncharacteristically quiet on the attacking front, but this proved to be crucial in shutting down Dortmundai??i??s attacks down the flanks. Both full backs held their ground, thwarted Dortmundai??i??s below par attack and pushed forward only occasionally but extremely smartly. Dante was uncannily poor in the center of defense, giving away a penalty and being incredibly lucky not to be sent off.

Schweinsteiger and Martinez took full advantage of the space left in the middle thanks to Dortmundai??i??s double pivot shifting into a one man midfield. The German international topped the passing charts and controlled the game for Heynckesai??i??s side, while Martinez proved to be an aerial threat as well. The forty million Euros that Bayern spent on the Spaniard has proven to be a worthy investment, one that has greatly aided Bayernai??i??s bid to do the treble.

Robben was all over the place, playing down the right flank, sneaking through the middle and even heading Bayernai??i??s attack at times. The interchange was seamless between Bayernai??i??s attackers. Mario Mandzukicai??i??s ability to drop back and allow the likes of MA?ller and Robben to take his place had Hummels caught out of position far too regularly for Dortmundai??i??s liking. The effect that Mandzukic has had on this Bayern side has been phenomenal and his performances this season against their nemesis Dortmund are testament to that.

Franck Ribery may not have had as much of an influence as he may have liked but just his presence was enough to keep Piszczek mum and his pass for Robben that led to the first goal was enough to give him at least a commendable rating. MA?ller was a slight disappointment as he failed to exact the usual lethalness that one associates with him. Quiet on the night but did just about enough. If a man of the match had to be chosen, itai??i??d probably have to be Mario Mandzukic for his goal and endless energy.

Aftermath

Borussia Dortmund were never expected to come this far in the tournament, so this shouldnai??i??t go down as a disappointment. Theyai??i??ve shown that they can compete without their wonderkid Mario GAi??tze but not at the same level as when they do have his services. This summer is going to be hugely important for Dortmund if they are to continue to remain a force in European football and addressing this wafer thin squad is going to be the task of the next two months. Theyai??i??ve won innumerable hearts but only temporarily. To become one of Europeai??i??s big names, Dortmund are going to have to spend, spend wisely yet a considerable amount.

Jupp Heynckes surely couldnai??i??t have asked for a better farewell. All of Bayernai??i??s efforts over the past few seasons have finally borne fruit. Their spending prowess has come under the scanner of the football world but the performances of the three big players they signed this season, Mandzukic, Dante and Martinez, have silenced critics and shown us all that heavy spending can be smart, necessary and incredibly fruitful. The Guardiola era beckons, but predicting how it will pan out seems an impossible task.

Tactical Analysis: Bayern Triumph Over Dortmund

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