Spurs boss Harry Redknapp branded the rule "unfair" after Tottenham finished fourth in the English Premier League but saw its place in the Champions League taken by Chelsea as reigning European champions.

Platini said no rule change to the competition could be brought in for at least three years but that UEFA would be prepared to review the regulation.

Speaking in Budapest before the FIFA Congress, Platini told the Press Association: "We can always change the rules. We can always discuss the rules, but not during the competition."

"We have decided not to change the rules or regulations of the competition for three years. So in three years we can change, that means we will come back if you wish."

"Everything can be discussed, the rules, yellow cards, but not during the competition. Perhaps in the next executive committee we can speak about it. I can put that, but they may say no."

Redknapp claimed that UEFA should allow five clubs from one country into the tournament in the special circumstance of a club winning the Champions League but finishing outside of the top four in their domestic league, as happened with Chelsea. UEFA's current rule was introduced in 2005 when five English teams were allowed in to the Champions League after Liverpool won the tournament but finished fifth in the English Premier League.

Platini said that he personally believed there should be a limit of four per country.

He added: "I think so, but it is the matter of the executive committee, a matter for discussion. If you put more in one part you have to take out more from another part and because we always play with 32 teams, with the winner is 31, so we have to decide."

"Perhaps it could be for discussion in the future about the participation of more than four but for the moment it is not possible because the regulations are for four."

He rejected suggestions that Tottenham was being unfairly punished.

"No, they have not been punished, They know the rules, they should have been third and not fourth," said Platini.

Platini also spoke of his personal pleasure at former club Juventus becoming Italian champion again only six years after being relegated following a match-fixing scandal.

"It was a great team, they had problems, they paid - they went to the second division, they come back and now they are champions," he said.

"Welcome back - it's good for Italian football as they are the most popular team in Italy. Welcome back."

"On the outside I try to be neutral. In my heart you never know."

He also joked that if Juventus had been in Tottenham's position his view might have been different, saying: "If Juventus was the fourth team of Italy perhaps I will change the rule!"

The split of UEFA television money based on where each qualifying club finished in the Premier League will now be changed to reflect the fact Chelsea is in the group stage as champion.

Normally, as domestic champion Manchester City would get 40% of UEFA's 'market pool' pot of TV money totalling around £12million, second-placed Manchester United 30% (£9m) third-placed Arsenal 20% (£6m) and the fourth-placed club 10% (£3m).

Instead, City and Chelsea will each receive 30% (£9m), United 25% (£7.5m) and Arsenal 15% (£4.5m.)

UEFA said the figures would be confirmed by its executive meeting in July.

Manager Roberto Di Matteo and strikers Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres all face uncertain futures, with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich taking his time over who he wants to stay in west London.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay has revealed the club will wait until Di Matteo's contract expires at the end of June before deciding on his future despite the interim manager delivering the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup.

Drogba's decisive goal in the FA Cup and his equaliser and penalty shootout winner in the UCL final in Munich have increased the clamour amongst fans for him to be given the two-year deal he is reported to want and end talk of him moving to China.

Torres came out after his side's win over Bayern Munich to express his desire to sort out where he stands but Gourlay has revealed the powers that be at Stamford Bridge are in no rush.

On di Matteo, Gourlay told Chelsea TV: "I know the fans will be pushing for Robbie."

"We're going to look at the season, look at what worked for us, look at the mistakes we made and put them right and take it forward."

Aston Villa, Lazio and Liverpool have all shown interest in Di Matteo who may not be tempted to take a one-year deal at Chelsea with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola then possibly taking over 12 months down the line when his sabbatical is due to come to an end.

It has been reported in France that Drogba is resigned to leaving but Gourlay has kept the door open on him remaining.

He said: "Conversations with Didier have been going on for months and still are."

"He's made it clear he loves Chelsea and loves everything he's achieved at the club."

Torres has expressed his unhappiness at what he sees as a lack of opportunities since his nearly $80 million move from Liverpool and Gourlay expressed some sympathy for the Spain international.

"Torres came on when we were behind and played a big part to help us win the Champions League," he said.

"I'd be surprised if Fernando, who's been awesome, didn't want more time on the field, every player does."

Chelsea has been linked with Radamel Falcao, Hulk and Edinson Cavani should it decide to end Drogba's time at the club.

Lille playmaker Eden Hazard, Sao Paulo's Lucas Moura and Bayer Leverkusen's Andre Schurrle are other reported targets if Abramovich decides to pursue a northern summer recruitment policy.

Photographs of the post-match presentation ceremony suggested Schweinsteiger had ignored the outstretched hand of Joachim Gauck.

But the Germany international, who missed Bayern's crucial last penalty kick as Chelsea prevailed in a shootout, insists he did not even see the President.

"This is a misunderstanding," Schweinsteiger said in a statement on Bayern's website.

"After this great disappointment, I perceived nothing around me. I was desperately disappointed, paralysed.

"I did not see the hand of the federal president.

"I'm sorry that this moment gave a different impression. I want to apologise to the president."

The last four months have seen Cahill subjected to a crash course in what it means to play for the Blues, who he helped lead to UEFA Champions League glory over the weekend.

Speculation has been rife all season about a northern summer clearout of the outfit's 'old guard' and reports suggested Bayern Munich hero Didier Drogba had already agreed a deal to join Shanghai Shenhua.

Cahill insisted the performance of Drogba and fellow thirty-somethings Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole in the victory over Bayern Munich proved they still had plenty to offer - especially to him.

"I don't see it being the end," the England defender said.

"Frank Lampard was fantastic. Ashley Cole was amazing and he's probably been the best left-back in the world for many years."

"Didier, again, turned up, the big man for the big occasion."

"You just learn from these sorts of boys, especially myself."

"Hopefully, I can learn fast."

Cahill admitted he felt added pressure in the absence of another Chelsea veteran, suspended captain John Terry.

"I felt pressure because, obviously, the skipper wasn't there," said the 26-year-old, who revealed he was not even fully fit after almost a month out with a hamstring injury.

"Because of the size of the game and what it meant to the club - obviously playing the Champions League next season - however much you want to try to play it down in your head and relax, you knew it was a massive, massive game."

He added: "You only get the experience by playing in the games and, now, these games, the Barcelona games, and even coming on in the Benfica game in the second half was a great experience for myself and will only improve me as a player."

Chelsea was planning 11th-hour talks with Drogba in an attempt to reach an agreement on extending his contract.

The club refused to bow to the 34-year-old's demands for a new two-year deal earlier this season.

Reports today claimed that even if a compromise was to be reached, Chelsea may have to pay Shanghai compensation, after he agreed to join the Chinese side on a wage said to be over $400,000 a week.

Cahill said: "If you ask every player at the football club, you'd hope that he stays."

"But he's obviously got his own decision to make."

"It was just fitting that he took the penalty that won us the cup, he got us back in the game late doors."

"He just seems to turn up in these big games and that's the kind of player he is."

Chelsea was also set to discuss whether to appoint caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo on a permanent basis after he masterminded the greatest climax to a season in its history.

The interim manager is already being heavily linked with the likes of Aston Villa - his family home is in the midlands - as well as former club Lazio and even Liverpool.

Di Matteo had been scheduled to play in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am golf tournament at Wentworth before flying to Barbados at the end of the week for the British Airways Football Legends Invitational this weekend.

He was then expected to take the family holiday he has craved, since being handed the reins at Chelsea three months ago.

Di Matteo may want to know his fate before then, while the Blues definitely want its next manager in place for the start of its pre-season tour of the United States on July 18.

There is talk of Di Matteo being offered a one-year deal while owner Roman Abramovich waits for Pep Guardiola to complete his planned sabbatical.

Whether Di Matteo would be prepared to continue under such conditions - or even with the spectre of Guardiola looming over him were he to be offered a longer contract - remains to be seen.

The striker has been quoted saying he informed his team-mates of his decision during the side's open-top bus parade with the Champions League trophy.

Drogba, who has reportedly already agreed a deal to join Shanghai Shenhua when his Chelsea contract expires this northern summer, is said to have admitted he struggled to get the words out and burst into tears.

"We will no longer be together next season," the 34-year-old said in quotes attributed to France Football magazine.

"As I decided to leave, I wanted to tell them straight in the eye."

"Except that I could not do it. They made me crack."

"Even though it's been three years since I said I wanted to leave, I find it hard to admit that it's over with this club - especially as I did not feel like this."

"But I could not see myself sitting on the bench to watch others play when the club plans to set up a new team."

"So that's it - I am preparing for my leap into the unknown. It's going to be another adventure."

Spurs finished fourth in the English Premier League, which would normally guarantee a place in the qualifying rounds of the UCL, but it misses out because Chelsea takes that fourth English place as European title holders.

Tottenham will earn only just under $8 million in media rights from the UEFA Europa League instead of a guaranteed $55.9 million from the Champions League.

There is also a significant loss in associated matchday, merchandise and sponsorship income that could see a further cost to the club of around $16 million.

Even more concerning for fans is the possibility of star players such as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale pushing for a move to clubs that are in the Champions League next season.

Brendan Guilfoyle, a football expert at P&A Partnership, said the headache for Spurs will not just be about balancing the books.

Guilfoyle said: "In terms of the effect financially, Spurs is a well-run club but revenues will inevitably be lower so they will have to adjust that in terms of the wages they can offer and the transfer fees they can pay and still remain in the black."

"The perhaps more immediate worry for fans, and I am a Tottenham fan myself, is that in terms of signing top players we won't be as attractive as we cannot promise the highest level of club football any more."

"There is also the worry that some of those star players, having tasted the Champions League already, will want to do so again and look to move elsewhere."

Spurs fans have reacted furiously to missing out on Europe's elite club tournament but UEFA says its competition rules, brought in after Liverpool won the competition but finished outside the top four in the English Premier League, are clear.

The UEFA rules state: "No association may enter more than four clubs for the competition."

"The UEFA Champions League title-holder is guaranteed a place in the group stage even if it does not qualify for the competition through its domestic championship."

"If the titleholder comes from an association entitled to four places in the UEFA Champions League and qualifies for the UEFA Europa League through its domestic competitions, the lowest-ranked club of the association's UEFA Champions League representatives is automatically transferred to the UEFA Europa League."

Tottenham earned $55.9 million in TV money and bonuses from its 2010/11 season in the Champions League. An English club making the Europa League quarter-finals earns a total of around $8 million.

Owner Abramovich finally got his hands the trophy he coveted most on Sunday (AEST) when the Blues beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the UEFA Champions League.

And now he has told the players he is hungry for more, according to Buck.

"Roman told them that there is still plenty more to aim for," Buck told The Sun.

"There's a lot of clubs with three or four of those stars on their club badge. We have only one. Roman gave a thank-you speech, the message was that it was all down to the boys."

Mikel employed some old-fashioned sledging in the final before Petr Cech saved Robben's extra-time spot-kick, one which may have condemned the Blues to more European heartache if it went in.

As it was, Chelsea held on for a 1-1 draw before winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout on what proved the greatest night in its history.

Mikel said of the Robben blunder: "I told him, 'Petr Cech knows where you are going to kick it'.

"I just told Robben that he is going to miss it. You know, we just do that sometimes as players."

The midfielder added: "I think when the penalty was missed, we kind of believed that this trophy was going to be ours."

Chelsea's win ended billionaire owner Roman Abramovich's nine-year quest for what was his Holy Grail.

Mikel said: "The owner has made it clear to us that this trophy is the trophy he wants to win.

"And now that we have done that, I think that he is a very, very happy man."

He added: "We have shown what we can do. And, hopefully, people can stop writing us off.

"I think we have made names for ourselves - we are the first club to win this trophy from London.

"I think it is just fantastic, it is amazing."

Torres delivered an astonishingly-timed swipe at the Blues hours after helping them end their agonising wait for European glory.

The £50 million ($80 million) million was fuming after being snubbed in favour of rookie Ryan Bertrand in the final against Bayern Munich, branding it possibly the biggest disappointment of his life.

And the Spain striker demanded showdown talks with Chelsea, warning he could walk away if he did not receive assurances about his future role.

Torres told AS: "This season, I felt things I had never felt.

"I felt they have treated me in a way I was not expecting, not the manner for which the club brought me here.

"We have had many conversations and, now the season is finished, we will have more talks to see what happens in the future because this is not the role for which I came.

"I have been through the worst moments of my career during the season and I am not willing to relive those moments.

"There have been many ups and downs and many moments where I felt lost and I didn't know what to do and where to be.

"The ideal for me for next season is if someone tells me what's going to happen, what role will I have in the team, what function is expected of me and to evaluate if it is worth it."

Torres did not get on the pitch at the Fussball Arena until Chelsea fell behind seven minutes from time.

The 28-year-old won the corner that saw Didier Drogba equalise and impressed in extra-time but he was not among those chosen to take a penalty in the 4-3 shootout win, which saw Drogba once again steal the limelight.

Torres added: "Before the game, I felt it was going to be one of my best moments and I came with great desire and ambition.

"But then I had to start on the bench. I felt huge disappointment when I saw the starting line up, maybe the biggest disappointment of my life.

"In the end, I was able to play a bit and help the team.

"Right now, I do feel it's all worth it but the truth is I've gone through some very bad moments."

Torres's fortunes have improved dramatically under caretaker Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo after he was in danger of being branded the most expensive flop in football history.

He more than doubled his goal tally for the club in the last three months of the season, scoring seven times, including a hat-trick against Queens Park Rangers.

But he has remained second fiddle to Drogba, despite the record sum Roman Abramovich spent to prise him from Liverpool a year and a half ago.

Torres added: "I want to thank my family, the club's owner, who's always supported me and backed me and above all the fans.

"If it wasn't for the fans, many times this season I would have thrown in the towel."

Torres did not let his disappointment prevent him from joining in ecstatic celebrations and was delighted to add the Champions League to his World Cup and European Championship titles in his first full season at Stamford Bridge.

"Destiny finally gave Chelsea something it denied them in Moscow," Torres said, referring to the Blues' 2008 final defeat.

"People don't remember the runners-up. We had the luck champions have.

"This team, above all at the end of this season, has had those moments of a champion team.

"We had a star or an angel or whatever you want to call it that maybe they didn't have in Moscow.

"I feel football has been fair to me. The game is like that - many times when you feel at your best is when people count on you the least."

John Terry led the chanting from top of the blue open-top bus and Didier Drogba blew kisses to the fans below, all of whom will pray the out-of-contract striker was not bidding them farewell.

It was Drogba's header that took last the UCL final against Bayern Munich into extra time, his ninth goal in nine finals for Chelsea.

And it was Drogba's cool penalty in the shoot-out that clinched Chelsea a historic triumph.

"We've been working hard for this," the Ivorian striker told Sky Sports News.

"I've been working eight years but some of the other boys have been working longer than this, and some are a bit more lucky - they arrived in their first year and they win it.

"It's fantastic, fantastic. Football is amazing.

"It's fantastic to come back home and have this kind of reception."

Fittingly for the new king of Europe, the victory parade that began at Stamford Bridge ended on the New Kings Road.

Chelsea fans threw celery - a long-time club tradition - clambered up lamp-posts and hauled themselves on top of bus stops to get a better look at their heroes.

The supporters, waving souvenir flags and some wearing Roberto di Matteo masks, echoed the thoughts of former player Gianfranco Zola in urging Drogba to stay on at Stamford Bridge.

"We love you and we want you to stay forever," read one sign.

Terry was suspended for the final after his red card against Barcelona but he controversially lifted the trophy in Munich and was at the heart of celebrations in London.

When a microphone was passed to the players, Terry led the crowd in a rendition of: "Championes, championes, ole, ole, ole".

"It's been such a long time coming for us. We've been so close so many times, we were just destined to win it - and last night we did it," the England defender told Sky Sports News.

"It meant so much to everyone in this club, especially the boys that have been here a long time. You could see it in everyone's eyes, from the end of the game last night until now."

Asked about the future of caretaker manager Di Matteo, who is far from guaranteed the job on a permanent basis, Terry added: "It's a club decision, but his CV looks incredible. He deserves it as much as anyone does because he took over at a difficult time for us and he's guided us and made us get to where we've got.

"It's up to the club to speak to him about but he's been brilliant."

As the bus reached Parson's Green, Terry and Frank Lampard linked arms and bounced as the crowd sang.

Some of the players were in their blue Chelsea kits, others in black tracksuits. Petr Cech even had his scrum-cap up on the top deck.

The bus was decked out in blue with 'Champions Of Europe' written on the front.

One fan was spotted in a Leinster rugby shirt, celebrating his own side's European triumph after the Heineken Cup victory over Ulster earlier on Saturday.

But this was Chelsea's day. A day that club owner Roman Abramovich had invested billions of dollars, and been through eight managers, to deliver.

In the end it was the interim boss Di Matteo who made the difference.

The Italian transformed a Chelsea side that had been struggling in the Premier League into an outfit who simply refused to be beaten.

After delivering the FA Cup and Champions League, Di Matteo is now in the frame for permanent position.

Over an hour after the official parade had finished, Chelsea supporters were still congregated outside the White Horse pub in Parsons Green singing: "There's only one Di Matteo".

The money may be Russian, the goal hero may be from the Cote d'Ivoire, the manager may be Italian but the fans were all celebrating one thing.

European champions are made in Chelsea.

Di Matteo only took over on an interim basis after the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas in February.

No-one could have imagined quite what a success Di Matteo would be.

Although Chelsea missed out on a coveted top-four place, it defeated Liverpool in the FA Cup final earlier this month and enjoyed the greatest night in its history when it beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

Now that work is over, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich can work out a plan for the future, and what part, if any, Di Matteo will play in it.

