Ever since Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena was named as the host stadium for this season’s Champions League Final, the club have been determined to reach European football’s showpiece event, according to midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The Germany international scored the decisive penalty in the shoot-out which eliminated Real Madrid last night and set up a showdown with Chelsea on May 19.
Schweinsteiger said: “Since it was announced that the final would be in Munich, we all had only one target: to get there. Now we have one more match at home, and we want to win it.”
Bayern President Uli Hoeness, who had warned of a difficult group stage that included Manchester City, Villareal and Napoli, was delighted with the result.
“I thought I was going to die,” he said. “This was a highlight match that you get to see only a few times in your life.
“The biggest thing in football is a World Cup Final or a Champions League Final on home soil and we have done that.”
Striker Mario Gomez, who has scored 12 Champions League goals this season, said: “This is a dream come true. I am just speechless. To advance in this kind of atmosphere on penalties is the most beautiful thing in the world.”
Bayern Munich will become only the third club after Real Madrid (1957) and Roma (1984) to feature in a European Cup Final on their own ground next month.
Chelsea supporters’ joy at reaching the final was tempered today when it emerged they could have to pay up to £2,000 for travel, accomodation and tickets to watch the game in Munich.
