The European football season effectively comes to and end this weekend, as the Champions League final takes centre stage. This year’s final will see an all-German affair, with a notable shift in power in European football taking place from Spain to Germany. Of course, only time will tell if Spanish domination will be replaced by a German era, but the signs are visible for all to see. Bayern Munich probably go into the final as favourites, having dominated everyone and everything this season, but Borussia Dortmund have ridden their luck on more than one occasion in the competition this season already, and Klopp’s men will know that they have nothing to lose on Saturday night.
Champions League Final Odds
Bayern (3/4 over 90 minutes and 2/5 to win the trophy outright) go into Saturday night’s final as slight favourites, you feel, even though the final is expected to be a very tense affair, not only for the sense of occasion that will inevitably bring a few nerves, but also, of course, for the tense rivalry shared between these two clubs. Both league games this season between these two sides were drawn, though Bayern triumphed in the German Cup encounter earlier this season, as well as claiming the German Super Cup at the beginning of the season.
However, Dortmund (15/4, and 21/10 outright) will take confidence from the fact that the last final played between these two sides, in the German Cup final last season, saw them triumph 5-2, with Robert Lewandowski claiming a hat trick.
Both sides have scored plenty of goals in reaching the final, though, with it being a final, and with so much at stake, it could be that the two sides could be a bit more closed off and cautious than they would normally be. Three goals and more in the game pays out at 8/11, with under three goals being offered at 43/40 at present. Bayern players lead the goal scorer markets, with Mario Mandzukic, a likely starter over Mario Gomez, leading the market at 6/5, just ahead of the German striker, who is at 13/10. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who is rumoured to leave Dortmund at the end of the season and may be playing his last game for the club on Saturday, is at 13/8 to score anytime. Marco Reus is at 9/4, whereas Thomas Muller is 6/4.
One player who has already played his last game for Dortmund is playmaker Mario Götze, who misses the final after not recovering from a thigh injury sustained in the second leg semi-final against Real Madrid. Götze has already agreed to a summer transfer to Bayern, and his new employers must be pleased that their new signing will not be lining up against them.
Bayern have some injury problems of their own, with Toni Kroos and Holger Badstuber out for the season, though you expect that Bayern will have enough depth in their squad to cover these injuries. Muller has filled the vacant spot left by Kroos well in recent weeks, and with the wealth of talent surrounding him in the Bayern lineup, Kroos’ absence may not be felt too much.
Bayern have lost the final in two of the last three seasons, and will be hoping that it is third time lucky on Saturday night. Still on for a treble, the pressure will be on them to perform. Dortmund have done well to get to this stage, and will know better than any other team what is required to beat their rivals. Don’t be too surprised if the Champions League final is wrapped in black and gold ribbons come Saturday night, and at 21/10, Dortmund aren’t too bad value.
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Tagged With : Bayern Munich • Borussia Dortmund • Champions League
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