And, for the first time, Buck confirmed the 41-year-old former Italy midfielder will be one of the names in the frame.

"Robbie has done an amazing job," Buck told Sky Sports News.

"He has enabled the players to get back the confidence they used to have. He's really got them performing.

"We've put (managerial speculation) aside for the last six or eight weeks, concentrating on Barcelona, the FA Cup and Bayern Munich, but I think now we have to sit down and figure that out.

"Roberto is certainly in the mix, he's done a great job and has to have serious consideration."

Buck confirmed Di Matteo will learn his fate "sooner rather than later", knowing Chelsea must move on the manager's position before it can establish transfer targets.

Chelsea is a more attractive proposition after the UCL, which came after the game finished 1-1 after extra time.

Indeed, Di Matteo needed to wind the clock back four years for the true significance of what Chelsea achieved in Munich.

He was an interested observer, watching on TV when John Terry strode forward to take that fateful final penalty in the Moscow rain.

And the Italian felt Terry's pain as he slipped just as he was about to strike, landing with a thud on his backside as the ball squirmed away, offering Manchester United the chance to etch their name on the most prestigious trophy in the club game once more.

Redemption took longer than planned, which is the point Di Matteo was making after a shoot-out success that confirms Chelsea as England's fifth winner of the most prestigious club competition and a member of Europe's elite.

"I was at home that night," said Di Matteo.

"I felt very much for John Terry. It would have been like a film script for him to score the winning goal.

"It turned into a very painful experience, for him and the club.

"A lot of the players thought we would qualify for the final again pretty quickly.

"But it hasn't come again until 2012, which proves what a difficult competition to win it is.

"You have to take your chance when it comes."

That is what Chelsea did, despite the massive odds it faced.

Didier Drogba will clearly grab the headlines but superb performances from Ashley Cole and Petr Cech should not be ignored on a night that will shape Chelsea's future.

"Winning this game will make a huge difference to the future of our club," said Di Matteo.

"We always said it was crucial to be involved in the Champions League and winning this match qualifies us for next season's competition.

"It is a double whammy for us in a positive sense."

Given his mammoth contribution, it seems impossible to believe drilling Chelsea's final penalty beyond Manuel Neuer will be Drogba's final act in eight incredible years with the club.

Now 34, with three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and now the biggest prize of all collected, there seems little more for Drogba to achieve with Chelsea.

Would it not be more fitting for him to accept different challenges in a very different part of the world - China hardly offers the same competitiveness - his place in Stamford Bridge folklore secure?

"Didier is a big-match player and he did it once again," said Buck of a player who has now scored nine goals in nine finals for Chelsea.

"(Chief executive) Ron Gourlay is going to sit down with his agent this week and we'll see where it goes.

"We have to do what's best for Chelsea Football Club and Didier has to do what's best for him."

Di Matteo's transformation of the club since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas was completed when the Blues beat Bayern Munich on penalties to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history.

Owner Roman Abramovich's pursuit of the biggest prize has seen him spend around $1.6 billion and go through seven permanent managers before replacing Villas-Boas with Di Matteo in March.

The team's improvement since has been astonishing and Gourlay told Sky Sports News: "It's been an incredible few months and a great ending last night with winning the trophy."

"It's been an up-and-down season. We started reasonably well but we had a bad period around November, December, January."

"The performances and results weren't there so we had to make the change, we brought Robbie in as interim manager until the end of the season and we've seen a phenomenal change and a run of results which finished last night with winning the Champions League."

"There's a number of things we've got to look at and we'll review where we are and take it from there, but it's a phenomenal turnaround really."

Chairman Bruce Buck assured Di Matteo of "serious consideration" when a decision is made on a permanent successor to Villas-Boas.

He said: "He's done an amazing job, Robbie, he's enabled the players to get back the confidence they used to have and he's really got the players performing."

"We've put (managerial speculation) aside for the last six or eight weeks, concentrating on Barcelona, the FA Cup and Bayern Munich, but I think now we have to sit down and figure that out."

"Roberto is certainly in the mix, he's done a great job and has to have serious consideration."

Adding that the Italian will discover his fate "sooner rather than later", Buck said: "We really need to get the new manager on board before we can start talking about (signing) players."

Didier Drogba, who scored Chelsea's 88th-minute equaliser to set up extra time last night before netting the match-winning penalty, is another with an uncertain future.

The club has been reluctant to offer the Ivory Coast international the two-year contract he reportedly craves, but Buck said it will step up talks imminently with the 34-year-old, who also netted the ultimately decisive second goal in the FA Cup final win over Liverpool.

"Didier is a big-match player and he did it once again," he said of a man who has now scored nine goals in nine tournament finals for Chelsea.

"I think Ron Gourlay is going to sit down with his agent this week and we'll see where it goes."

"We have to do what's best for Chelsea Football Club and Didier has to do what's best for him, we'll just see how the discussions go."

Robben had the chance to put Bayern on its way to European glory in extra time, when Didier Drogba fouled Franck Ribery inside the box.

But Petr Cech saved what was a poor spot-kick from his former Blues team-mate before going on to help his side win a dramatic penalty shootout.

Bayern led that shootout early on having also been two minutes away from winning the final in normal time.

Robben, who also fluffed a penalty in his side's Bundesliga title showdown with Borussia Dortmund, said: "I can't describe how I feel with words, but it's been a terrible night."

"Two or three times, you feel you have the cup in your hands but at the end you stand with nothing."

"It wasn't a good penalty. I wanted to shoot the ball hard and high in the goal, but the ball didn't go high enough. It was a terrible penalty kick."

"After that, I still played well but you have to change your mindset at that point."

Robben was consoled by both match-winner Drogba and UEFA president Michel Platini after Bayern's 4-3 shootout defeat, following a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.

"The fact that Drogba and Platini tried to cheer me up was nice, but it's worth nothing," Robben said.

"I wanted that cup but it didn't happen."

Team-mate Thomas Muller, who thought he had scored the winner for Bayern, insisted the better team lost.

He told Sky Sports: "That is football, we have seen it in the past. It is not always the better team that have the cup in the end."

"When you score in front of your own fans so close to the end and then you watch Chelsea holding the cup, you can see that a lot has happened."

"It is hard to find words for that, but football is not everything."

After presiding over a startling upturn in fortunes since Andre Villas-Boas' dismissal in February, Di Matteo still doesn't know if he is going to get the job on a permanent basis.

Heynckes sees no reason for further delay.

"I congratulate Chelsea on their victory," said Heynckes.

"If you wish me to say something about Roberto di Matteo it is that Chelsea should give him a three-year contract."

In a rare occurrence, an English side got the better of a German one in a spot-kick showdown.

Here is how the shootout unfolded.

Philipp Lahm - not a surprising start as the Germans take the lead. Lahm's spot-kick needed to be powerful as Petr Cech got both hands to it but could not keep it out. GOAL, 1-0 Bayern.

Juan Mata - a bad start for Chelsea, the Spaniard's weak effort easily saved by Manuel Neuer to his left. MISSED, 1-0.

Mario Gomez - Gomez hits it low and hard into the bottom right corner. GOAL, 2-0 Bayern.

David Luiz - it was vital Chelsea scored and the unlikely Luiz stepped up and, with an outrageously long run, smashed the ball into the roof of the net. GOAL, 2-1 Bayern.

Manuel Neuer - even more surprising was Neuer stepping up to coolly slot the ball past his opposite number. GOAL, 3-1 Bayern.

Frank Lampard - pressure back on Chelsea and who better to step up than the captain and regular penalty taker. Hit high and hard into the centre. GOAL, 3-2 Bayern.

Ivica Olic - the Croat hit it to the bottom right of the goal, but Cech was equal to it, saving easily and levelling the score. MISSED, 3-2 Bayern.

Ashley Cole - never in doubt as the fullback, who had an outstanding match, slotted the ball past inside Neuer's left hand post. GOAL, 3-3.

Bastian Schweinsteiger - surely a German in Germany was not about to miss and give an English team a chance? Amazingly he did - a faint touch by Cech took the ball on to the post. MISSED, 3-3.

Didier Drogba - It had to be Didier. With a short run up, he slotted the ball home past Neuer's right and the celebrations began. GOAL, 3-4 Chelsea.

The Blues beat Bayern Munich 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the final at the Fussball Arena Munchen finished 1-1 after extra time.

Drogba struck the winning penalty having also headed home an 88th-minute equaliser to cancel out Thomas Muller's opener for Bayern five minutes previously.

Drogba said of his team-mates: "They never give up until the end. This team is amazing."

The Ivory Coast international added of the victory: "It was written, I think, a long time ago.

"I want to dedicate this cup to all the managers we've had before, all the players I've played with before."

Drogba also hailed the performance of goalkeeper Petr Cech, who saved a penalty from Arjen Robben in extra time and then also played a key part as Bayern missed twice in the shootout.

"When we have this guy in goal you have to believe," Drogba said.

Here is the list of teams that have won Europe's biggest club prize.

9 Real Madrid (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002)

7 AC Milan (1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007)

5 Liverpool (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005)

4 Ajax (1971, 1972, 1973, 1995)

4 Barcelona (1992, 2006, 2009, 2011)

4 Bayern Munich (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001)

3 Inter Milan (1964, 1965, 2010)

3 Manchester United (1968, 1999, 2008)

2 Benfica (1961, 1962)

2 Juventus (1985, 1996),

2 Nottingham Forest (1979, 1980),

2 Porto (1987, 2004)

1 Aston Villa (1982),

1 Borussia Dortmund (1997)

1 Celtic (1967)

1 Chelsea (2012)

1 Feyenoord (1970)

1 Hamburg (1983)

1 Olympique Marseille (1993)

1 PSV Eindhoven (1988)

1 Red Star Belgrade (1991)

1 Steaua Bucharest (1986)

Trailing to Thomas Muller's late header, Drogba first saved the Blues by heading them level in the 88th minute to take the match into extra time.

Then, after Arjen Robben has missed from the spot in extra time, Drogba kept his nerve after Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger had failed in the shootout to ensure Chelsea erased the memory of its misery in 2008 by conquering Europe for the first time.

Surely the triumph will be enough to secure Roberto di Matteo the full-time job as Chelsea boss.

After all, after so many failures, Di Matteo has delivered the trophy Abramovich spent the thick end of £2 billion ($3.2 billion) to win.

From his place in the stands, the Russian was clearly overjoyed, as was the suspended John Terry, who watched the tense shootout unfold from the touchline, on roughly the same spot he had prowled three hours earlier.

It was the most visual example of the damage Chelsea did to itself by getting four men suspended in that backs-to-the-wall semi-final epic with Barcelona.

And once the game started, it was just the kind of blood and guts encounter Terry excels in.

Assisted by the obvious advantage of playing at home, Bayern got itself on the front foot immediately and were rarely pushed back.

The nearest it came was when former Chelsea man Arjen Robben glided past two defenders, then drilled a low shot towards goal, which Petr Cech managed to deflect high onto a post, with Robben barely able to believe he had failed.

Robben had another couple of chances, although neither were as good as the one that Muller volleyed wide.

Robben and Muller combined to create an opening for Mario Gomez that he looked certain to capitalise on after a deft body movement had left Gary Cahill stranded, only for the Bayern sharp-shooter to lash over.

Handed a surprise start, Ryan Bertrand coped well. It was on the other side where Franck Ribery was proving to be a complete menace.

What it did at the Nou Camp though has given Chelsea immense belief in its own durability.

Indeed, it might have had something to celebrate had Juan Mata kept his curling free kick down or Salomon Kalou been able to direct a shot away from Manuel Neuer after Frank Lampard and Drogba combined to set him up from an admittedly acute angle.

The pattern continued after half time and Ribery thought he had grabbed a deserved opener when he snaffled the loose ball after Cole had blocked Robben's goalbound shot.

The offside flag cut German celebrations short.

Cole's involvement was part of an outstanding contribution from the fullback, who seemed to be in the way of nearly all the threats to Chelsea's goal.

He denied Robben and Toni Kroos as Chelsea, enhancing his status as one of the few truly world class players Roy Hodgson will have at his disposal at EURO 2012.

In response, Drogba, possibly making his last appearance for the club, unleashed a speculative long-range volley that dipped narrowly wide.

The sense of Chelsea disappointment at Bayern finally breaching its defences must have been made more acute by the knowledge that when Kroos curled a cross beyond the far post, there appeared very little danger.

Muller intelligently headed the ball hard and down, which meant it bounced up towards the crossbar, possibly catching Cech by surprise as he seemed in the perfect position to prevent it ending up in the net.

But Abramovich's team is made of stern stuff. And with barely a minute remaining, and Muller replaced by an extra defender in Daniel van Buyten, Drogba rose at the near post to power Mata's corner home.

This time there was nothing the goalkeeper could do, the ball speeding past Neuer at such pace, from so close, there was no time for reaction.

The drama continued into extra time as Drogba bundled Ribery over in the box.

Whilst the contact might not have looked much, it was enough to end the Frenchman's evening.

Robben seemed unaffected by the delay as his penalty headed for the bottom corner.

Cech was equal to it, making a superb save to his left and then smothering the rebound.

It was the kind of moment that made you think fate had decreed a Chelsea win, a belief only strengthened by Bayern passing up two clear openings in the second period of those additional 30 minutes.

As Di Matteo has pointed out, you make your own luck.

More than anyone, he deserves praise for hauling round a season that appeared to be heading for disaster in February.

The only one not acclaiming that achievement was Tottenham Hotspur, which in a cruel twist is now denied a place in next season's Champions League.

Keane missed out on that honour as he was banned for Manchester United's 1999 final victory, also over Bayern Munich, and he believes Terry's suspension should not cost the Chelsea skipper the chance.

UEFA has confirmed that Terry is permitted to lift the trophy if Chelsea wins even though he is suspended.

Keane, speaking at ITV Sport's Euro 2012 launch this week, said: "I think it's only right if Chelsea win that John Terry gets up straight away and lifts it for the first time. He's captain of the club and deserves it."

Keane said United never even asked whether he would be involved in the trophy handover - it was not until 30 minutes later that he and Paul Scholes got their hands on the cup.

The former Republic of Ireland midfielder added: "We lifted it half an hour later and it was nice but I don't think United did anything at all [to ask].

"I don't think it crossed our minds at all. The priority was for the team to win and the bonus is always lifting the trophy so I thought don't worry too much about it.

"But I wouldn't begrudge John Terry the chance if they win on Saturday to pick the trophy up."

Keane empathised with the seven players, four from Chelsea and three from Bayern, who are suspended for the final - all bar Terry for picking up too many yellow cards.

Terry is banned after being sent off in the semi-final for kneeing Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez.

"Yes of course I do," he said when asked if he felt sorry for those suspended.

"You want to play in all the big games. But, what I enjoyed about the semi-finals was the mentality of all the players.

"They were so desperate to get their team to the final that they sacrificed themselves. There have been stories about players on yellow cards in semi-finals missing the second leg.

"These players put the team first. They made sacrifices."

Cech turns 30 within hours of the final whistle of Saturday's (Sunday 04:45 AEST) UEFA Champions League final and he admitted there would be no better gift than finally holding aloft the trophy that has eluded him for the last eight years.

"It'll be fantastic to have the 30th birthday on the day after I won the Champions League," Cech said.

"If I get a cup, I don't need a cake."

The perfect early birthday present would be the ideal way to make up for Cech being denied the perfect late one in Chelsea's only previous Champions League final four years ago.

A day after Cech turned 26, the keeper suffered penalty-shootout heartache against Manchester United in Moscow.

But, while that defeat haunts many of his team-mates until this day, the Czech Republic star is made of sterner stuff.

"We had 120 minutes as well as the penalty shoot-out to win the cup," Cech said.

"Sitting in a corner and crying because I lost is not my style, because it's just the way it is and you can't change the history.

"You can only change the future and the present, and the present now is that we are again in the final and we will have another go and I hope that this time it will finish in a completely different way."

Didier Drogba admitted this week he had presumed Chelsea would react to its 2008 agony by winning the Champions League the following year.

Cech was under no such illusions.

"We have been here eight years and it's going to be only the second Champions League final," he said.

"It's a long journey to the final in the Champions League.

"So it's not easy and sometimes just one unlucky game can change your whole season.

"This time, hopefully the unlucky game happened already."

That certainly could be said for Chelsea's English Premier League campaign but it has enjoyed little but good fortune in Europe since caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo took charge.

"I think this season just proved that, in football, everything's possible," said Cech, reflecting on epic victories against Napoli and Barcelona.

"After the Napoli game away, I think everybody had written us off and here we are in the final."

The bad luck Chelsea has endured in the Champions League all came in one go, with John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles all picking up suspensions against Barcelona.

With Gary Cahill also limping off injured and David Luiz already ruled out, the Blues faced going into the final without any recognised centre-backs.

"If you save everything, you don't have to have defenders!" Cech joked before welcoming the return of Luiz and Cahill.

"Playing a final without defenders is not really a great idea.

"I hope that everybody from the squad who's available to play will be fit and ready to play because we'll need everybody."

Especially Cech, who has been in simply sensational form in recent weeks and could be the hero again if penalties beckon yet again.

"I will have all the information I need for the penalty shoot-out but I think that it's not going to go to a penalty shoot-out," he said.

"I think the game will be decided in 90 minutes."

And if it is not, what would Cech do differently to 2008?

"The other time, we tried to guess," he said.

"This time, we'll try to ask the opposition players where they'll shoot!"

Which isn't to say that Bayern Munich against Chelsea is a dull second best. European club football's most coveted trophy and, in some ways, its soul and UEFA boss Michel Platini's ambitions for the future will all be in play when the sober Bavarian and glitzy west London teams meet in Munich.

