Soccer News: UEFA Champions League Final UPDATE

Chelsea vs Bayern Munich In Champions League Final: 1-1 Goes into Overtime then Penalties

CHELSEA WINS 4-3 on Penalties.

Epic and Unforgettable, Drogba saves Chelsea in regulation, then gives away a penalty and fianlly caps the win by scoring the final PKs for an unbelievable, come from behind victory.  

Read: Updated GAME RECAP and FOX ANALYST REPORT

Chelsea FC wins a shootout in UEFA competition to win their first Champions League title, and they did it while away on Bayern Munich's home field surrounded by fans wearing red and not blue.

Commentary as it happened...As the Battle Continues to Rage On in Munich for the Bayern Munich & Chelsea FC’s Battle for European Supremacy... the championship will be decided in PK's.  The moments that will define destiny.

Gomez, Luiz, Cole and Neuer score ... Penalty shootout like never before as the score swings back and forth.

Chelsea FC faces Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final at Allianz Arena, the home grounds for the Bundesliga powerbase and it has not been an easy match. In front of 66,000 soccer fans, the action builds to an intense end unfolding in Extra Time.

Tough from the start, neither side controlling the ball for long and an endless series of almost but not quite near goals has drawn to a close with the 1-1 score and OT. The action really heightens as the match draws to a close and Goalie Cech saves a rocket shot of a penalty and the scores stays balanced.

Chelsea’s famed soccer star Drogba could have saved the championship (again) just before overtime but his shot went high over the net and the battle rages on as the world waits to see who shall emerge as the champion.

Drogba's amazing in-control header that scored Chelsea FC's first goal will remain on the favorite moments of the match.  Will this amazing soccer performer stay with Chelsea or will this be his last time on the field with this team?

In the final moments, it seems as if the home advantage is taking effect and the fans are in full swing as they reach out to support their team. The penalty save didn't shake confidence. 

Bayern may have more control and possession of the ball, some analysts offering up 60-40%, the big difference is the number of attempts to score. Even early on, Bayern was almost 8:1 ratio of goal attempts according to the Guardian in the UK. The big problem for Bayern was their ability to get the ball into the back of the net.

More soccer fans than ever before are watching the UEFA Final and soccer is definitely on the upswing in America with local sports bars full of screaming fans.

WATCH: Muller's Goal on top and Drogba's on bottom

Earlier Release:

Complete Analysis Begins Saturday at 2:00 PM ET on FOX - Blanket Coverage Leading Up to Kick-Off. Don't miss Host Rob Stone as he Sits Down For Exclusive Interview with UEFA President Michel Platini - Plus, what will Analysts Eric Wynalda and Warrne Barton say? Who is the favorite?

A good excuse to return to the sofa and watch TV returns this weekend. Everyone is talking about the FC Bayern Munich vs Chelsea battle on the field.  Who will win?  Who will get bragging rights?

2012 UEFA Champions League Final is The Richest Day In Sports

The stage is set for the biggest game in club soccer, as Germany’s Bayern Munich and Barclays Premier League side Chelsea FC face off on Saturday, May 19 for the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final.

Bayern has the advantage of being the first team to play a UEFA Champions League Final in its home stadium, while Chelsea is on a quest to capture its first European Cup.

Rob Stone, FOX Soccer lead studio host, believes that Bayern Munich is a heavy favorite playing at home, “Without a doubt Bayern Munich is the favorite. They would have been the favorite even if the game was held at a neutral site. With the form that Bayern Munich is in, and the offensive capability that they have, and with the suspensions that are hitting a majority of the Chelsea starting players, it is beyond fair to say that Bayern Munich is the favorite.”

Eric Wynalda, FOX Soccer analyst and former U.S. Men’s National Team striker, who is excited about the upcoming soccer match says, “They are both very good teams, but it will be a different cast of characters in Munich for Chelsea because of the suspensions of several players. That said, Chelsea is riding the excitement of an FA Cup win and that will help. On paper right now, with the suspensions that both teams have, it’s going to be a very offensive game. Regardless, it’s going to be a great game and either way there are going to be a lot of goals in this one.”

Warren Barton FOX Soccer analyst and former Newcaslte United defender thinks the game’s most impactful player is Drogba, “For me it’s Didier Drogba. I’ve played with people like Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer, and Drogba is my type of striker. There are others more technically gifted, but all day long I’ll take Drogba. He’s big, physical and fast, and he knows his way around the goal.”

Soccer enthusiasts in the United States can enjoy the UEFA Championship for the third consecutive year on FOX Sports.  Fox is broadcasting this showcase event live, with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Aside from the prestige that comes along with hoisting the European Cup, there is also a significant amount of wealth to be had for the victor. 2011 UEFA Champions League winner FC Barcelona took home $130 million for its efforts over the course of a full campaign, and this number is expected to increase for either Bayern or Chelsea.

Second only to the UEFA Champions League Final, the npower Championship promotion match between Blackpool and West Ham United is of vital importance. The winner becomes the twentieth and final team to enter the 2012‐2013 Barclays Premier League, earning the right to play in the world’s most renowned domestic league along with $96 million in potential earnings. Kickoff is at 10:00 AM ET on FOX Soccer, live from London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.

