After twice coming up agonisingly short in the last four years, Bayern finally claimed the Champions League trophy on Saturday night with a 2-1 victory over domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 final at Wembley. Arjen Robben’s last-gasp strike secured FCB’s fifth triumph in Europe’s elite club competition, setting the seal on an exceptional campaign from the Reds, who can complete a historic treble if they win the DFB Cup against Stuttgart next weekend.
The 86,000 full house at the footballing shrine in north London saw a subdued opening from Jupp Heynckes’ men with Manuel Neuer forced into a string of important saves, but FCB warmed to the task midway through the half and created the better of the chances, Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben both going close.
Both teams went for it after the break but it was the Bundesliga champions who opened the scoring, Mandzukic turning in Robben’s cut-back on the hour. Ilkay Gündogan levelled from the spot eight minutes later as the action grew increasingly frenzied, but it was Robben, so often the unlucky man in recent finals, who coolly finished Ribery’s lay-off with just a minute left to play.
Once the joyous celebrations are over, the focus turns to the DFB Cup final in Berlin next weekend, where FCB start as overwhelming favourites against south German rivals VfB Stuttgart.
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