A final with the Spanish giants might have produced a better show and a bigger global television audience. But Bayern versus Chelsea could be more significant, philosophically.

Bayern can be seen as a model for the type of club Platini wants to see and is pushing for: financially sound and adroitly managed, profitable for the past 19 years, living within its means, not beholden to a rich sugar daddy and certain to field some homegrown stars on Saturday night (Sunday 04:45 AEST).

Chelsea, on the other hand, is Roman Abramovich's vanity project. Because he can, the Russian billionaire has poured around £800 million ($1.28 billion) into the club he saved from possible bankruptcy in July 2003.

He has spent tens of millions of pounds on hiring and then firing managers who failed to meet his expectations, hundreds of millions more on players (often buying at inflated prices), and enabled Chelsea to post eye-watering financial losses. And, unlike Bayern, all of Chelsea's starters on Saturday will likely have been bought from other clubs.

So, in simplest terms, the final will be a contest of two business models - one, Bayern's, which purists like Platini believe is financially and morally right for football, against another which many feel is dangerous for the long-term health of the sport.

One shouldn't be too simplistic. Abramovich isn't Darth Vader and Bayern aren't a ragtag bunch of rebels succeeding on determination alone.

Both clubs have spent fortunes to reach this pinnacle match. Bayern's attacking trio of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Mario Gomez and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer didn't come cheap.

But proponents of the Bayern model argue, somewhat smugly, that its wealth is generated sustainably, from huge commercial revenues, its regularly packed stadium, and on-field success, and that Chelsea wouldn't be competing at the top in Europe if not for Abramovich's financial doping.

Chelsea's semi-final defeat of Barcelona wasn't pretty. By defending doggedly in numbers and scoring three goals against the run of play, Chelsea offended fans of Barcelona's artful style and of its master, Messi.

Which gives thinking fans something else to ponder on Saturday night: Is it more important to play beautifully or to win?

Ideally, of course, neutrals would like to see both. But not all teams can do that. History remembers teams that are engraved on trophies, not always who they beat to get there, how they did it, or that it cost their owner $1 billion to buy the win.

Abramovich has chopped and changed his way through seven managers in nine years. It would be deliciously ironic if the coach who gets him what he wants - Chelsea's first Champions League trophy - is Roberto Di Matteo, the former assistant and now "interim" coach in charge only because Abramovich ditched the last guy, Andre Villas-Boas, in March.

The big regret is that six players who should play will be absent.

Bayern's David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Luiz Gustavo, and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and Ramires are suspended for one of the biggest matches of their careers simply because they picked up their third yellow cards of the competition in the semi-finals.

Chelsea's captain, John Terry, is also banned, for the more serious offence of being sent off for kneeing Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez in the back in their semi.

Platini told DPA that European football's administrative body wants to improve the continent's two leading club competitions.

"As president of UEFA it is my duty to give thought to the future of the different competitions," Platini said at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

"We have begun to consider this at an administrative level but not at a political one."

Platini said the outcome was fully open.

"That we are given this some consideration does not mean that something will really change," he said.

"But of course we ask ourselves, what is better for the Europa League, what is better for the Champions League?

"It's clear that we have to upgrade the Europa League."

Interim Blues boss Di Matteo will go into the biggest match of his life knowing it is currently set to be his last game in charge, regardless of the result.

Opposite number Jupp Heynckes earlier summed up the sense of incredulity that Chelsea could dispense with the man who had rescued its season when he urged Roman Abramovich to sign the Italian up.

But Di Matteo said he had not even spoken to Blues owner Abramovich about the prospect of being handed the reins full-time.

"We haven't had time, or it wasn't relevant, to have that conversation," he said.

"We're all focusing on being successful."

He added: "I don't know what the future will hold. I'm entirely focused on this game."

Di Matteo is already a Chelsea favourite thanks to his exploits as a player, as well as this season's FA Cup triumph, but masterminding a victory would top anything he has achieved.

He said: "I'm not thinking me personally. I try to think about the team, the group. I feel responsible about the club as well.

"Maybe it's a bit unselfish, but that's the way I think."

However, Di Matteo admitted he could have never envisaged what was to come when he began picking up the pieces of the doomed Andre Villas-Boas regime.

He said: "What happened to me was unexpected. I do believe that, to have a history and a legacy at a club, it's important to connect everyone to the supporters and people working in the club.

"You never know, but another ex-player could be in charge of Chelsea Football Club in the future."

Frank Lampard, who will captain Chelsea, was asked whether he and other senior players would lobby Abramovich to keep Di Matteo on.

"People think that we ring up the owner now and again and decide who comes and who'll be sacked," Lampard said.

"That's not how it works at this club. It shouldn't be like that at any club.

"As a player, you do your best for the club. A decision like that is taken out of your hands.

"If you start thinking like that, you'll take your eyes off the ball.

"I won't think like that. But if we win, I'll be really happy for the manager."

The midfielder nevertheless praised the impact Di Matteo had made.

"He's been very clever in how he's managed the situation," he said.

"We were struggling for confidence on the pitch and, rather come in and make drastic changes, he spoke to everyone individually and created confidence in the group.

"We got wins, the Napoli game changed everything and from then on, quietly, he's done a perfect job.

"If anyone deserves to win this game, it's him."

Asked if it was easier for Chelsea to win the Champions League or for him to keep his job, Di Matteo said: "It'll be difficult to win tomorrow because Bayern Munich are a fantastic team.

"The rest will sort itself out."

For the second time in Abramovich's nine years as owner, Chelsea will contest the most important club game on the planet on Saturday (Sunday 04:45 AEST).

The lure of the Champions League is what brought the Russian billionaire to Stamford Bridge, his hunger to win it has arguably cost half a dozen managers their jobs.

Now Di Matteo finds himself in the bizarre position of knowing victory over Bayern Munich may not save him the axe either.

But he hopes, as do all those wearing blue who will cheer on the club Roman built, the journey will reach its end in the Allianz Arena, living in the absolutely certainty that one day Abramovich's dreams will be realised.

"We can win it," said Di Matteo.

"We have to believe and have the confidence to do so.

"I don't know how somebody else feels. I can only guess he (Abramovich) is excited.

"Sooner or later it will come.

"We hope it's tomorrow. But with the quality that's been at this club before and will certainly come into this club again, it will happen."

The 68th richest person in the world, according to Forbes, Abramovich's Champions League history is scarred by ill fortune.

Luis Garcia's ghost goal for Liverpool in 2005, John Terry slipping as he lined up the penalty that would have secured victory over Manchester United in 2008, Andres Iniesta scoring a semi-final winner for Barcelona in injury-time 12 months later.

No amount of money can ease the pain of being kept apart from that elusive prize.

"I haven't had direct message from the owner," said Frank Lampard.

"The general message is always there.

"He has put a lot into this club. Without him, we wouldn't be sitting here now.

"He's always been behind us. You don't get into a final very often. We want to win it now."

Di Matteo cannot afford to get sucked into the emotion.

"You make your own destiny and fate," he said.

"Reaching the last stages of this competition is difficult enough and you always need a bit of luck in a cup competition."

Chelsea's fortune came in the acceptance of Di Matteo to take charge on an interim basis after the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas at the beginning of March.

It has been suggested that the decision to make a change followed expressions of discontent from senior players.

"People think that we ring up the owner now and again and decide who comes and who'll be sacked," said Lampard.

"That's not how it works at this club. It shouldn't be like that at any club.

"A decision like that is taken out of your hands."

However the conclusion was reached, it worked.

Chelsea is reliant on winning the game in order to qualify for next season's Champions League.

The mere fact they have that chance, having lifted the FA Cup a fortnight ago, is confirmation Di Matteo not only stabilised the situation but managed to get the Chelsea ship moving forwards again, thanks chiefly to a memorable night against Napoli in a last-16 tie that, under Villas-Boas' watch, appeared to have drifted out of reach.

"We have had a difficult season," said striker Didier Drogba.

"We had a lot of criticism. But when big teams don't perform that is what you expect.

"We've shown everyone that we're still a very good team and, if we win tomorrow, everybody will just remember we won the cup."

Chelsea will have to win it without inspirational skipper John Terry, who is suspended, along with Ramires, Raul Meireles and Branislav Ivanovic.

Thankfully for Di Matteo, David Luiz and Gary Cahill have recovered from their respective hamstring injuries and although Lampard sparked a worry when he did a few stretches during training, the veteran midfielder appeared unconcerned.

So now Di Matteo, who spent six seasons with the Blues as a player, will try to engineer the best day of Abramovich's footballing life and Chelsea's entire history, with Lampard accepting it would have been virtually impossible without the Italian manager.

"You can see his importance in the results," said Lampard.

"Roberto has been very clever managing the situation.

"We were struggling for confidence and rather than come in and make drastic changes, he spoke to everyone individually and created confidence in the group.

"We got wins - the Napoli game changed everything - and from then on quietly he's done a perfect job.

"If anyone deserves to win this game, it's him."

Drogba insisted the Blues had not blown their chance of convincing him to sign a contract extension after Saturday's (Sunday 04:45 AEST) UEFA Champions League final, saying he was prepared to listen to any new offer they made.

The striker otherwise refused to let speculation about his future distract him from his bid to finally achieve Chelsea's and his dream of European glory.

That was not the only sideshow Drogba had to face at the pre-match press conference after Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes earlier appeared to hit out at his reputation for play-acting.

Heynckes claimed the 34-year-old sometimes "overdoes it a bit", adding: "Sometimes he's an outstanding actor on the pitch."

Bayern later moved to claim its manager was mistranslated, insisting the word "actor" should have been "performer".

But the damage was done and pressed whether he was indeed an actor, Drogba said: "Oh, no, I don't think so. No, no, no."

Drogba has spent all season dodging questions about his future since snubbing Chelsea's offer of a one-year contract extension in a bid to secure a new two-year deal.

Friday was no different, although he did confirm he would take up chief executive Ron Gourlay's invitation to sit down at the end of the season in an 11th-hour attempt to reach an agreement.

"We'll sit down with him and we're going to talk," said Drogba, who refused to criticise the club for failing to make him an offer he could not refuse.

"I don't think about this. Tomorrow's game is so important.

"My future, my contract, are not important.

"I want to give everything to the team and the fans.

"From there, we'll see what happens."

Drogba has been linked with no end of clubs from across the globe, with even Barcelona reportedly interested in what would be a free transfer.

"There are a lot of rumours about me being offered to Barcelona," Drogba said.

"It's not true. It's not true.

"The kind of moment I'm living now, the excitement of a big Champions League final game, is more important than thinking about Barcelona approaching me."

He added: "No matter what happens, everybody's talking a lot about 'last game'.

"I'm just happy because we're again in the Champions League final.

"Nobody expected us to be there at the beginning of the season but I think we did everything to reach the final.

"Now we'll do everything to win."

For Drogba, that will also mean avoiding the loss of control that saw him sent off in Chelsea's only previous final four years ago, when the team lost on penalties to Manchester United.

"It was a difficult moment for me and for the club as well," he said.

"I apologised to the fans.

"It's one memory I cannot forget but, at the same time, it's the past.

"It was a good experience, a first Champions League final for Chelsea - an experience. Now I think we've learned from that."

Moscow was one of seven Champions League failures for Drogba since joining Chelsea.

"I'm lucky to be playing Champions League games," he said.

"When I was young, I used to watch the games on TV, when Zidane scored that volley against (Bayer) Leverkusen - all these games.

"Every Champions League game is special for me. Every time I come on the pitch, I feel lucky because I'm one of the few players able to play these kind of games.

"The Champions League doesn't really owe me anything.

"If I'm responsible for something, it's my club, my team-mates and the fans.

"I play for them. I have to perform for them."

Whatever happens, Drogba's place in Chelsea folklore is assured, according to caretaker manager Di Matteo.

"He's brought Premier League trophies and cup competitions to us, scored many goals," Di Matteo said.

"So, whatever happens tomorrow, he will be remembered as a legend at this club."

The German club was close to succeeding two years ago when it was beaten by Inter Milan in the Madrid final, but unlike on that night when Ribery was suspended, the Frenchman will be available to face Chelsea on Saturday night (Sunday 04:45 AEST).

That, according to Lahm, is the biggest difference between then and now.

"He is an excellent footballer and he is a player who can decide games, we all know that," said Lahm.

"He missed out two years ago so will be particularly motivated tomorrow.

"He has already proven many times how important he is to us.

"We all have the hunger to win this cup and it will be a difficult task and Franck will make his contribution tomorrow for us to win."

Those words were echoed by Bayern's vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has further questioned the suspension ruling which deprives his side of Luiz Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and David Alaba for the final while Chelsea has to make do without Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and Ramires, who also picked up second yellow cards in the semi-final.

"I think it can be decisive that Ribery, who was suspended back then, will be back," said the 27-year-old.

"For me personally, he is an excellent player who can make the difference.

"I personally think it would have been better if all the players, both for Chelsea and for us, were on board.

"Sadly the rules are such that these players are suspended in the final.

"I think it is not optimal, but both teams have the same number of suspended players so it is the same for both sides."

What certainly will not be the same for both sides is the familiarity of the venue, with Chelsea entering uncharted waters for it - its last visit to Munich in 2005 was the last European fixture at the Olympiastadion - while Bayern enjoy the hitherto unique opportunity of vying for the biggest prize in club football in its own back yard.

For Lahm, being involved in a Champions League final just a stone's throw from where he took his first footballing steps as a six-year-old with FT Gern is further motivation.

"I was born in Munich, I grew up in Munich, Bayern is my home-town team and I joined the club as an 11 year old, so I am really at home here," he said.

"It is being called the final at home, and for me it really is at home."

The pre-match build-up will also be particularly familiar to Bayern.

"We can stay in our usual hotel, where we stay every week or every few days," added Lahm.

"We know the dressing rooms, we are basically at our own home and we will have the same preparation for this game as we have had for any other Champions League game."

That preparation will include the usual detailed analysis of the opponent, but Lahm does not need to be told too much about Didier Drogba, who was on target when the sides met at the Olympiastadion seven years ago.

"We all know that Drogba is an absolutely sensational player," he said.

"We know of his physical strength and that it is going to be a physical game, but we are a strong team and I cannot see there being any problems."

Lahm did identify one potential problem in the desire of Chelsea's elder statesmen to take what could be their last shot at Champions League glory.

"Chelsea have also been in the final before and some of their players have already played in it, and for many from Chelsea's point of view, it could be their last chance to win this," he said.

"We are all in our best footballing prime and can play together for a few more years."

Pressure did not seem to be particularly manifest, though, as Schweinsteiger and Lahm cut very relaxed figures on the eve of one of the most important games of their careers.

"I was thinking that we should just go for a walk in the city centre and mingle among the fans," said Schweinsteiger, who added without a hint of modesty: "I read the paper a lot, I like to read about myself, it is quite amusing.

"We know how to deal with such situations as we have played in them before.

"We just have to concentrate on the 90 minutes. These 90 minutes on the field will be decisive.

"We have got to be focused because you can't influence the things goings on around you."

Caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo will pit his wits against Heynckes at the Allianz Arena this weekend in what could be his last match in charge.

Di Matteo has admitted he does not think becoming the first manager to lead Chelsea to European Cup glory would make any difference to his hopes of being kept on permanently.

Were Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to jettison him, he would become only the second man to lose his job immediately after winning the Champions League.

Heynckes was the first, having left Real Madrid after its 1998 triumph, and he saw no reason why Di Matteo should suffer the same fate.

The 67-year-old had nothing but praise for the sensational rescue act his opposite number had performed since replacing the sacked Andre Villas-Boas.

Heynckes said: "We must not forget that he has brought Chelsea all the way to the final with a very calm attitude.

"It seems he's a very cool person who's very much in control.

"Step by step, he's improved contact with the players and created harmony. That harmony can be felt.

"He's done a marvellous job and I can't see why whether he wins tomorrow or not would have consequences. You need continuity.

"I don't think there's any argument against him continuing."

Heynckes claimed he had no problem with his own demise at Real, claiming he would have jumped had he not been pushed, and insisted he understood why Abramovich might want to appoint a manager who had won multiple titles.

But he added of Di Matteo: "He makes an excellent impression on me and, if I was Abramovich, I would continue with this young man."

He has utilised nine managers in that time, won nine major trophies, three Premier Leagues, four FA Cups and two League Cups, and spent around £1 billion.

Yet, when it comes to the big one, fate has always seemed to conspire against him.

Robbed by the Luis Garcia 'ghost goal' in the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in 2005. Dumped out of the competition at the same stage in 2009 by Barcelona and a string of dreadful refereeing decisions.

Denied by the width of a post in the final in Moscow in 2008, when John Terry struck the woodwork with a penalty which would have won the shoot-out against Manchester United.

Abramovich is due a bit of fortune and he will need plenty of it in the Allianz Arena against a Bayern Munich side with home advantage if he is to deposit the prize he craves most in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet.

As well as luck, however, he will also need three of his Chelsea old guard, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech, to play the match of their lives.

How ironic is that, after a season which began with a managerial rookie in Andre Villas-Boas effectively having been given a brief to revitalise Chelsea by clearing out senior players and replacing them with young wannabes?

If Abramovich had not abandoned that plan at the beginning of March, when Villas-Boas was sacked and Roberto Di Matteo installed as caretaker manager, then Bayern almost certainly would be facing Barcelona.

Di Matteo has been canny. He appealed individually to each senior player to grace their careers with a final hurrah. In effect, to prove Abramovich wrong.

So Chelsea need Cech, who turns 30 on Sunday, to be at his inspired best because it is certain he will be tested by a Bayern attacking force which includes the sublime talents of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery as well as the goal-scoring nous of Mario Gomez and the energy of Thomas Muller.

