Bayern's dream final?

When Barcelona thumped Arsenal 4-1 at Camp Nou to seal their semi-final place against Inter Milan in early April, Internazionale coach Jose Mourinho was not the only one taking notice of the Catalans' devastating offensive display. Despite having his own hands full with Manchester United, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal would have watched the Leo Messi-inspired thrashing with some interest.

When the quarter-final draw for the Champions League final was made back in March, the Bayern coach would obviously have first checked out his own team's opponents – and then scanned the other half of the draw. Presumably, with no disrespect to CSKA Moscow and Arsenal, van Gaal would have zoomed in on the potential semi-final clash between Barca and Inter.

Optimistic as he must have been of his team's chances of getting past Man United, and confident either Bordeaux or Lyon could be overcome too, van Gaal would have contemplated a final in which Bayern played either the reigning European champions or the champions of Italy. Somewhere, in the midst of the tactical and strategic planning required in fighting for trophies on three fronts, van Gaal may have allowed himself to hope for a final meeting with Inter Milan.

Barcelona form made Inter a preferred opponent

The Dutchman's association with Barcelona, where he was twice a La Liga winner as coach in 1998 and 1999, would undoubtedly have sown a few seeds of sentimentalism in van Gaal. But after seeing Wenger's men mauled, the pragmatic Bayern coach would have cast thoughts of an emotional reunion aside.

Barcelona, as Arsenal found out, were in blistering form at the time, with Messi seemingly unstoppable. Even van Gaal would have wondered how his defense - which, even when successful, offers attackers a lot of space - would cope under the diminutive Argentinean's relentless pressure.

"Nine times out of 10, Barcelona would beat us, but we would have our chances," said van Gaal before the Catalans' match-up with Inter - making reference to the fact that Barcelona's defense is also a bit less than watertight.

Mourinho's Inter Milan is a very different proposition. Less cavalier than Pep Guardiola's Catalans and prone to traditional Italian tactics of smothering and gamesmanship, Internazionale will be a tough team to beat. But their style - longer on tactics than technical brilliance - also makes them a team that Bayern's muscular probing and expansive attacking style could ultimately wear down and break.

"I think we would have a few more chances against Inter than against Barcelona," van Gaal said. "Inter doesn't attack as much as Barcelona."

As things turned out, Barcelona's spanking of Arsenal was the apex of their Champions League form this season. Inter negated their attacking flair in Milan while hitting them for three on the break, and then 'parked the bus' in Camp Nou on Wednesday night, frustrating the tiring Catalans once more as they went through 3-2 on aggregate despite losing 1-0 on the night.

"I was hoping that we would get Inter," said Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger after the Inter-Barca match. Defender Philipp Lahm agreed: "Inter fits us a little bit better," he said.

Final provides opportunity to settle some scores

The Bayern-Inter clash will be an intriguing match. Apart from the meeting of very different playing styles, the game has many interesting narratives running through it, including the settling of a couple of old personal scores.

Bayern winger Arjen Robben is itching to show former boss Jose Mourinho that far from being a spent force, he has actually improved since the Portuguese sold him to Real Madrid during his time as Chelsea boss. Mourinho himself has one more ghost to lay to rest after beating two of his old teams in Chelsea and Barca as he faces van Gaal, his former master at Camp Nou.

Van Gaal seems just as keen to meet his former charge, saying "We would prefer to play Inter. It would be good to do a press conference with my friend Jose Mourinho."

But playing against his team will be another proposition, and the real story will be the coming together of two sides which entered this competition as giants of the game but outsiders for the title.

Bayern happy with Inter final but wary of threats

Bayern will be thankful that they won't have to face a night of chasing the shadow of Barcelona's midfield maestro Xavi Hernadez, or constantly wondering where Leo Messi may be lurking, but they still face a tough task against an Inter side who seem more structurally sound and have an undeniable winning momentum about them.

Inter lack a Messi-like player but the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder are all match winners in their own way. The hugely experienced Eto'o can never be given any space around the goal while the marauding Milito has proved this season that he is a striker of international class. Dutchman Sneijder offers the most threat from his attacking midfield role, both with his distribution and fierce shooting ability.

Bayern, despite being shorn of Franck Ribery - as things stand - through suspension, have their own livewire Dutchman in Robben, a player who has blossomed in Europe this season and who can terrorize the most obstinate defence. Even if Inter resort to ten men behind the ball, Robben has the tools to weave and spin his way through any number of players to either score himself or provide the killer pass.

Then there's Ivica Olic, a striker who seemingly needs no more than a yard of space and a second of time to punish an opposing team. Inter's regimented back line will have to be at their most disciplined to deny him the half-chances he has shown he can capitalize on to deadly effect.

All in all, Bayern Munich stand a great chance of lifting the trophy in Madrid on May 22, maybe a much better chance than they would have, were they to play Barcelona. But, as Moscow, Chelsea and Barca will attest, Inter Milan will be no pushovers.

Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Matt Hermann