On no other day in sports is so much on the line, and for this reason Saturday, May 19 is quite literally the richest day in sports.

FUN FACTS ON BAYERN AND CHELSEA

Completing one of the most stunning comebacks in UEFA Champions League history, Chelsea is riding significant momentum into Munich after knocking out reigning champion FC Barcelona. After falling behind 2‐0 on the road in its second‐leg semifinal clash with the Catalans, Chelsea stormed back to secure a 2‐2 draw, allowing the Blues to advance to the Final 3‐2 on aggregate.

Remarkably, Chelsea pulled off this feat down a man, after captain John Terry was red carded in the first half. In order to hoist the famed Champions League trophy, Chelsea will have to defeat Bayern without Terry and suspended teammates Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles. Midfielder Frank Lampard is likely to take the captain’s armband, and for the 33‐year‐old this could be his final shot at Champions League glory (the same is true for veterans like Didier Drogba and Petr Cech).

This is Chelsea’s first Final since 2008, when the Blues lost to Manchester United. Following a poor run of form that resulted in the midseason dismissal of manager Andre Villas‐Boas, Chelsea has enjoyed a revival under interim boss Roberto Di Matteo.

The Blues captured the 2012 FA Cup title over Liverpool on May 5 at Wembley Stadium. Bayern Munich returns home to Bavaria and has the support of its home fans in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final.

The club already has four European Cups/Champions League titles to its name, having last won the competition in 2001. Managed by Jupp Heynckes, Bayern advances to the tournament’s final stage after defeating Real Madrid on penalties in the secondleg of the semifinals.

Bolstered by wingers Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery, the German side has one of the most potent attacks in Europe. Bayern forward Mario Gomez is the second leading scorer in this year’s Champions League (12).

Bayern will be without Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber due to yellow card accumulation.

Live from Munich, FOX Sports’ Curt Menefee serves as event host, with FOX Soccer’s Rob Stone hosting studio coverage.

FOX Soccer analyst and American National Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda joins Tottenham goalkeeper and former United States National Team player Brad Friedel for pre‐game, halftime and post‐match analysis.

Legendary Sky Sports play‐by‐play announcer Martin Tyler calls the match with analysis from former Manchester United defender Gary Neville.

FOX Soccer’s pre‐game coverage begins at 1:00 PM ET preceding FOX Sports’ over‐the‐air programming.

FOX Deportes is carrying the match live in Spanish, and FOX Soccer re‐airs the match at 8:00 PM ET on Saturday night with FOX Soccer Plus doing the same at 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, May 20.

After a week of lead‐up programming, FOX Deportes, the nation’s leading Spanish‐language sports cable network, begins its coverage on May 19 at 1:00 PM ET with “UCL Final Preview,” live from Munich.

Match coverage begins at 2:30 PM ET, followed by the post‐match celebration at 5:00 PM ET on “Lo Mejor de la UCL.” At 5:30 PM ET, FOX Deportes airs “La Ultima Palabra”, a special one‐hour postgame show live followed later on by an encore match presentation at 10:30 PM ET.

Manning FOX Deportes’ Los Angeles studio are Mauricio Cardenas and Bruno Vain. John Laguna, Christian Bozzo and Daniel Brailovsky are on‐site in Munich with reporters Nelson Vignolles and Alejandro Blanco.

Additionally, FOX Soccer and its youth soccer partner, the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), will host a viewing party in Los Angeles for more than 150 local soccer fans. Viewers will take in all the live action from Munich at Alpine Village, a local German restaurant known for hosting the largest Oktoberfest festival in Los Angeles every year.

Both Bayern Munich and Chelsea supporters alike will be treated to traditional German food and music throughout the game.

All the Soccer Trivia and Match Stats you need to know:

• Bayern Munich and Chelsea have met on two previous occasions in the UEFA Champions League: In the quarterfinals of the 2004/05 season, Chelsea made it to the semifinals by winning 4‐2 at Stamford Bridge, before losing 2‐3 at Olympic Stadion.

•Bayern Munich has met English sides 17 times in the modern format of the Champions League, winning seven times (five defeats and as many draws).

•Three of Chelsea’s six goals against Bayern have been scored by Frank Lampard, the others by Drogba (two) and Joe Cole.

• Bayern is the team against which Lampard has scored the joint‐most goals in the Champions League (three), alongside Barcelona and Liverpool.

• Chelsea has met German clubs 12 times in the Champions League: The Blues have won six times, losing four times and drawing twice.

• Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez has scored 20 goals in his last 17 Champions League appearances. • The Final marks the third European Final for Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich) as a manager, 32 years after his first one. He lost the UEFA Cup final with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1980 before winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in 1998.

• Only Lionel Messi (46) and Cristiano Ronaldo (29) have completed more dribbles than Ribéry (Bayern Munich) this Champions League season (28).

• English sides have won just one of their last eight European finals in all competitions (Manchester United vs Chelsea in 2007/08 Champions League).

• Bayern Munich has won four and lost four of its eight European Cup/Champions League Finals.

* All statistics courtesy of Opta.

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