Bayern knows only one way of playing. That is pressing the ball, taking the game to the opposition, dictating the rhythm and tempo. Attack, attack, attack.

Which is why Chelsea will also rely on Lampard, 34 next month, to win the midfield battle against Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose strength and precise distribution has been at the core of the German side's success.

Chelsea's task has not been made easier by the absence of the suspended Ramires, whose pace and counter-attacking ability will be missed perhaps even more than the defensive qualities of John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, who also miss out through suspension but who have able deputies in Gary Cahill and David Luiz.

If Chelsea is to win, however, it requires at least one more essential ingredient. Namely, another showpiece performance from 34-year-old Drogba.

Love him or hate him, and his apparent feigned injuries and theatrical gesticulations can be irritating, there is no denying Drogba is the man for the big occasion. Cup finals a speciality.

He scored in both League Cup final wins under Abramovich and in all four FA Cup final victories, including this month's 2-1 defeat of Liverpool.

He also scored the goal at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League semi-final which saw Chelsea beat Barcelona 1-0.

His incentive is obvious, considering his last Champions League final saw him sent off in disgrace late in the game against Manchester United, thereby depriving his team of one of its specialist penalty takers in the resulting shoot-out.

This time a disciplined Drogba must inspire his team-mates to evoke last month's spirit in the Nou Camp.

It is a tough final to call but, put simply, Chelsea, under Di Matteo, have a knack of getting the job done. Which is why, at last, Abramovich might just have a £1 billion night to remember.

Marin was confident the Blues' "better players" would expose Bayern's defence at the Fussball Arena Munchen.

The 23-year-old playmaker, who will join Chelsea from Werder Bremen this northern summer, watched Bayern thrashed 5-2 by Borussia Dortmund in last weekend's DFB-Pokal final.

Asked if its defence was weak, he told BBC Sport: "Yes. I watched the German cup final. They made big errors.

"Chelsea have better players and will do well if they play offensively."

Marin added: "I think (Chelsea) will win at the weekend.

"Bayern did a very good job against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, but they did not do well in the cup final."

But Marin was also wary of the attacking threat of Bayern.

"I think the strongest Bayern player is Franck Ribery because of his dribbling and because he's a goal threat," Marin said.

"There's also Mario Gomez. He's scored a lot of goals in the Champions League and is a constant danger. If Chelsea can stop them then they will do well."

Marin admitted he had not expected Chelsea to finish as low as sixth in the Barclays Premier League, which has left them needing to win on Sunday to qualify for next season's Champions League.

"This club has to play in the Champions League," he said.

"Everybody is a bit surprised as to why they didn't play as well as they can.

"Towards the end of the campaign, they were better and reaching the Champions League final was a very good thing."

These are the key battles that may be pivotal to the outcome of the match:

Jerome Boateng v Didier Drogba

Boateng has been given the first-team football and centre-back position he craved at Bayern after becoming fed up with his lot at Manchester City last summer. But it has been something of a double-edged sword for the 23-year-old, who has been exposed at times this season and will be without suspended team-mates Holger Badstuber and Luiz Gustavo this weekend.

Drogba is likely to show no mercy as he looks to ensure what could be his final season at Chelsea is its most glorious yet. The 34-year-old is also desperate to make amends for his sending-off in the 2008 final.

Bastian Schweinsteiger v Frank Lampard

Talismanic in the centre of their respective midfields, the performances of Schweinsteiger and Lampard and will have a major influence on the destination of the Champions League trophy.

Doubts remain over Schweinsteiger's fitness after a season beset by injuries, but Lampard too is on the rebound after dark days at Stamford Bridge under Andre Villas-Boas. With John Terry suspended, Lampard will also likely to assume the extra responsibility of the captaincy, just the sort of challenge he is renowned for rising to.

Mario Gomez v David Luiz

Gomez would have been licking his lips at the prospect of facing a Chelsea defence with no recognised senior centre-backs before Luiz and Gary Cahill returned to full training this week. That will not faze the Germany striker, who has 12 goals in 10 Champions League starts this season, 11 at home.

Fit-again Luiz revealed this week he had been practising how to stop Gomez on the PlayStation, and he and Cahill have plenty of cramming to do before kick-off. Luiz could also provide Chelsea with a bit of Brazilian magic given the chance.

England and Germany are among the fiercest rivals in the international game but Lampard is full of admiration for the way the latter goes about its business.

"I have huge respect for them," the England star said.

"I grew up being frustrated by them as an England fan. You know how tough they are in certain situations."

Lampard, who played alongside former Germany talisman Michael Ballack for four years at Chelsea, added: "He was one of those players who you could probably take the wrong way in the beginning, but he was so determined, confident and wanted to win.

"The German teams I have played against all seem to have that individually. That's why they will be such a force at the Euros as well this summer.

"They are very technically intelligent. Maybe it's the set-up and the system they have with the young kids there.

"We talk about England and what we need to do - the Spanish have shown it, the French have shown it and the Germans with their under-21s."

Bayern is the flagship German club and Lampard was under no illusions about the task facing Chelsea, branding it "a huge challenge".

He added: "They have great players up front - I've watched them a few times.

"(Mario) Gomez's goal record is amazing and his all-round game and his finishing is fantastic. And the wingers we all know about anyway.

"In (Toni) Kroos and (Bastian) Schweinsteiger, they have two fantastic midfield players.

"I can't speak highly enough of them actually. Kroos has come on and really impressed me. And then (Thomas) Muller played behind the front man.

"It's going to be a battleground because they are very strong in there."

Bayern has been weakened by three suspensions but Chelsea has been affected by four, including to centre-backs John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic.

But Lampard was confident the fit-again Gary Cahill and David Luiz would fill the void.

He said: "John is obviously the captain and a top defender but we're fortunate that in Gary and David looking like they are going to be fit, we have good cover.

"A lot of teams losing their centre-halves would not be so confident but I'm pretty confident in them.

"And then Ashley Cole - say no more, you know what you get from him. And whoever we play at right-back, Jose Bosingwa or Paulo Ferreira.

"We have to be on our game to stop them but I have confidence in the players to do it."

Lampard's days at Stamford Bridge looked numbered, the veteran midfielder's relationship with manager Andre Villas-Boas having broken down to such an extent that it was hard to see him not being sold.

Chelsea's UCL dream also appeared doomed for another season, a 3-1 last-16 first-leg defeat at the San Paolo seeing it written off by all but its most optimistic acolytes.

But fast forward almost three simply unbelievable months and Lampard will walk out in the showdown with Bayern Munich within touching distance of being the first man to captain Chelsea to Champions League glory.

"Football changes in a few seconds - it can go from the worst to the best and the other way around," Lampard said, recalling the Napoli game that proved the beginning of the end of Villas-Boas' Stamford Bridge career rather than his own.

"You wouldn't have looked ahead of yourselves and saw this.

"You're experienced enough to know things can change but, on that night, I don't think anyone of us thought it."

The build-up to the Napoli tie was dogged by reports of bust-ups between Villas-Boas and both Lampard and Ashley Cole.

"Maybe it was one of the lower times," added Lampard, who Villas-Boas seemed determined to phase out during his failed Chelsea revolution.

"I knew I wouldn't play 160 games consecutively all the time - these records don't go on forever.

"But it was tough at times for me when I wasn't in the team and frustrating.

"I sat back at times and got the hump indoors but I tried to carry on working hard and in the end it has turned around personally - but not quite to the full extent yet."

That will only happen if Chelsea finally ends its agonising wait for Champions League glory.

That it is in the final at all owes everything to the controversial sacking of Villas-Boas and stunning revival masterminded by caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo.

The comeback against Napoli, the nailbiter against Benfica and one of the most astonishing triumphs of modern times against Barcelona have led those who believe in destiny to declare the Blues' name must already be on the trophy.

"It doesn't work that way," said Lampard, who has endured almost nothing but heartache at the business end of the Champions League.

"We've enjoyed the feeling of beating the best because Barcelona certainly are the best team.

"But we're clever enough to know that if you lose the final, people soon forget the semis and the quarters."

The 33-year-old added: "Every year, we get asked the same questions: is this the year, how inspired are you by the failures of years before?

"And, every year, we have failed, obviously, because we haven't done it.

"We are one step closer to making it."

After 11 years at Stamford Bridge, the Champions League is the one major club trophy to elude Lampard.

"Even if we don't win it, I'd have no regrets looking back," he said.

"I'm very pleased and proud of the career I've had here."

"It would be the greatest achievement, for sure.

"It would certainly be Chelsea's best ever feat."

Even greater without four suspended players who arguably would have all started, particularly captain John Terry, whose senseless sending off at Barcelona foisted the captaincy on Lampard both then and now.

"I was probably more vocal than I've ever been in Barcelona because it was so backs-to-the-wall," Lampard said.

"This time, I'll try to be vocal, I'll try and lead by example.

"I know the players - I've been here long enough - I feel the pride of it and you take on the responsibility of trying to lead.

"But we have got leaders and the occasion will bring out the big boys to lead the team as we go along."

Lampard can forget about a good-luck message on his big night from uncle Harry Redknapp, whose Tottenham Hotspur side will miss out on UCL qualification if Chelsea wins.

"I haven't spoken to him, but I know he said that (he favours Bayern)," Lampard said.

"If he had said anything other than that with a straight face, you wouldn't have believed him anyway.

"You wouldn't expect anything else."

But the Chelsea defender will certainly have no problem recalling his first as a professional after he lines up in the biggest game in club football on Saturday (Sunday AEST).

That Cahill is set to play in the Champions League final at all is thanks to the Blues' medical staff, who have worked around the clock to get the 26-year-old fit for this weekend's Bayern Munich showdown.

Cahill was doubly determined to recover, with the hamstring injury that forced him off in the semi-final having already robbed him of a maiden FA Cup final appearance.

He said: "I was sick when I got the injury because I knew that was going to be the case straight away, although I tried to get back. But there was never any chance of that.

"That was a sickener for me because it would have been a big part in my career. So for me to make this one is a huge moment."

It is exactly the sort of moment for which Cahill left Bolton during the January transfer window, having never managed to reach a major final.

Indeed, he admitted he did not know when he was last within touching distance of silverware.

"I couldn't tell you, probably in youth-team football," Cahill said.

"It's my first final and it's in the biggest competition - sink or swim.

"You come here to play in these competitions and be a part of this.

"We've got a great chance now to lift the best trophy in club football.

"I did win a few things as a kid, but nothing since.

"I can't remember what I did last week, never mind 10 years ago."

A Champions League final looked a million miles away when Cahill made his debut in the competition in February's 3-1 last-16 defeat at Napoli.

But the turnaround since could not have been more dramatic.

"It's been a mad season and a fantastic season for me," Cahill said.

"Making a move here has obviously worked out really well.

"First to win the FA Cup and now to go into this huge game in my first six months here is really crazy."

It is about to get even crazier for Cahill, who is also heading to the European championships with England.

The defender, who shrugged off concerns playing on Saturday (Sunday AEST) could risk a devastating recurrence of his injury, said: "I'm hoping to be selected for England this (northern) summer.

"If that happens, it will have been a fantastic second half of the season."

Cahill was confident he and David Luiz, who has also not played for several weeks due to a hamstring injury, would fill the void left by the suspended Branislav Ivanovic and captain John Terry.

Cahill, whose excellent international partnership with Terry had been translating brilliantly on to the club stage, nevertheless admitted the latter's "quality" and "leadership" would be missed.

He added: "He's a big presence in our team and our dressing room.

"He won't be playing but he'll be involved in the build-up and in the dressing room.

"He'll be a big part of the day and we'll all see his influence."

Former Germany captain Ballack spent four years with both clubs and was part of the Blues side beaten on penalties by Manchester United in its only previous final appearance in 2008.

The 35-year-old declared Bayern favourite for Saturday's showdown, with it being played at its own Allianz Arena, but refused to rule out Chelsea reproducing its stunning semi-final triumph against Barcelona.

"Of course Chelsea can upset the odds - they did it against Barcelona," Ballack told Chelsea TV.

"Everything looks like Bayern are favourites, they are playing at home which is a big advantage in a final.

"They kicked out Real Madrid in the semis and, although they were two tight games, they deserved it.

"They have a good team and were in the final two years ago, when they lost against Inter Milan, so they're very hungry.

"But Chelsea know their strengths and know their quality.

"They've had a difficult season but, in the last few weeks, have showed what they can do.

"They play exactly how they know they have to in order to win and they still have unbelievable quality."

Spain star Mata joined the Blues from Valencia last northern summer after rejecting the advances of both Arsenal and Tottenham, the winger declaring at the time that his new club was better equipped to challenge for the English Premier League title.

That proved not to be the case this season, with Chelsea finishing below both its London rivals in sixth place, despite its astonishing run to Saturday's (Sunday AEST) Champions League showpiece.

It must now beat Bayern in the German giant's own back yard to avoid being out of the competition next term for the first time since 2002 and in the Europa League instead.

Asked what it would mean to be in Europe's second-tier competition next season, Mata said: "We want to play in the Champions League and we want to win this year to play next season."

Pressed further, he added: "Our objective is to play in the Champions League. We're only thinking of winning and, after that, let's see."

Despite its Premier League travails, Chelsea has outstripped its domestic rival by a considerable distance in Europe this season.

Indeed, were it not for caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo's remarkable rescue act, English football would have suffered its most humiliating continental campaign since 1996.

Mata declared Chelsea was proud of having flown the flag for England in such sensational style since its historic last-16 comeback against Napoli.

"Yes, we are, we are," he said.

"A lot of good teams like Tottenham, Arsenal, Man United played in European tournaments but now we are going to play in the Champions League final, representing England as well."

However, Mata acknowledged Chelsea's performances have been up and down.

He said: "We won the FA Cup. It's true that in the Premier League, it hasn't been an easy season for us.

"But now we have the chance to play in the Champions League next year by winning the trophy, so it will be amazing for us to win it."

Mata has been anything but inconsistent, becoming the first man to win the club's Player of the Year prize in his debut season since Ruud Gullit in 1996.

The 24-year-old, who was rightly rewarded for his 12 goals and astonishing 24 assists, said: "I feel so proud. I feel so proud and so happy - even more because it's my first season here I'm so grateful to all the supporters."

Having featured in every one of Chelsea's punishing run of fixtures since Di Matteo took charge 10 and a half weeks ago, Mata has been wrapped in cotton wool since the FA Cup final.

The Blues cannot afford him to be anything other than 100% fit this weekend, especially with fellow midfielders Ramires and Raul Meireles suspended and Florent Malouda struggling with a hamstring injury.

Also banned are Branislav Ivanovic and captain John Terry, who is reportedly lined up to deliver a typically tub-thumping pre-match team talk.

He and the other suspended trio will be powerless to influence proceedings on the field, but Mata insisted whoever filled the void at the Allianz Arena would do Chelsea proud.

"I have a lot of confidence in them," he said.

"I think no matter who plays, we are Chelsea. We have 24, 25 players ready to play."

Saturday's (Sunday AEST) match is also currently set to be Di Matteo's final match in charge, regardless of the outcome.

Pep Guardiola is said to be Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's number one managerial target, while reports in Italy have claimed former England boss Fabio Capello has spoken to the Russian about the vacancy at Stamford Bridge.

Mata insisted the uncertainty over Di Matteo's future would not have a negative impact this weekend.

He said: "No, I think it's not a problem now. We are only thinking of the final.

"We are all happy with Robbie - he's a very, very good manager - but we don't know (what will happen)."

The Frenchman is looking forward to appearing in his first Champions League final after missing out due to suspension against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan two years ago, but he knows Abramovich has been waiting even longer to get his hands on the prized piece of silverware.

"Abramovich has wanted to win the Champions League for so long," he said.

"If they lose it on Saturday then it will be brutally tough. It would ruin them in the head and really lower morale."

Negative thoughts are not passing through Ribery's mind either, though, as he looks to put a disappointing domestic season behind him with Europe's ultimate club prize.

Bayern finished runner-up in the Bundesliga and lost to league champion Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the final of the German Cup last weekend, which is why another disappointment does not even bear consideration.

"We are definitely not thinking about losing," he said. "If you lose, then you are distraught.

"If we win the Champions League, then we can forget about not winning the league or the cup this year, nobody would care about that anymore.

"I have achieved a lot with Bayern. I have won the league and the cup several times and now to win the Champions League would be historic."

Simply taking the field on Saturday (Sunday AEST) will be an historic moment for the 29-year-old, who was a frustrated spectator in Madrid two years ago.

That experience will come in useful in the dressing room this week with no fewer than three Bayern players - defenders David Alaba and Holger Badstuber and midfielder Luiz Gustavo - sidelined for the showcase event.

"Of course being suspended two years ago was not a good feeling," he admitted. "But I am here in two days' time and it is very, very important for us.

"I will try to help them, but it will not be easy for them to be suspended.

"It's not easy for the little lad Alaba. He's only 19 and it is very tough.

"I just try to tell him that he is still with us and we have got here with him. If we win on Saturday, then he can forget about the disappointment."

Daniel van Buyten could make a return to the starting XI for the first time in more than four months due to Bayern's shortage of central defenders.

The Belgian played just a handful of minutes in a reserve-team fixture at the weekend, yet could be on the field for the biggest club fixture of the season.

"It is a difficult situation for Daniel, having been out for so long and then to come back for such an important game," said Bayern's former Chelsea player Arjen Robben.

"But we have faith in whoever plays and it is up to the coach to decide if he is ready."

Robben would not expect Van Buyten to be too busy if he does play, though, as he predicted that Bayern will have to take the initiative.

"This game will be nothing like against Dortmund," he said.

"We expect them to be very defensive and tight, but we have played often against such sides and we have just got to try and find a way through.

