Not the 1812 but the 2012 Overture

To follow an incredible denouement to the Premier League comes an amazing conclusion to European club football for 2011-12.  Chelsea have finally won the UEFA Champions League and provided extra political security to Roman Abramovich in his Russian dealings.  It was all set for Bayern Munich – at their own stadium, to win it for the fifth time and thus keep the trophy permanently as Real Madrid, AC Milan and Liverpool have done before them – but, with such pressure, they choked, skewing wide or weakly shot after shot.  When they finally did burst the Chelsea net, it was a scruffy goal and Chelsea replied with an equaliser almost instantaneously.

Instead, Chelsea become the first London team to win the European Cup, with it being the last chance for many members in this squad.  Indeed, how much longer would Abramovich have continued to support the west London outfit had they failed this time (conversely, now they have fulfilled his dream, the former governor of Chukotia could now depart)?  It had to be Drogba who was at the heart of much of the action.  He scored the late, late goal to draw Chelsea level after Bayern’s late strike; he conceded the penalty in extra time (that Petr Cech saved); and his was the spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out that was the coup de grace.  It was how Patrick Viera finished his Arsenal career by being the final of five penalty-takers and scoring to win the 2005 FA Cup for Arsenal.  Ominously for the Stamford Bridge lot, the Gunners haven’t won a trophy since.

Commiserations to Bayern then and to Tottenham Hotspur who have had their Champions League place for next season gazumped by the Blues, despite finishing five points and two places above them domestically.  This could see the break-up of the White Hart Lane crew – it remains to be seen whether the achievement of fourth place is a sufficient inducement to the star players, alluding to the possibility of future glory as it does.

There are some interesting parallels with last night’s final and other games.  In 2005, Sporting Lisbon had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to lift the UEFA Cup (the predecessor to the second-tier Europa League) at their own ground, but, despite going ahead, fluffed it and lost to CSKA Moscow.  Also, now the last three English victories in the Champions League final have come on penalty shoot-outs and Manchester United’s triumph over Bayern in 1999 was sealed only in the dying minutes of the game in normal time.  As Chelsea coach Roberto di Matteo had the nous to mention, this result is also important for England’s co-efficient – UEFA’s ranking of club football in the country, helping with seeding and places available for the Champions League.  Since 2002, when England have been permitted the maximum four teams, clubs from this land have stormed Europe every three to four years (2005, 2008, 2012) – a good hit rate.

I’m very happy for di Matteo, one of football’s good guys.  He’ll probably get at least a one-year contract prior to maybe Pep Guardiola taking over after a year’s sabbatical.  Frank Lampard can show his medals to Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard now at England meetings at international level.  It was slightly queasy seeing John Terry lift the trophy, but that shouldn’t mean others who were also suspended should have been prevented from doing so.  This was a last hurrah for some such as Florent Malouda and it could be said for them, they saved the best till last in their career.