Chelsea will be looking to become the first London team to lift the European Cup when they take on four-time winners Bayern Munich in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final at the Allianz Arena, the German side’s home ground.
This will be one of the biggest nights in the club’s history, and you can watch all the drama unfold with extensive coverage on ITV and Sky Sports on Saturday 19th May.
Chelsea have never won European club football’s top prize and they are massive underdogs against a Bayern side playing in their own back yard.
But Chelsea can take heart from their recent results under interim coach Roberto di Matteo, who steered them to victory in the FA Cup Final two weeks ago.
The Blues have rallied under Di Matteo and now find themselves in their second final in five years, and will no doubt be desperate to avenge their heart-breaking loss to Manchester United in the 2008 final.
Drawn against defending champions Barcelona in the semi-finals, few gave the Blues much chance of progressing.
But rather than running riot, Barca’s menacing front-line were halted as Chelsea put on a stunning rearguard display in both legs to advance to the final 3-2 on aggregate.
The result was even more impressive given that the Blues played much of the second leg with ten men after John Terry was sent off for a petulant kick on Alexis Sanchez.
But despite that hard-fought win, Chelsea cannot rest on their laurels.
Bayern are one of the most successful teams in European football and in Jupp Heynckes, they have a coach who has already tasted Champions League glory.
The hugely experienced German ended Real Madrid’s 32-year wait for the title in 1998 and, after masterminding his old team’s downfall in the semi-finals, is hungry for more success.
The 2012 finalists have only met once in the Champions League before, with the Blues winning 6-5 over two legs in the quarter final in 2005.
Chelsea will be looking to go one better than the final in 2008, which they lost on penalties to Manchester United, while Bayern have won the European Cup four times, most recently in 2001, and were runners-up in 2010 to Inter Milan.
Live coverage of the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final will be shown on ITV1, Sky Sports 1 and Sky 3D.
Read SOTB’s viewing guide below:
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ITV1 has live free-to-air coverage of Chelsea’s bid to win European football’s ultimate prize.
Build-up to 45-minutes before kick-off, with the Blues hoping to bring the Champions League trophy back to Stamford Bridge for the first time.
The programme, broadcast live from the stadium in Munich, will be packed with interviews with key players from both sides and former Chelsea heroes, airing their views on the chances of Roberto di Matteo’s team winning.
ITV’s live coverage will be presented by Adrian Chiles, who will be joined for expert analysis by Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola, Roy Keane and Gareth Southgate.
Former Blues captain Andy Townsend joins Clive Tyldesley in the commentary box, with Gabriel Clarke and Ned Boulting providing roving reports.
If you miss any of the action, Matt Smith will present highlights later in the evening on ITV1.
Coverage is also available to watch in high-definition on ITV1 HD, and live streaming of the final will also be available via the ITV Football website.
Saturday 19th May UEFA Champions League Final LIVE – ITV1 – 7.00pm-10.25pm Highlights – ITV1 – 10.40pm-11.25pm.
Sky Sports will have comphrensive coverage of the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final.
The match is part of a sensational day of sport on May 19 – billed as the ‘Day of Destiny’ – which includes live coverage of four major cups finals totalling up to an impressive 48 hours of live sport in one day (trailer above).
Viewers can sample all the build-up and pre-match atmosphere in the run up to European football’s greatest showpiece during the week on Sky Sports News, with various reporters stationed around the city providing regular reports and interviews.
At the weekend, Jeff Stelling leads Sky Sports’ unrivalled coverage from Munich, beginning with a 90-minute preview show, with it first airing on Friday 18th May at 6pm on Sky Sports 2 and will be repeated at various times in the build-up to the final on Saturday night.
Pre-match build-up begins at 6pm on Sky Sports 1, with an in-depth look at the two sides, if Chelsea can cope without their suspended players, including John Terry, and who will offer the main threat from the German outfit.
Expert analysis and insights will come from multiple European Cup winners Ruud Gullit and Graeme Souness, along with Sky Sports’ regular Jamie Redknapp.
Commentary on the final itself will be provided by Martin Tyler and Gary Neville, while reports and interviews come from Geoff Shreeves.
All of Sky Sports’ coverage will be available in high-definition and available to view on various platforms, including online, mobile and tablet devices, via Sky Go.
Friday 18th May UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Sky Sports 2 – 6pm-7.30pm Saturday 19th May UEFA Champions League Final LIVE – Sky Sports 1 – 6pm-10.30pm.
Sky customers with a 3D-ready TV can also see the game live in stunning 3D via the Sky 3D channel.
3D coverage begins 15-minutes before kick-off at 7.30pm.
Saturday 19th May UEFA Champions League Final LIVE – Sky 3D – 7.30pm-10.30pm.