"It is going to be tight and I just hope it goes well. We have got to try and take the game to them."

Proenca, 41, was in charge of the second leg of the last-16 clash between Inter Milan and Marseille this season, and last term he was in charge of Manchester United's semi-final second leg against Schalke.

He will be assisted in Munich by his compatriots Bertino Miranda and Ricardo Santos, while the fourth official will be Carlos Velasco Carballo from Spain.

But Drogba is under no illusions that Saturday's (Sunday 04:45 AEST) showdown with Bayern Munich is almost certain to be his last shot at European glory and one he is desperate to take.

This weekend's Allianz Arena clash is set to bring down the curtain on Drogba's glittering career at Stamford Bridge, with the striker out of contract at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old was won every domestic honour going in England - multiple times - but the Champions League has proven elusive, never more so than in Moscow four years ago when Chelsea was within a penalty kick of clinching it.

Drogba said: "After Moscow, we thought that we were going to get to the final the next year.

"But that's Champions League - it's very difficult to reach the final and I think it shows how much we deserve to be there today."

Drogba was as much to blame as anybody for Chelsea's defeat to United, with then manager Avram Grant revealing John Terry would have been spared the doomed penalty that would have won the final had his team-mate not been sent-off.

This season's FA Cup triumph reinforced Drogba's status as the king of domestic cup finals but it has been a different story on the biggest stages, with two agonising African Cup of Nations final defeats also on his CV.

He said: "I've got a lot of disappointments but I've also got a lot of great moments in finals so I'm going to try to make sure that, for my team-mates, this one is a great one."

Drogba, who has been linked with a surprise move to Barcelona, has spoken before of his determination to make amends for Moscow on Saturday but he is keen not to dwell on past failures.

"It's not good to speak about the past because we have a great moment here," he said.

"I could speak with you about Bayern Munich and the next Champions League final rather than speak about the other final."

Admitting this weekend's clash was "one of the biggest games" of his career, he added: "I've played a lot with Chelsea but this one is going to be special because it's only the second time we have reached the Champions League final.

"So we are going to do everything to go there and be ready to play against this German team."

Chelsea defender Luiz was infamously accused by television pundit and new England coach Gary Neville of performing like he was being controlled by "a 10-year-old on a PlayStation" during a game earlier this season.

But it has been the Brazil star who has been at the controls ahead of the biggest match of his life against Bayern Munich and its star striker Gomez.

Asked if he had ever faced the Germany forward before, Luiz said: "Just on the PlayStation!"

Luiz will be hoping his football simulator proves an accurate gauge of what to expect this weekend, having had no opportunity to practice defensive drills since injuring his hamstring a month ago.

After returning to full training, he and centre-back partner Gary Cahill faced four days of cramming to get themselves ready for arguably the most daunting challenge they have ever faced.

Gomez has scored 12 Champions League goals in 10 starts this season, 11 at the Allianz Arena, where Saturday's final will be played.

Luiz said: "In the Champions League final, it is always difficult.

"The other team are very good and they deserve to play in the final with Chelsea.

"It is the best game in the world and is being played in Munich. Bayern play at home and that makes it more difficult."

Providing Luiz and Cahill do not suffer any adverse reaction before the weekend, they will be asked to fill the void left by the suspended John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic.

Luiz said of Chelsea's banned stars: "For sure, they are important players - Ivanovic, John, Ramires, and (Raul) Meireles.

"But my team-mates are very good players."

Luiz was just relieved to be in contention to play himself, adding: "This is the best game in the world for big teams and I am so happy to play this final.

"All the players in the world want to play this game, and me too.

"I want to play, I'm counting the days and the minutes.

"I hope to finish the game with the Champions League."

Luiz, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for £26.5 million almost a year and a half ago, revealed his mother and father would travel to Munich to watch their son in action.

"This season is so important for my career, for my life," he said.

"When I was a kid in Brazil, it was my dream and now I get my chance to play in the Champions League final.

"Everyone will stop to watch the game. My father and my mother will come here to support the club and I'm happy to have my family here."

Chelsea is not alone in suffering defensive problems in the build-up to this weekend's game, with Bayern having been thrashed 5-2 by Borussia Dortmund in Saturday's DFB-Pokal final.

Luiz said: "I saw the game. I saw a very good team and a lot of very good players.

"They will be more angry when they play against Chelsea."

Saturday will see the Blues not only attempt to join an elite of clubs to have won the European Cup but also try to stay among them next season after failing to finish in the English Premier League top four.

Luiz said of the extra pressure: "Chelsea is a big club - there is always pressure there.

"First game of the season, the last game of the season, it's always the same."

Whatever happens on Saturday, caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo is looking increasingly unlikely to be handed the reins full-time, despite masterminding a fairytale turnaround in the club's fortunes in the last 10 weeks.

Insisting he did not know what the future held for Di Matteo, who has been linked with Lazio, Luiz said: "He's done so well for Chelsea, winning one cup and now in another final.

"I'm so happy for him because he's a very good person and very good coach."

Blues manager Roberto Di Matteo told a press conference on that Luiz and Cahill - who have not played for several weeks - were ready to train again as they battle to be fit for this weekend's clash with Bayern Munich.

Di Matteo is banking on Luiz and Cahill being available for selection, particularly as two pillars of his defence, captain John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, are already missing through suspension.

Luiz and Cahill would be given up until the day of the game to prove their fitness, Di Matteo said.

"Gary and David are going to try to train with us today," Di Matteo said of the two centre-halves.

However Di Matteo was less upbeat about Malouda, who limped off during Chelsea's English Premier League victory over Blackburn Rovers.

"Flo, we'll still assess and it's going to be touch and go for him to be available for Saturday," he said.

In addition to the absent Terry and Ivanovic, Di Matteo is also without the suspended Ramires and Raul Meireles, and admitted that he may be forced to fill out Chelsea's substitutes bench with reserves if Luiz, Cahill and Malouda failed to win their respective fitness battles.

"That's the worse-case scenario," he said. "We will take some reserve-team players onto the bench, into the squad, and just figure out what to do."

"I've been trying different options in training and different solutions just in case."

Meanwhile Di Matteo, who took over as interim Chelsea manager following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas in March, once again brushed off questions about his long-term future with the club.

Chelsea has consistently said it will make no decision on a long-term successor until the end of the season.

However Di Matteo did rule out a possible return to manage West Bromwich Albion, the club he led into the English Premier League before being sacked last year.

"In my life, I've gone back to an ex-girlfriend and it didn't work out," he said. "I'm not sure whether it's the right move."

Cahill and David Luiz both appeared to come through unscathed as they stepped up their comeback from hamstring injuries just four days before this weekend's showdown with Bayern Munich.

It was a huge boost for Chelsea, who was in danger of going into the Allianz Arena clash without any recognised senior centre-backs.

England defender Cahill, who suffered his injury during last month's epic semi-final second leg at Barcelona, said: "I'm just happy that it's healed quickly."

"We've worked really hard, all day, afternoons, and I'm fortunate enough to be back."

"Hopefully, I'll be fit, I will be fit, and hopefully I'll be out there if selected."

He added: "First full session with the boys today after my injury, so nice to get back out there and get running around and kicking a ball about."

"There's some work to be done in two or three days now leading up to the game for me to get back into it."

"And if I need to do a little bit of other training, I'll do that."

"But, touch wood, there's no reaction from today and I felt fine out there."

Cahill, who joined Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers in January, admitted the match would be the biggest of his life.

"I think it's the biggest game for probably many of the boys," he added.

"We're under no illusions how big the game is."

"It's going to be a good night and, hopefully, it goes to plan."

Cahill was desperate to hear the famous UEFA Champions League music one more time this season.

"It's just like when the national anthem plays for England, isn't it?" he said.

"It is a sort of hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck moment when you hear it and it gets you geed up and fired up for the game."

"But I don't think we'll need any of that for this game."

"Everyone knows how big the game is."

Effenberg captained Bayern the last time it won the competition in 2001 and he called on Schweinsteiger to rise to the occasion at the Allianz Arena.

"There is a lot of hope resting on his shoulders and he cannot buy any more time - he has got to work now," Effenberg told the Bild newspaper.

"Sooner or later, he has got to be there to lead this team.

"I am keen to see whether he can cope with the pace - he has got to play intelligently."

Effenberg claimed Jupp Heynckes' side, who was beaten to the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal by Borussia Dortmund, is too reliant on wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben and are "too predictable".

"It is not good when you are always hoping that Ribery and Robben won't get stopped," he added.

"Given the quality Bayern have, they have got to be able to play other systems too. They are too predictable.

"A win in this game would save their season."

Drogba and Torres both came off the bench in the Blues' last English Premier League game of the season, linking up for the final 21 minutes of the 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.

Caretaker manager Di Matteo has never started the strikers in tandem since taking charge just over two months ago but confirmed he had been looking at potential options for this weekend's showdown with Bayern Munich during the 2-1 win over relegated Rovers.

"I tried a few things to just have a look and see how it could work out," he told Chelsea TV.

"It's always difficult because obviously it's going to be a different opposition.

"But I've been trying to figure out a few things."

Drogba and Torres being in the same XI would have been unthinkable before Chelsea's Champions League semi-final triumph against Barcelona.

The received wisdom is that they do not work as a duo, with neither having found the net in five starts together or on the 19 other occasions they have been on the pitch at the same time.

It is still unlikely Di Matteo would gamble on that changing in what is the biggest game of his life, but with four players suspended and three potential injuries for Saturday's (Sunday AEST) clash at the Allianz Arena, it is not impossible.

Drogba appears certain to start what is looking increasingly like his farewell match for Chelsea, with Juan Mata and Salomon Kalou in support, leaving a vacancy for one of Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda, Daniel Sturridge or Torres.

Lampard may well be earmarked for a holding role alongside John Obi Mikel, Malouda is sweating on a hamstring injury picked up in the Rovers match, while Sturridge has been out of sorts since the turn of the year.

Torres, who has an impressive 18 assists this season, could therefore be a contender to play on the right side of attack, presuming Di Matteo does not also suddenly abandon the 4-2-3-1 formation that has served him so well since his appointment.

The Italian's selection will also depend on the availability of injured centre-backs David Luiz and Gary Cahill, with captain John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic both suspended.

Bayern go into the final at its Allianz Arena stadium in Munich on the back of a humiliating 5-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final.

It will be missing defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo and left-sided player David Alaba through suspension against Roberto Di Matteo's men, and Beckenbauer admitted he has concerns over Bayern's probable midfield.

Writing in the Bild newspaper, the club's honorary president said: "I assume that (Thomas) Muller will come into the starting XI. With (Franck) Ribery, Muller, (Arjen) Robben, behind them Schweinsteiger and (Toni) Kroos we would have a crazily attacking midfield. But perhaps also a somewhat unpredictable one."

Schweinsteiger has been hampered by injury over the season, most recently by an ankle problem.

"With Schweinsteiger you sense that he is still not 100% fit after his injury," Beckenbauer said.

He added: "But despite the debacle against Dortmund, the Champions League final is not lost by a long shot. And I would not like to imagine that Bayern will be without a single title at the end."

Ribery has claimed he wants to win the Champions League for the club hierarchy like president Uli Hoeness, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Beckenbauer.

"They (the club hierarchy) are extraordinary people, they love this club above all," the France winger was quoted as saying in an interview with Kicker.

"Their life is Bayern. My dream is to win this title for this club, these people. That would be special."

Malouda was arguably the Blues player who started the last Barclays Premier League game of the season at Stamford Bridge with the best chance of breaking into the team at the Allianz Arena.

But he failed to complete the first half, giving caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo another fitness fright as he pulls out all the stops to get David Luiz and Gary Cahill back in time.

Di Matteo, who rested virtually all of his likely Champions League final line-up, said of Malouda: "We took him off - precautionary - with a little problem with his hamstring.

"Hopefully he'll recover as soon as possible."

The news was not so good on Luiz and Cahill, with Di Matteo admitting their fight to get over their hamstring injuries would "probably" continue right up to the day of the final.

He added: "They are getting better day by day.

"We're going to try to push them this week in training and see how far we can take them."

Tickets for the final between Bayern and Chelsea, to be played at Bayern's Allianz Arena on May 19, will cost between 370 and 3500 euros ($480 and $4520) according to a policy put in place by European football's ruling body.

Bayern believes that the policy will prevent many of its fans from attending and Hoeness said he would be looking to "talk to" UEFA again over the issue.

"We have to speak to UEFA about this again because, at the end of the day, football is a sport that belongs to the people," Hoeness told German magazine Focus.

Bayern's most expensive ticket for the home leg of their semi-final against nine-time European champion Real Madrid was 120 euros.

Caretaker boss Di Matteo will end Sunday's (Monday 00:00 AEST) final Premier League game of the season against Blackburn Rovers with no recognised senior centre-halves.

Captain John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are both suspended for next Saturday's Champions League final, while Luiz and Cahill will remain in a race against time to recover from their hamstring injuries.

Di Matteo said that being without both "would be a big problem", admitting there was no obvious solution.

He added: "We'll practise different solutions, just in case.

"At the moment, we have the other two centre-halves training but I'm trying other solutions as well."

Right-back Jose Bosingwa looks likely to be asked to fill one vacancy, having done so with spectacular results in the semi-final win over Barcelona, as well as in league games against Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers this season.

A second hole would leave Di Matteo with a monumental headache, with one of his midfielders possibly having to drop back into defence, such as John Obi Mikel, Michael Essien or even Oriol Romeu.

The Italian does have another centre-back in his squad but it would arguably be the biggest gamble of all to ask Sam Hutchinson to start a Champions League final, the defender having made just one substitute appearance since his extraordinary comeback from what had been a career-ending knee injury.

However, Hutchinson may get a chance to stake a remarkable claim against Blackburn on Sunday.

"He's got a chance of being involved (on Sunday), yes," Di Matteo said.

Having got himself banned for the Champions League final, Terry is now sweating on his place in the England squad for the Euro 2012.

The 31-year-old revealed lhe had still to hear from new manager Roy Hodgson ahead of Wednesday's squad announcement.

Hodgson confirmed upon his appointment he would speak to both Terry and Rio Ferdinand to determine whether they could be part of the same set-up.

Terry faces trial after Euro 2012 having been charged with racially abusing Ferdinand's younger brother, Anton, something he denies.

Di Matteo said of Terry's possible exclusion from the England squad: "It's not down to me. It's down to Roy.

"But from what I've seen this season, he's been fantastic for the club, very good, and he's still one of the best centre-halves in the country."

The Gunners head to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday (Monday 00:00 AEST) needing victory to secure third place, and with it safe passage into the group stages of Europe's elite club competition once again.

The future of captain Van Persie, who has plundered 30 league goals, remains subject for speculation, with the Dutchman set to talk with the club ahead of departure to Euro 2012.

Asked if guaranteeing Champions League football would make it easier to convince Van Persie to sign an extension to his current deal which still has a year to run, Wenger said: "On my side I am inclined to think 'yes', but you should ask him. I don't know whether it will have an influence on him.

"Anyway, we don't focus on just that. Robin is not at the end of his contract."

Wenger feels the Gunners would not necessarily be forced to sell Van Persie, as they did with Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and Samir Nasri to Manchester City last northern summer.

"People speak like our position is not important. Our position is very important," said Wenger.

"Our position with Cesc was to let him go because he wanted to go."

After playing catch-up at the end of the August transfer window, Wenger has already done some early transfer business with the £10 million ($16 million) signing of German striker Lukas Podolski.

Wenger believes it will be a "quiet summer", and believes getting the likes of England midfielder Jack Wilshere - who has not kicked a ball in anger this season - fit again will be just as important as any new signings.

"Another way to strengthen for us is to get Wilshere and [Abou] Diaby, who didn't play at all the whole season," said Wenger.

"You look at the number of players - we have 34 players when they all come back. That means you have to pay nine not to play."

Arsenal would have already been secure in third place had it beaten Norwich last weekend, instead of being pegged back in a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Yet by the same token, rival Tottenham Hotspur was at one stage itself in the driving seat for automatic qualification, only to suffer from a lack of consistency itself.

"Both teams have not been capable to do it. We have been in position as well where we were not capable to do it. It can happen. The championship is difficult," said Wenger.

"For example, Norwich played 3-3 against us. We could have won the game, we could have lost the game. They went to Tottenham and won at a period where Tottenham could secure the [third] place. It happened to both Tottenham and us."

Just as much as each club could yet be playing in the Champions League again next season, they could also be dropped down into the Europa League should Chelsea win the European Cup on May 19.

Wenger, though, rejected suggestions the Europa League was a "useless competition".

He said: "You play where you have to and it's better to play there than not at all.

"When you play Thursday night and Sunday it's exactly the same as Wednesday night and Saturday.

"But if you ask me if we prefer the Europa League or Champions League then you are completely right, we want to be in the Champions League, we don't want to be in the Europa League."

Wenger, though, will not be looking for any excuses at The Hawthorns.

"In football you can always find reasons to affect things. On our side, you can say that talking about transfers has an effect," he said.

"You are professionals in our job, we are professionals in our job and to be professional is to perform when you are expected. It's as simple as that."

Bayern faces Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final on Saturday (Sunday AEST) at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

It then hosts Chelsea at Munich's Allianz Arena on May 19 as the Bavarian side looks to lift European football's top domestic title for the first time since 2001.

Schweinsteiger tore ankle ligaments at the start of February and despite making his return a month later, says he still has problems.

"You have days when you notice the problem is still there and not yet fully recovered," said Schweinsteiger.

"The injury is fading away, but there is something still not quite right."

Schweinsteiger has been twice hit by injury this season after breaking his collarbone last November, then damaging ankle ligaments.

