Chelsea FC’s 5 greatest upsets of all time
By George Perry
1. Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich, Champions League final, 19 May 2012
If you’re on this site, you probably already know what happened and how. What you may not remember is how much it was never expected to happen.
As storybook-inevitable as it all seems in retrospect, Chelsea never enjoyed the status of “favorite” in their road to Munich. Even after their comeback aggregate win against Napoli, their triumph against Barcelona and the Second Greatest Moment in Chelsea History, aka, That Goal by Fernando Torres, the Blues still entered Allianz Arena as the heavy underdog.
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Bayern Munich had home-field advantage, the first in a Champions League since 1984. While Chelsea had coasted through an easy group stage, Bayern Munich proved itself by vanquishing Manchester City, Napoli and Villareal.
Bayern would be field their usual, powerful starting XI with former Blue Arjen Robben leading the attack at the No. 10 slot. Chelsea, on the other hand, would be without John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Meireles – each of whom played crucial and dramatic roles in the Champions League campaign.
Chelsea FC had an interim manager who had only one year of first team management under his belt before assuming the role at Chelsea. Munich had one of the most experienced managers in European football in Jupp Heynckes. Heynckes’ started managing in the Bundesliga in 1979, when Roberto di Matteo was 9 years old.
Most people were surprised Chelsea made it to Munich. Once there, few thought that it would be the year Chelsea overcame the memories of Moscow and brought the big-eared trophy to Stamford Bridge.
But Chelsea had the King, and left Munich the upset kings of Europe.