Bayern hope for home comforts
Monday, April 11, 2005
Article summary
FC Bayern München will be hoping their enviable record at the Olympiastadion remains so as they face Chelsea FC.
Article body
The Bavarians only home defeat in UEFA club competition came in the second round of the 1993/94 UEFA Cup when they were beaten 2-1 by Norwich City FC. The Norwich aberration aside, Bayern have entertained English teams on eleven other occasions, winning seven and drawing four.
The German side ousted Arsenal FC from the Champions League in the Round of 16, and the key to their victory was a first-leg triumph on German soil with Claudio Pizarro scoring twice and Hasan Salihamidzic adding a third. Kolo Touré grabbed a late consolation to give the Gunners hope for the return, and although Arsenal inflicted Bayern's first defeat on English soil in 20 years thanks to a Thierry Henry goal, the Bundesliga team held out for an aggregate success.
Although Chelsea have less European experience than Bayern, the Londoners did play a Felix Magath-coached team in last season's Champions League first knockout round, overcoming VfB Stuttgart 1-0 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals. The only goal came in the first leg at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion when Fernando Meira diverted the ball into his own net. Chelsea then ousted Arsenal before succumbing to AS Monaco FC in the semi-finals.
Previously, Chelsea met Hertha BSC Berlin in the first group stage of the 1999/00 Champions League. Hertha won in Berlin thanks to an Ali Daei double, but Chelsea prevailed at Stamford Bridge with Didier Deschamps and Albert Ferrer on target. Both teams advanced to the second group stage, with Chelsea going as far as the quarter-finals before being eliminated by FC Barcelona.
Another Anglo-German encounter came in the 1997/98 Cup Winners' Cup final in Stockholm. A Gianfranco Zola goal was sufficient to separate the sides and give Chelsea their second victory in the competition having also defeated Real Madrid CF in the 1970/71 final.
The record books also show that Chelsea faced Bayern's city rivals TSV 1860 München in the quarter-finals of the 1965/66 Inter-Cities' Fairs Cup. The Londoners drew 2-2 in Germany before winning 1-0 at home, although their interest in the competition was ended by Barcelona in the next round.