As the vice-captain of both Bayern and Germany, Schweinsteiger says he will be fully fit for Euro 2012, which starts on June 8 to be co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland.

"We will have a long training camp to prepare, when we can train really well and I'll need that then," said Schweinsteiger.

Caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo was reportedly resigned to being snubbed in his bid to land the job full-time, regardless of the outcome of next weekend's final against Bayern Munich.

But speaking at the official launch of the club's partnership with the Sauber Formula One team, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay told Press Association Sport: "The club said from day one when he came in as interim manager that we would assess things at the end of the season.

"We've not changed our approach.

"Robbie is completely on board with that and the last person who's going to put any pressure on the team at this stage is me."

Gourlay refused to confirm whether Di Matteo had done enough to make it onto any shortlist, despite admitting the Italian had overseen a "fantastic turnaround" in Chelsea's fortunes since being handed the reins just over two months ago.

Even before reaching the Champions League final and winning the FA Cup, Di Matteo earned the backing of most supporters to be appointed Andre Villas-Boas' permanent successor.

Gourlay said: "We take the fans' views into account in most instances.

"But, at the end of the day, we'll look at the complete picture and we'll see what the owner and the board think is the best way forward for the football club in the future."

Failure to win the Champions League would certainly give owner Roman Abramovich an excuse for dispensing with Di Matteo, who would have failed to achieve his minimum target of qualifying for next season's competition thanks to a lowly sixth-placed finish in the English Premier League.

"It's certainly not where we set out to be at the start of the season," said Gourlay, who refused to go as far as some of Chelsea's players by branding such an outcome a "disaster".

"I don't think we talk about disasters at this stage because we've still got the opportunity of turning this into the most historic season for the football club."

However, Gourlay all but admitted it could not be considered a successful season if Chelsea ended it out of the Champions League for the first time since Abramovich bought the club nine years ago.

"If we won the FA Cup and Champions League final then, yes, we would've turned around our season and it'll be a fantastic end to a season which has, in parts, been very, very difficult," Gourlay said.

"We'd sit down and we'd look at the whole season and we'd try to correct the things that went wrong in the first place and make sure we learned from any mistakes."

One of those mistakes was the doomed reign of Villas-Boas, who was charged with transforming the way Chelsea played and paid the price when it all went horribly wrong.

Going back to basics has paid off spectacularly for Di Matteo, but Abramovich appears wedded to the idea of getting the Blues to play more like Barcelona.

Gourlay said: "The goal is to play the way that we want Chelsea to play. We've made no secret of that.

"We want to play attractive football, we want to make sure we're in the top competitions, we want to make sure we're competing in all areas with the elite teams around the world, and we want to do it the Chelsea way."

As well as the 'Barcelona in blue shirts' mantra, there has also been talk of Abramovich wanting a mass clearout of the old guard this northern summer to create a 'hungry, young team'.

Gourlay said: "Our strategy is to get the right balance.

"Speculation about major clean-outs is certainly not coming from Chelsea Football Club."

Any cull would likely include 34-year-old Didier Drogba but Gourlay revealed fresh contract talks with the striker would take place after what could be his final game for the club in Munich.

He said: "Didier and the rest of the team are completely focused on what we've got to achieve in the next week and, once that's finished, we'll sit down."

Gourlay was speaking ahead of the first F1 race to see Chelsea's crest appear on the Sauber team's vehicles, this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

He said: "It's a very unique tie-up.

"Formula One, during their season, will probably touch on half the global population.

"So, it's a huge awareness driver. It fits completely into our corporate social responsibility programme that we do around the world."

Cahill has missed the past four matches with a damaged hamstring while Luiz has not featured since April 15 because of a similar injury.

Both players were missing as an under-strength Chelsea side lost 4-1 at Liverpool in the English Premier League on Tuesday.

"I don't know - we'll see," said Di Matteo, when asked about the progress of Cahill and Luiz.

"I would like everyone to be available.

"We're tracking their progress and working towards their fitness."

Chelsea is unable to finish higher than sixth in the English Premier League this season and Di Matteo's side needs to beat Bayern to guarantee a place in next year's Champions League.

Di Matteo defended his decision to make eight changes to the team that took the field at Wembley by saying: "You know how demanding it has been for us.

"I thought by putting a team that was energetic and fresh, mentally and physically, it would give us a better chance.

"We have played every three days. Only by utilising the strength we have in the squad have we been able to reach two finals.

"We tried - we tried very hard," added Di Matteo.

Chief among them is this fact: the Bayern Munich coach has not won a league title since 1990.

To put it another way, the last time the 66-year-old claimed a league crown Chelsea were managed by Bobby Campbell and their record signing was the £725,000 ($A1.1 million) capture of Dave Beasant from Newcastle United, while current boss Roberto Di Matteo was an aspiring midfielder at hometown club Schaffhausen in Switzerland.

In the 22 years since Heynckes won the second of his two leagues titles in his first spell at Bayern he has tried and failed to repeat the feat with the likes of Real Madrid, Benfica, Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern again.

Mourinho has managed seven titles in less than half that time.

It's not all good news for the Blues faithful, however. Heynckes has history in the Champions League.

He ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait to win Europe's top prize again when the Spaniards beat Juventus 1-0 in the final in 1998, Predrag Mijatovic scoring the winner.

His reward was the sack six days later, the price for a fourth-placed finish in the league, but the Bayern hierarchy appear rather more impressed with his work than Madrid's bosses did.

And with good reason.

Heynckes, in his first season in his third spell at Bayern, has continued to develop the young side he inherited from Louis van Gaal and has turned it into one of the most impressive attacking teams in Europe.

Mario Gomez, Toni Kroos and David Alaba in particular have flourished under his guidance and in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

Gomez has become one of the most feared strikers in Europe - he has 13 goals in 13 games in the Champions League this term, second only to Lionel Messi; Kroos, whom Heynckes coached for a season at Leverkusen, has been transformed into a world-class all-round midfielder, equally at home in a playmaking or holding role; and 19-year-old Alaba, who will miss the final with Chelsea through suspension, has become Bayern's first-choice left-back.

For a team who used to be so reliant on Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery to now boast a line-up in which arguably neither is the key player is some feat.

Even missing out on the Bundesliga title to Borussia Dortmund, another club building an impressive young side, cannot disguise the progress Bayern has made under Heynckes this season.

And that has not gone unnoticed by club bosses not shy in expressing their opinions.

"FC Bayern are now definitely one of the world's great clubs," Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness said after the semi-final win over Madrid.

"I reckon there are four or five in total. Our aim was to be in a good position domestically, and become a global player internationally - and we've achieved it. Regardless of what happens now, we can say we've had a very, very good, possibly even an outstanding season."

Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "The team, the coaches, Jupp Heynckes and everyone who bears responsibility at the club have realised a dream (of playing in a Champions League final at their own stadium). I think that's unbelievable."

He added: "If he wants, he (Heynckes) could stay beyond the end of his current contract in 2013."

That would not be bad going at a club which has had seven coaching changes since the turn of the millennium.

It is difficult to imagine the former Borussia Monchengladbach and West Germany striker, a member of the 1974 World Cup-winning squad, was confident of such success when he stepped down as Gladbach coach in January 2007, his 10th head coaching role.

He returned to Bayern on a caretaker basis in April 2009 following the departure of Jurgen Klinsmann before a two-year spell at Leverkusen.

Last season he guided Leverkusen to second place in the Bundesliga, ahead of Bayern, before returning to Bavaria for a third time last summer.

And now he is on the verge of his greatest achievement.

"It's natural that you have to have success as Bayern coach," he said when he was announced as Van Gaal's successor. "I understand that but I see it as a fascinating task to achieve it with the team over the next two seasons.''

It is a task which is almost complete.

Clinical in German execution. Precise in technique. Composed under pressure. The ruthless strike of a winner.

Schweinsteiger supplies the power and energy and much of the inspiration in a Bayern midfield team which also includes the dribbling skills of Arjen Robben and the trickery and pace of Franck Ribery.

Bayern is a formidable side who has the added bonus of home advantage, with the final being played at its own Allianz Arena in Munich.

Quite how UEFA can allow such a scenario in the most prestigious match in club football is a mystery only football bureaucrats could seek to justify.

It is plainly unfair and a situation which could easily be remedied by choosing the final venue only once the semi-finalists were known, which would allow six weeks at least to arrange proceedings.

So Chelsea has Bayern and the odds stacked against them, but this Champions League final is by no means a foregone conclusion.

Big football matches, in many ways, are like heavyweight boxing contests. It can all be decided on whether one style suits another. On shape and formation as well as who possesses the best players.

The fact is Bayern's style might just suit Chelsea.

Bayern, especially considering it is at home, will be anxious to take the game to its opponent. In all likelihood it will press forward, its attacking instincts dictating the pace and the ebb and flow of the match.

Against dangerous and quality opposition Chelsea are more cautious. It likes to sit and soak up the pressure before bursting out in lightning-quick counter attacks. Rarely has it performed such tactics as successfully as against Barcelona in both legs of their Champion League semi-final, Didier Drogba scoring the only goal from a breakaway at Stamford Bridge and Ramires and Fernando Torres also cashing in on counter-attacks in Spain.

It may not prove to be as pronounced against Bayern, who will not enjoy as much possession as Barcelona, but expect Chelsea to be tight and compact in the Allianz Arena.

It is doubtful Chelsea will win friends among football aficionados but it just might give them a chance of winning the first European Cup in its history.

The chances are that Drogba once more will be utilised as a lone raider up front, using his physical presence to punch holes in a Bayern defence which is the team's weak point.

The loss of Ramires through suspension, however, is a big blow for Chelsea.

Ramires has blossomed this season at Stamford Bridge. At 25 the Brazilian, who was derided as a waste of £18million ($A28.5 million) by some after his first few matches, has begun to show the pace and the dynamic midfield thrusts which mark him out as a world-class talent.

His chipped goal against Barcelona was a moment of footballing grandeur, which is why he will be missed in Munich perhaps even more than captain John Terry and Chelsea's other suspended stars, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles.

Almost certainly Chelsea will miss its absentees more than Bayern, whom will miss the similarly suspended Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber.

Chelsea, however, still has power and experience. It is a match for Petr Cech to demonstrate why he is one of the world's most reliable goalkeepers, although in Manuel Neuer Bayern has a formidable shot-stopper of its own.

It is a match for Ashley Cole to show why he is regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world and for Frank Lampard to bring all his nous and goalscoring aptitude to the table.

Most of all, it is a game for Drogba to prove why his love affair with Chelsea has been so enduring with another lone raider performance to rank with those that helped to overcome Barcelona in the semi-final.

If all that happens then Roman Abramovich might just bring home the Champions League trophy which would have cost him to date the best part of £1billion ($A1.5 million).

The old guard would still have to be replaced. Chelsea would still require rejuvenation and another thick wad of Abramovich's cash.

The dream, however, would have been realised. It is a long shot because Bayern carry goal threats from all over the pitch. They are ruthless finishers. They possess the winning German mentality.

But Chelsea has an uncanny knack of overcoming superior odds. They have a way of finding how to win, even if it were denied by the width of a post when Terry missed the fateful penalty in the final in 2008. My hunch in a game so tight to call is that this time it might just work out for them.

The Italian was no Guus Hiddink - more like Chelsea's Terry Connor, the last resort, the club has seemingly failed in its attempt to parachute in a 'proper' manager.

It was almost laughable that a man sacked by West Bromwich Albion just a year earlier could be expected to pick up the pieces of Andre Villas-Boas' doomed reign.

Di Matteo did not even have the backing of the players, we were told, some of whom thought no better of him than his rookie boss.

But more than two astonishing months later, no one is laughing now, with Di Matteo on the brink of leading Chelsea to the greatest moment in its entire history, having already led them to its fourth FA Cup success in six seasons.

And after the amazing chain of events that has propelled the club to its second Champions League final, you would not bet against the 41-year-old masterminding the ultimate victory against Bayern Munich later this month.

To say Di Matteo was thrown in at the deep end at Stamford Bridge is an understatement to end them all.

Chelsea was in disarray when he took charge, heading for its worst season since Roman Abramovich first began pouring his billions into the club nine years ago.

Confidence and team spirit had taken a battering amid apparent splits in the camp over Villas-Boas' bloody revolution.

Declared guilty by association, Di Matteo immediately set about proving otherwise by restoring the lines of communication that had been allowed to deteriorate so badly under the Portuguese.

What he did next was just as important as he embraced those who had been frozen out under his predecessor, with Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel both starting his first game in charge.

Finally, Di Matteo showed he was prepared to abandon the cavalier football that had backfired so spectacularly under Villas-Boas and focus on what Chelsea do best.

The changes were so simple but so effective that, just three games into his reign, they helped the Blues complete one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history to beat Napoli in the last 16.

Still, no-one could have foreseen what was to come, with many predicting the Benfica side that helped eliminate Manchester United in the group stage would put Chelsea in its place.

But despite suffering a scare - and enjoying the first major slice of what was to be no end of outrageous fortune - suddenly it was in a semi-final against Barcelona.

The rest is simply a "Where were you when...?" question as Di Matteo masterminded one of the most miraculous victories in European football history.

The Barca tie also demonstrated a shift in priorities amid a punishing schedule that has seen Chelsea play on a weekday and weekend every week since Di Matteo took charge.

Despite being told qualifying for the Champions League was the be all and end all upon his appointment, his team selection began to place greater emphasis on ending the campaign with some silverware.

That is maybe understandable for a man who won five cup competitions while a player at Stamford Bridge but never got close to a league title.

The consequences are that winning the Champions League is now Chelsea's only realistic prospect of being in it next season.

It is arguably also Di Matteo's only realistic hope of convincing Abramovich of handing him the reins full-time, with the Russian seemingly still wedded to his dream of seeing 'Barcelona in blue shirts'.

The sudden availability of Pep Guardiola - and possibly others - this summer could end up making Di Matteo's claim redundant, regardless of the outcome in Munich and the ringing endorsements he has received both from within and outside the dressing room.

However, the Italian will not exactly be short of offers were Abramovich to say 'Thanks but no thanks' at the end of the season after proving he might yet be a very special one indeed.

Blues captain John Terry has made it clear Chelsea's players are backing di Matteo to be named as Andre Villas-Boas's full-time successor and the Italian underlined his credentials by leading the club to a 2-1 win over Liverpool in Saturday's FA Cup final at Wembley.

However, reports claim Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is still weighing up his final decision, with an approach for Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, who won two Premier League titles in his first spell at Chelsea, not out of the question.

Gourlay confirmed Di Matteo won't discover his fate until after Chelsea's Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the German club's Allianz Arena on May 19.

"I'm not going to change my mind on what I've said. We've just got to take - the cliched - one game at a time. That's honestly the way that we've treated things," Gourlay said.

"We've got three games left, we'll see how we finish. Hopefully, we can take this forward now to Munich and make us all proud and then we'll take things from there."

While Gourlay was coy over former Chelsea midfielder Di Matteo's long-term prospects, he was happy to salute the remarkable turnaround the former West Bromwich Albion manager has masterminded since replacing Villas-Boas two months ago.

"He's done very well since we brought him in as the interim manager and I think the players have responded particularly well as well, so there's been a good team effort," Gourlay said.

"When you look back and where we've got to, I think we've come a long way."

Gourlay also revealed Chelsea have not given up hope of persuading Wembley hero Didier Drogba to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Mata also picked up the man-of-the-match award in the side's 2-1 win over Liverpool to cap a dream maiden final.

Last year's northern summer signing from Valencia watched Ashley Cole lift the cup for the seventh time, John Terry pick up a fifth winner's medal and the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech celebrate a fourth Wembley triumph.

Mata said: "Of course, it's very important for us, that experience, to have players like Didi, Lamps, Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, JT."

"They've played a lot of games here, a lot of finals."

"As well, we have young players like me."

"It's my first FA Cup and I wish to win four or five like them."

The 24-year-old, who has arguably been Chelsea's player of the season, added: "It was an amazing day for me."

"It's my first year here, my first season, my first title with Chelsea."

"I really enjoyed the game, the atmosphere at Wembley - one of the best stadiums in the world, and I'm very happy."

Despite his outstanding personal displays, Mata looked set for an unhappy first season in English football until Roberto Di Matteo replaced sacked manager Andre Villas-Boas two months ago.

But he could now be part of the most glorious campaign in Chelsea's history, with the UEFA Champions League final still to come on May 20.

"We won the first final and we have another great chance to win another title, the most important in Europe, and we are all looking forward to playing this game," Mata said.

"It hasn't been an easy season for us in the Premier League, with the change of manager and everything."

"We were still fighting for a title, we achieved this one, and we have the possibility to win both."

"Chelsea never give up."

Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to set itself up perfectly for its showdown with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

It will be the Blues' second Champions League final after it lost on penalties to Manchester United in Moscow in 2008.

The side went into the match having been beaten to the English Premier League title, as well as losing the Carling Cup final.

Goalkeeper Cech, who produced one of the greatest saves in FA Cup final history to help Chelsea to victory, said: "When you win a cup and you go to the Champions League final, it gives you a lot of confidence and the mood is obviously different when you win a cup than when you lose a cup."

"We have two weeks to prepare and we have another opportunity to have this same feeling again."

"We can concentrate on that full of confidence - it would have been completely different if we'd lost, but we didn't."

That Chelsea held on was down to Cech, who produced a simply extraordinary stop from Andy Carroll in an incident reminiscent of the 'ghost' goals both Liverpool and Chelsea had scored in matches over the last seven years.

Replays and computer graphics appeared to show Cech only just prevented the whole of the ball crossing the line.

The 29-year-old, who collected his fourth FA Cup winners' medal, was adamant he had kept it out.

But with Chelsea having been controversially awarded a goal in almost identical circumstances in the semi-final, Cech could not believe goalline technology was still not in place in football.

"It should've started 10 years ago," he said.

"I understand the point people are making that not everybody would have the chance - or every league have the chance - to have the same possibilities to have the video linesman."

"But, in the end, you can't compare the Premier League even with the Czech league."

"If you look around, football is actually the only sport in the world at the highest level which doesn't have that help."

"There are people thinking about it. They haven't allowed it for I don't understand what reason."

What was not in doubtwas Didier Drogba making history by becoming the first man to score in four FA Cup finals.

The striker maintained his record of netting in all eight cup ties he has played at the home of football and Cech said: "This is his stadium, he's been scoring all the time and you can see it coming."

"Every time he touches the ball, he shoots, he scores."

Caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo also became the first manager to win the cup having scored in a previous final.

The Italian's prospects of being appointed full-time were also boosted.

"It didn't do him any harm by winning the cup, I'm sure," said Cech, who insisted it was down to the board whether Di Matteo was kept on.

"As a player, I need to respect any decision of the club."

"I will not say anything because I've been saying it all the time."

"There have been eight managers (since I joined the club)."

Caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo has been rewarded spectacularly for playing to his squad's strengths since replacing the sacked Andre Villas-Boas two months ago.

Unlike Villas-Boas, the Portuguese's former assistant has had no qualms about grinding out victories when necessary.

And while that may not chime with owner Roman Abramovich's desire to see `Barcelona in blue shirts`, it has proven mightily effective.

Throw in the extra tension of a cup final and it could be the best route to glory for Chelsea in the coming days.

Di Matteo said ahead of Saturday's (Sunday 02:15 AET) FA Cup final with Liverpool: "Because it's a big game, nobody wants to lose, and there isn't really any chance to get back if you lose.

"It might be one like that, yeah.

"Two good teams and every game we've played against each other has been quite balanced."

Asked if he would take a 1-0 win both in the FA Cup and in the Champions League final a fortnight later, he added: "I'd sign any day."

Chelsea has not exactly been dull under Di Matteo, winning its FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 and thrashing Queens Park Rangers 6-1.

It has also beat Napoli 4-1 in the Champions League, while its semi-final win over Barcelona could hardly be described as boring.

Di Matteo said: "I think we've scored a lot of goals, to be honest.

"Scoring goals, creating chances, it means you are playing in the right direction.

"But there is also time when you have to defend as a team. It can't be one-way.

"It's always better to win. If you can win with some attractive style, that's probably perfection.

"Maybe you should do a survey with the fans to see what they think about it.

"Winning is important. If you can do it with the way you think is best to win the games, it can entertain as well.

"People come to watch football to be entertained at times."

It may be dull on the pitch on Saturday but it will certainly be lively off it.

There has long been enmity between Chelsea and Liverpool fans, not helped by the disgraceful disruption of a minute's silence by the former supporters for the Hillsborough disaster during last month's semi-finals.

It goes back further than that to when Abramovich first bought the Blues, with Liverpool supporters accusing them of buying their success and having no real history.

Di Matteo said: "There is a big rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool, yes.

"Our fans probably feel similar, if not the same, towards Liverpool."

He added: "Every time we play them, they play very well against us.

"They seem to raise their game against us. Because I guess they're playing against us. I've seen them playing against other teams, but they do their best against us."

Lampard also explained how visualisation transformed him from a shot-shy youngster into one of the greatest goalscoring midfielders of his generation.

Blues star Lampard was acutely aware of the historic significance of Saturday's (Sunday 02:15 AET) FA Cup final against Liverpool and the UEFA Champions League final a fortnight later.

The 33-year-old said: "I've never been more aware about what a situation like this means - tomorrow, in two weeks.

"The FA Cup final is a game you are always going to want to win, and it's a massive game against a big team.

"And then that Champions League is something we've always wanted and I'm actually desperate to win it, I make no bones about that.

"I'm very aware on both fronts."

Lampard, who has won every domestic honour in his 11 years at Stamford Bridge, added: "I think about it in bed at night. We all have those moments when you dream about being a part and a big part of a successful game.

"I know I've been fortunate enough to be parts of big moments at this club and they've been the best moments of my career by a long way.

"I'd give everything to try and be part of a winning team."

That has included using psychological techniques.

Lampard said: "I do visualise certain situations.

"When I was here with Claudio Ranieri, I had a problem with scoring at the time and he told me to visualise scoring, like basketball players visualise throwing it through the hoop rather than always doing it and doing it all the time. It's something I took on board.

"I'm not saying I'm really boring and sit there all the time visualising football, but you have your moments when you do."

Lampard admitted the next two weeks could be the pinnacle of his career.

"The first league we won here was amazing and if anything manages to beat that then it would be truly special because that was amazing," he said.

"But we are on the brink of something that could rival it if not beat it."

It could also be Lampard's last shot at glory, with the 33-year-old about to enter the final year of his contract.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich appears determined to take an axe to the club's ageing squad over the next 12 months but Lampard will not be walking away any sooner.

"I've got another year on my contract and I want to see it out," said the England star, who might have been forced out at the end of this season had Andre Villas-Boas not been sacked as manager.

"I've been pleased that I've been able to play somewhere near my top form, especially when I've had the chance second half of the season because I never felt like my legs were going or anything like that.

"I just felt like I wanted to play regularly and be able to focus and be given a good chance to play, and I've really enjoyed these last few months and certainly don't want it to finish anywhere near now."

It must irk the likes of Lampard and other members of Chelsea's so-called 'old guard' that age is seen as a handicap where they are concerned but an advantage when it comes to Manchester United's even older stars.

"Give us three or four years and people might come back with us!" Lampard joked.

"I don't mind. The players at Man United are the ones I look up to.

"Whenever I see Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes put in a performance or score a goal or something like that, I think, 'Thank God for that', because it shows people you can do it even at their ages.

"I'm sure Ryan Giggs will tell you, when he was 33, he was written off by someone in the press, or the fans or whatever."

He added: "I don't say that every game I feel a million dollars but I never did when I was 24.

"I think the good thing about experience and age is that you understand how to approach a game rather than keep trying to bomb about when your legs aren't as sharp. So I think I've got more know-how."

European football's governing body has already rejected a plea for clemency from the international players' union FIFPro for the six players - three from each club - and has now stated it will be not change until at least after 2015.

Michael van Praag, the Dutch UEFA executive committee member who is head of the body's Champions League rules group, was quoted on FIFPro's website saying: "We have just had three sessions with representatives of the European Clubs' Association and others, in which we confirmed the rule for the coming three years.

"We did not receive any request whatsoever concerning the yellow card rule, not even from the representative of Bayern Munich. And so we will be continuing the rule for the next three years."

UEFA will wipe the slate clean for yellow cards after the quarter-finals in Euro 2012 but Van Praag defended the apparent inconsistency.

He added: "Different rules can apply in different competitions. The current rules are the result of a careful, democratic procedure."

Chelsea will be missing Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles, with Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber suspended for Bayern.

Blues captain John Terry will also be suspended after being sent off against Barcelona in the semi-final second leg at the Nou Camp.

The showpiece match will be played at the German side's home ground the Allianz Arena on May 19 and the 35-year-old Ballack, who left Bayern to join Chelsea in mid 2006, recognises that is a difficult obstacle to surmount for the Londoners.

He told German tabloid newspaper Bild: "I think Barcelona would have been the only team capable of contesting a final abroad and winning it.

"It is a huge advantage when you are at home in a final, where a lot of emotions play a role. This is an emotional advantage that Chelsea cannot compensate for."

Ballack insists though that he is entirely neutral, adding: "I have my fingers crossed for both sides."

Sammer, who won the Bundesliga as coach of Borussia Dortmund in 2002, praised Bayern for retaining a core of German players in their side.

"For Bayern to reach the final in their own stadium is a strong signal for the club, but also for the whole of German football," he said.

"What deserves particular attention in this respect is that 10 Germany internationals were on the field in the Champions League semi-final.

"The gap that existed between us and the world's elite midway through the last decade has reduced considerably."

Germany's under-17s will be bidding to win back the European Championship title it last won in 2009 over the coming weeks while the under-19s side is bidding to reach the finals, which will take place in Estonia in July.

And with Germany among the favourites for Euro 2012, Sammer is hoping for at least one piece of silverware this summer.

"That has got to be our aim," he said on the DFB's website.

"Our aim as Germany national team is always to win titles and measure ourselves against the best in the world."

Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles will all miss the 20 May (AEST) final in Munich after being booked in Chelsea's semi-final second leg at Barcelona.

Bayern, meanwhile, lost Holger Badstuber, David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo after its own semi-final triumph over Real Madrid.

Asked if Chelsea would consider a joint bid with Bayern to get UEFA to change its mind over the bans, Di Matteo said: "If there's any possibility, we would consider it, of course. But I think it would prove very difficult."

Even if both clubs failed in any bid to overturn those bans, Di Matteo called for a rule change next season so an amnesty is introduced after the quarter-final stage.

That would bring the Champions League into line with the World Cup and European Championships.

The even ticket allocations to both finalists mean Bayern cannot really expect home advantage to be clear in the stands of its Allianz Arena home, but Rummenigge reckons many neutrals around the continent will be rooting for his team.

Rummenigge, who has been one of the most active supporters of UEFA's financial fair play initiative and is a strong critic of the trend of billionaires buying and funding football clubs, said: "Since Wednesday night, I have received an incredible number of text messages and emails from colleagues throughout Europe.

"They like that we are in the final with the philosophy that we have. They feel we deserve the title.

"And there are many non-Bayern fans who will be keeping their fingers crossed for us."

And Rummenigge feels his side deserve the title too, although he knows Roberto Di Matteo's Blues will want it at least as much as Bayern.

"Our team would deserve it because of the incredible will that they have," he told the Bild newspaper.

"But I would warn against getting too euphoric and thinking that we have already done the hard work and now we have an easier game on our hands.

"For Chelsea, this is an incredible chance to end what has not been a really satisfying season with a huge success. We must not underestimate that."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes would join an exclusive group including Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jose Mourinho to have won the title with two different clubs if the Bavarians were to win.

Rummenigge expects him to last longer than he did after leading Real Madrid to the title in 1998, when he was dismissed just six days later, and he cannot see him walking away after his biggest triumph.

"Jupp is not like that. He doesn't have such thoughts," Rummenigge added.

"If he wants, he could even stay longer - beyond the end of his current contract in 2013."

The international players' union FIFPro has called on UEFA to "acquit" the players, three from either side, who were all suspended after being cautioned during the semi-finals.

FIFPro pointed out an apparent lack of consistency in relation to Euro 2012 where UEFA will waive existing yellow cards after the quarter-finals.

Europe's governing body insisted that the rules that were in place when the competition started must stand for the final, with any future changes needing to go through a lengthy committee process.

A UEFA spokesman said: "The regulations of the competition are established at the beginning of the competition and remain in place for the duration of the season.

"Any changes to the regulations for the future would need to be proposed by the club competitions committee and approved by the UEFA executive committee."

The Chelsea players suspended are Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles, while Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber from Bayern are in the same predicament.

Chelsea captain John Terry is also suspended for a red card in the semi-final against Barcelona, but he is not the subject of FIFPro's plea for clemency.

FIFPro spokesman Simon Barker said: "Anybody committing a serious offence in the semi-final should be awarded a red card and miss the final.

"But the offences that result in a yellow card do not justify the serious punishment of missing the match of your life.

"For example Alaba slipped over and gets the ball kicked against his hand - it is not right that such a player should miss the Champions League final because of this.

"Some people say that this will give players the license to kick all and sundry during the semi-final, but that is utter nonsense.

"Any serious offence will result in a red card and that still means exclusion from the final."

The England defender is suspended for the final at the Allianz Arena on May 19 following his red card against Barcelona in Tuesday's semi-final second leg at the Nou Camp.

However, despite having to watch the match from the stands, Europe's governing body this afternoon confirmed Terry would be able to join in with any post-match celebrations.

A statement read: "If Chelsea wins the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final, John Terry will be allowed to lift the trophy and collect the medal."

FIFPro says there is an argument to allow the players, three from each club, who all picked up yellow cards in the semi-finals, to be allowed to play.

The players' union points out that UEFA will adopt FIFA's policy for Euro 2012 where existing yellow cards are waived after the quarter-finals.

The Chelsea players are Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles, with Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber from Bayern.

FIFPro spokesman Simon Barker said: "Anybody committing a serious offence in the semi-final should be awarded a red card and miss the final.

"But the offences that result in a yellow card do not justify the serious punishment of missing the match of your life.

"For example, Alaba slipped over and gets the ball kicked against his hand – it is not right that such a player should miss the Champions League final because of this.

"Some people say that this will give players the licence to kick all and sundry during the semi-final, but that is utter nonsense.

"Any serious offence will result in a red card and that still means exclusion from the final."

Fener was thrown out of the competition due to its alleged involvement in a match-fixing scandal in Turkey which saw more than 30 players and officials jailed pending an outcome in the ongoing trial, including Fener chairman Aziz Yildirim.

It lodged an appeal with CAS for the 45 million euros ($57 million) it says it was owed in lost revenue.

But it today said it had "renounced" the case, but gave no further explanation.

Schweinsteiger scored the decisive penalty which put out Real Madrid in the semi-finals last night (this morning AEDT) and Neuer saved spot-kicks from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka at the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo had earlier scored from the penalty spot and added a second before Arjen Robben's penalty levelled the tie on aggregate and took the game into extra time.

Mario Gomez and David Alaba also scored for Bayern in the shoot-out but Philipp Lahm and Toni Kroos saw their efforts saved by Iker Casillas.

After Neuer had saved from Ronaldo and Kaka, Xabi Alonso netted his effort from the spot before Sergio Ramos fired over the bar, leaving Schweinsteiger the unenviable task of stepping up to fire Bayern into the final.

Schweinsteiger told the club website, www.fcb.de: "Ever 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. The only thing going through my head was putting the ball in the net."

Neuer said he thought Bayern had been rewarded for matching Real in both legs of the semi-final, winning the home leg 2-1.

He said: "We've all worked very hard for this. In both games, we were on a par with them at the very least, and at the end of the day, we deserved to win.

"I was determined to save those penalties, although obviously luck plays its part."

Bayern also takes on Borussia Dortmund in the final of the DFB-Pokal and Neuer hopes ht side can make it a Champions League and domestic cup double.

He added: "It's great we have two finals ahead of us."

Casillas saved two penalties in the semi-final shoot-out against Bayern Munich this morning (AEDT) but it was not enough to prevent the Germans from progressing 3-1 on spot-kicks after an absorbing tie finished 3-3 on aggregate.

It means Madrid's wait for Champions League glory goes on – it last won it in 2002 – but Casillas has urged Jose Mourinho's star-studded squad to bounce back and turn its seven-point lead over Barcelona into silverware.

"It has been a harsh blow and it's hard to get back on our feet after tonight, but we must carry on and focus on what remains of the season," said the Spain international.

"Penalty shoot-outs are like the lottery and we lost due to bad luck. That's all there is to it."

Two early Ronaldo goals seemed to have swung the tie firmly Madrid's way but a 27th-minute Arjen Robben penalty levelled the aggregate scoreline and gave Bayern renewed hope.

Casillas felt the concession of that spot-kick, given for a clumsy challenge from Pepe on Mario Gomez, was key.

"We should have fought harder to keep the 2-0 score, but we can't ask more of the team than it did tonight," he added.

"We played well and had chances to score. Bayern Munich are a good team and we wish to congratulate them and wish them luck."

Defender Sergio Ramos was one of a trio of Madrid players to miss in the shoot-out alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka but he insisted he would put his hand up again next time.

"Penalty shootouts are unpredictable. Those who miss are those who shoot. I don't think any player can be reproached for anything," he said.

"We must move on although it hurts because we were very near to the final.

"It's a real shame to be eliminated in a penalty shoot-out. It is something you never want.

"We must hold our heads up. I wasn't lucky enough to score my penalty, but I was confident and I would try it again tomorrow for the team.

"You feel great pressure, but I've always withstood it well."

Ramos echoed Casillas' call to finish the job in La Liga.

He said: "We would have liked to reach the final, but this will not tarnish the great season the team has had and that we want to seal with the league title.

"I'm proud of the team and of the season we're having."

The Blues' form has picked up remarkably since Di Matteo replaced Andre Villas-Boas on an interim basis – culminating on Tuesday night when, despite the first-half dismissal of captain John Terry, the side completed a 3-2 aggregate win over Barcelona to reach the Champions League final.

His 15 games in charge have brought 10 wins, four draws and only one defeat, 2-1 at Manchester City last month.

But chief executive Ron Gourlay has ruled out an early appointment as club owner Roman Abramovich and technical director Michael Emenalo continue to consider their options.

"We are going to wait until the end of the season," Gourlay told the Daily Express. "Robbie has done a fantastic job but we will stick to our view."

He added on BBC Radio Five Live: "I don't want to add any pressure on anybody at the club. There is enough pressure on us as it is.

"We said we'd review things at the end of the season and that's the position we're still in. We'll see how the next few games go and then we'll sit down as we agreed."

Di Matteo certainly appears to have the support of the Chelsea players, and defender Branislav Ivanovic said: "He's changed everything.

"He gave us support, he gave us trust, and I think he's great.

"We have a great relationship and the results are good for us."

Ex-Blues boss Jose Mourinho will be supporting his former club in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, conquerors of Mourinho's Real Madrid, and was scathing of those who criticised his former club's defensive performance against Barca at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

"John Terry will be missing but Chelsea are there and that is the most important thing," he said. "Chelsea were heroes.

"People who criticise them know nothing about character, effort and how a team with 10 men can resist physically, mentally and tactically. It reminded me of my own Inter Milan team two years ago.

"The Chelsea fans are fantastic – as are the German fans, so I hope they enjoy it and it is a great final, but I hope Chelsea win."

But their former winger Arjen Robben, now with Bayern, has warned Chelsea he plans to end their hopes of lifting the trophy.

"They're my former club, I had a fantastic time there," he said.

"Well, I have to disappoint them because they're not going to win it! But no, big compliments to them."

Ivanovic is still coming to terms with the needless booking which ruled him out of the Munich showpiece against Bayern Munich.

Unlike fellow yellow card victims Ramires and Raul Meireles, Ivanovic had been blissfully unaware he was walking a disciplinary tightrope going into the semi-final second leg at Barcelona.

Getting cautioned for dissent after Barcelona was awarded a second-half penalty will no doubt haunt the defender for the rest of his life.

But he put a brave face on following what must have been a bittersweet victory on what was one of the most astonishing nights in European football history.

"The Champions League and football is like life," said Ivanovic, who is also in the midst of a three-match domestic ban for striking Wigan's Shaun Maloney.

"You cannot look back. You have to look forward.

"I think we have great players and a good squad. That's why we are in the final and we have to play like a group, and we have to believe.

"Not a lot of guys believe in us, but we believe."

Confirming he had no idea he had been one yellow card away from suspension, the defender said of the referee's decision to punish him: "I didn't expect him to book me for that and I didn't know I was in the danger zone."

He added: "I feel happy because the team goes to the final.

"We deserved it at the end of the day, with some luck.

"With a little bit of luck, we did some great defending."

Ivanovic was heroic at the heart of a defence in which he found himself the only recognised centre-back after Gary Cahill went off injured and captain John Terry was sent off, ending his own final dream.

He said: "We lost two central defenders but I think we did a great, great defending job and we deserved it."

Chelsea's amazing rearguard action was masterminded by caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo, who has surely put himself in the frame to succeed the sacked Andre Villas-Boas on a permanent basis.

Ivanovic said: "He's changed everything.

"He gave us support, he gave us trust, and I think he's great.

"We have a great relationship and the results are good for us.

"At the moment, we don't want to look forward too much.

"We are not finished yet, we are not safe in the league for the Champions League place.

"We want this still, we are in the final of the FA Cup.

"So, there are a lot of things to do.

"We've got a big squad and we'll try to do everything."

The Blues are set for the biggest television cash pay-out for reaching the final of at least £45 million ($70.22 million) after a dramatic 2-2 draw in Barcelona, where they played most of the match with 10 men after captain John Terry was sent off.

That result gave them a 3-2 aggregate win and a place in the final against Bayern Munich.

The £45 million represents European football governing body UEFA's payments of TV cash alone and studies have shown the clubs can double that income from ticket sales, sponsorship and merchandise.

Manchester United had previously held the record pay-out of Champions League television cash at £43.5 million ($67.88 million) last season, but this year earned only £28 million ($43.69 million) as a result of failing to qualify for the knockout stages.

English clubs have topped Champions League television payments for several years as a result of the sums paid by commercial broadcasters Sky and ITV.

However, with Chelsea currently outside the top four in the English Premier League it may have to win this season's Champions League final if it is to qualify for next term's tournament.

And with UEFA set to introduce financial fair play rules designed to cap the influence of wealthy owners such as Chelsea's Roman Abramovich and the Blues based at a Stamford Bridge ground that holds less than half of Barcelona's near 100,000-capacity Camp Nou, Gourlay also urged fans to reconsider their opposition to a new stadium.

"To find ourselves in the final has given the club a fabulous lift, and the fans as well," Gourlay told Chelsea's official website.

"Financially, as well, it is a big boost for the club. It helps us continue our investment in the team as we go forward but we still have the challenge of making sure we are in this competition next year, and that is very important."

And he added a significant increase in stadium size, which Chelsea insist cannot be done at its existing west-London home of Stamford Bridge, was part of the process of strengthening the club's finances.

"The way Chelsea has geared ourselves up the last few years puts us in a good position to take the club forward but, at the same time, remaining in the elite teams in the future is a challenge because it is no secret that while we are the fifth or sixth biggest club in Europe from a financial point of view, our stadium is outside the top 30 at this present time," Gourlay said.

"The money generated from matchday through the stadiums is considerable. If we are not able to take the money on matchday then we have to look at other parts of the business to generate the revenues and allow us to continue the circle of success to invest into the team to give the results or entice sponsors to come to the club."

The Blues' old guard confounded the naysayers again when they produced one of the most staggering escape acts in European football history to beat Barcelona.

The 3-2 aggregate win left them just 90 minutes away from finally ending the club's long wait for Champions League glory as their astonishing revival under caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo hit new heights.

Veteran stars Lampard and Didier Drogba looked certain to be jettisoned this northern summer before Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as manager just over seven weeks ago.

But both have made a mockery of claims they were on their last legs and are set to play a crucial role in Chelsea's pursuit of its holy grail.

Lampard said: "We've got everything to show. That's what makes us top players, that what makes Didier Drogba a top player.

"He gets written off, comes back and scores goals that get us to this point, and I feel the same.

"I try to do everything to always prove (myself) and I'm very proud of what I've done in my career.

"I don't feel like I'm on my last legs, regardless, and I'll keep trying to show that every game."

Di Matteo's top priority after taking charge was securing Champions League football next season.

No one could have imagined Chelsea would be closer to doing so via the competition itself than by finishing in the Premier League top four.

But having slipped four points off the last qualification spot with four league games remaining, winning next month's final in Munich suddenly looks more achievable.

But Lampard said: "By the time of the game, that'll be too late.

"So, if we don't win it and we're not fourth ...

"We're on a decent run of performances for sure, but the last thing we want to do now is lower our standards in between. We need to keep this roll going."

That will not be easy amid a punishing schedule that will continue to see the club play twice a week until the end of the season.

Lampard said: "People probably watched us two or three weeks ago against Wigan and Fulham and thought maybe we were on our last legs then a little bit.

"But you can't knock this team down - we'll keep coming back."

The Barcelona game was the perfect demonstration of that, Chelsea somehow recovering from falling 2-0 and a man down at the Nou Camp to draw 2-2.

Unsurprisingly, the game has been compared to the 'Miracle of Istanbul', the 2005 Champions League final that saw Liverpool come back from 3-0 behind.

"I think it's one of the biggest performances an English club has had," Lampard said, admitting the whole evening was a blur as Chelsea defended for its life with 10 men.

"They could've gone on and bashed us five or six nil at that point."

The Blues set up camp on the edge of their own area after captain John Terry's sending off for inexplicably kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind, ruling him out of the final along with Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles who were all booked.

"It's hard to console him," Lampard said of Terry, who will learn on 31 May precisely how many matches he will miss on top of the final.

"He'll be there with us and hopefully we can win it and do it as a group but it's obviously devastating for him."

It means Lampard could lift the European Cup as captain but he said: "My ego doesn't need to lift it.

"I'd love to win it to be of the team that wins it.

"So, if we win it, anyone can lift it - that's irrelevant."

That would surely make an irresistible case for Di Matteo to be appointed full time.

Lampard said: "It's a hard call for me to make because it's a club decision. But what I can say is there's no coincidence in what he's done.

"He's created an atmosphere, he's got players playing, the camp is very, very happy - you can see that in the results, and the results don't lie.

"I can't speak highly enough of him.

"I'm sure it's a question that maybe he doesn't know, I don't know, and the club will sit down in the summer."

Asked if Di Matteo's claim would be impossible to ignore if he was the man to mastermind a Champions League win, Lampard added: "Nothing's impossible. It was impossible to win here and we did it.

"If we win it, Robbie deserves to win it for what he's done at the club."

After winning two of the last three UEFA Champions League titles, defending champion Barcelona was eliminated from the competition after a 2-2 draw with 10-man Chelsea in the second leg of the semi-finals.

While Barcelona's best attributes of possession, quick-touch passing and overall shots were on show, the club failed to score enough goals to reach yet another European Cup final.

And maybe worse, the exit comes only four days after a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid that essentially dropped Barcelona out of contention for the Spanish league title.

With coach Pep Guardiola's future to be determined in the coming days, newspaper La Vanguard summed up the mood in the Catalan capital with the headline 'Funeral at the Camp Nou'.

Most of Spain's sports newspaper rallied around Barcelona's play, with El Mundo Deportivo among those that labelled the result 'unjust', but Chelsea's players were not buying into such an analogy after playing for more than 50 minutes with 10 men after John Terry's red card.

"We came here and we scored goals and in the first leg we scored as well," Chelsea striker Didier Drogba said. "Without being arrogant, we deserved to win."

Barcelona's poor effort capped a miserable week for Lionel Messi, which showed the club thrives or dies off the boot of the Argentina forward.

Messi missed a penalty that would likely have swung the tie in Barcelona's favor and the world player of the year was held scoreless in both legs and against Madrid. Barcelona failed to win in three consecutive games for the first time since 2009, and the only remaining consolation for the team is next month's Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao.

But the domestic cup will provide little consolation to a team that has won 13 trophies under Guardiola.

"I don't even know what I feel right now. I try to figure out what to say when looking at the team, about what we did wrong to not reach the final and I can't think of anything," Guardiola said. "From opening day I've transmitted this crazy theme of 'You have to go out and attack, attack, attack', and there are moments when we don't know when to pause. Maybe it's a lesson to learn for the future. We have to find the way to attack better."

Guardiola certainly missed injured striker David Villa against Chelsea, but he also left Daniel Alves and Pedro Rodriguez on the bench, with Alves replacing Gerard Pique only after the Spain defender left with a concussion midway through the first half. Guardiola has recently preferred young wingers Isaac Cuenca and Cristian Tello over his more experienced players, while the team continues to have a tough time breaking down defences that crowd the area, as Inter Milan did two years ago to also deny Barcelona a spot in the final.

While Barcelona enjoyed 72 percent of the possession, it's 22 overall shots dwarfed the actual number it had on target: five compared to Chelsea's three. Barcelona had 46 shots over two legs with nine on target, while Chelsea advanced 3-2 on aggregate after taking better advantage of its four shots on goal in the entire series.

"That wasn't beautiful football," Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said after his team stretched its unbeaten run over the Catalan side to seven games to reach its second final since 2008. "Football's not just about the beautiful stuff, it's about doing the other side and we done that."

The Cote d'Ivoire international performed admirably as lone striker for the Blues in their semi-final, second leg as they somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending off at the Nou Camp to dispense of Barcelona.

Chelsea is now a game away from the crown it came so close to winning four years ago when it lost on penalties to Manchester United.

Drogba was sent off late in extra-time in the heartbreaking defeat in Moscow and he has set his sights on making amends on 19 May.

"This is the second one," he said. "Let's see if we can win this one.

"I think it would be great for the club, for the fans.

"I heard them singing for another hour and I think, for them, we're going to do everything to win it.

"I think everybody deserves a second chance.

"I don't know if it's mine, but I think I've paid what I had to during this time, not winning the final - after that having a lot of criticism.

"But that's football, and I understand that. It just helped me to grow up a little bit more."

Drogba has often been painted as the pantomime villain during his time at Chelsea and it was no different in the ties with Barcelona.

The Catalan side's supporters felt that he was feigning injury and welcomed him to the Nou Camp with a chorus of whistles and jeers.

"I know some people don't like Chelsea but that's football," Drogba said. "You cannot be loved by everyone.

"Today, we're in the final. It's not revenge against anyone.

"I just do what I have to do for the club, for the team, and I'm really happy with the result.

"We need to have some belief. A final is 50-50.

"Whoever we're going to get, I think we're going to have our chance, and it's for us to take it and make sure we bring the cup back to Stamford Bridge."

Chelsea came into the match boasting a 1-0 first-leg lead but went behind to goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, either side of Terry's sending off for inexplicably kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

While Fernando Torres took many of the headlines for his late equaliser, Drogba highlighted Ramires' superb goal in first-half stoppage-time as the game-changing moment.

"No [I did not think it was all over at 2-0] because to win if we scored one, they had to score another one - they had to win 3-1," he said

"He changed the game, Ramires, with his goal.

"They couldn't cope with his pace. He's a very good player.

"He had some problems to adapt to the Premier League but this season he's been amazing.

"It's a great feeling. It's a great feeling.

"I think we did it already with [Jose] Mourinho scoring two goals here, drawing 2-2, but it was in the group stage.

"We always scored goals here, except with Guus Hiddink, where we drew. But we created a lot of chances.

"We created chances, so we knew that we were going to score.

"When, I don't know, but we knew that we were going to score."

The Blues somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending off at the Nou Camp to progress to the Munich finale at the expense of Barca.

The Chelsea captain kneed Alexis Sanchez from behind and will miss the final against Bayern Munich as a result, and will be joined on the sidelines by Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles.

The trio incurred a one-match ban after collecting bookings and Mikel is frustrated by the current system.

Asked if he felt his team-mates have been robbed of their dream, the Nigeria international said: "Yes, the yellow cards should be cancelled going into a final and UEFA should look into that.

"When you get to the final everyone wants to see the best players and it's a shame that JT, Ivanovic, Meireles and Ramires won't play.

"The JT one was soft from what I saw and it was a yellow card. I think Sanchez made the most of it.

"Alexis did the same to me as well. He got me yellow carded.

"There was a little touch and he rolled on the ground 10 times. He definitely made the most of it.

"The four players were devastated in the dressing room.

"They're happy for the team but are very disappointed to not be in the final. We will go out to win the trophy for them."

FIFA changed the rules for the 2010 World Cup to provide an amnesty after the quarter-finals to ensure no player could miss the final through a booking in the last four.

For UEFA to do the same, the Club Competitions Committee would have to propose such a rule change but it would not come in time for this year's final, much to Ivanovic's disappointment.

"We can't talk about the referee's decisions but, to be honest, it feels like someone has taken something from your career," the Serbia international said.

"My booking? I got it for kicking the penalty spot before the penalty (which Lionel Messi missed).

"It was strange. But I have to be positive.

"Nobody believed we'd get through and we did.

"Yes, Chelsea can win it without us if we go into the game with the mentality we showed here."

The Spanish side, trailing 2-1 from the first leg, raced into to 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes thanks to a double from Cristiano Ronaldo, but Bayern levelled the tie through Arjen Robben's penalty just before the half-hour mark.

Neither side could then break the deadlock as the game drifted into extra-time and finally penalties and after Ronaldo, Kaka and Sergio Ramos had all missed for the host, Bastian Schweinsteiger rattled home his spot-kick which means Bayern will become the first side to host a Champions League final on its own ground when it faces Chelsea on 19 May.

And Mourinho believes the extra strain put on his players from beating Barca last weekend, whilst Bayern rested a host of players in its 2-1 win over Werder Bremen, proved decisive.

He said, "We deserved to win, mainly because the matches were very even and it is a completely different situation when a team plays for a championship against a side that doesn't.

"I had the same situation when Chelsea played Liverpool in a semi-final. Liverpool were 30 points off the top and played a reserve team at Fulham whilst Chelsea fought every game to win the championship that season.

"If we weren't playing to win the title, we would have had fresher players, but the team were fantastic in terms of their physical condition.

"Barcelona played the Clasico and then two days later lost to Chelsea, this has incredible value.

"You only have to look at the final which will be played between the fifth placed team in England against the second placed team in Germany, both of which used second choice players at the weekend."

However, Mourinho praised his former club for its stout defensive performance against Barca at the Nou Camp the previous day and was scathing of those who criticised its tactics.

"John Terry will be missing but Chelsea are there and that is the most important thing. Chelsea were heroes yesterday.

"People who criticise them know nothing about character, effort and how a team with 10 men can resist physically, mentally and tactically. It reminded me of my own Inter Milan team two years ago.

"The Chelsea fans are fantastic, as are the German fans so I hope they enjoy it and it is a great final, but I hope Chelsea win."

Mourinho also hinted that the disappointment of falling at the semi-final stage for a second consecutive season may encourage him to stay in Madrid.

"I want to win this title with this team. Reaching two semi-finals is not bad but of course we want more and my feelings are that the group still has room for growth.

"I will discuss my ideas with the club of how to move us forward on and off the pitch and if the club think I can contribute something, which I get the feeling they do, then I think I will continue."

Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes was delighted with how his players reacted to falling two goals behind so early on.

He said: "In the first 15 minutes Real were ahead of us. We were 2-0 behind and everyone knows how difficult it is to play in the Bernabeu.

"After this though we dominated, we managed to release the pressure and we improved as the game went on.

"We improved in defence and had opportunities. In 120 minutes we deserved to reach the final."

Heynckes called on UEFA to change the rule which sees players miss the final if they pick up their second yellow card of the competition in the second leg of the semi-final.

David Alaba, Luis Gustavo and Holger Badstuber will all miss the final for the Bavarian side after being booked and with Chelsea also missing four key players, the German coach believes it is time for the governing body to take action.

He explained: "That is a problem with the rules, I feel the rules should be changed.

"It is a shame the final can't be played by the best players both for Chelsea and Bayern.

"The yellows shouldn't be carried forward to the final, these three players have been exceptional for us."

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the decisive spot-kick after Manuel Neuer had made two stunning saves to deny Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka.

David Alaba and Mario Gomez had sent Iker Casillas the wrong way to put Bayern in control of the shootout, but Real was handed a lifeline as the Spain captain saved from Toni Kroos and Philipp Lahm.

However, after Sergio Ramos had blasted his attempt over the bar, Schweinsteiger was calmness personified as he slammed the ball home to send Bayern into its second final in three years.

Real had erased its 2-1 deficit from the first leg within five minutes as Alaba was somewhat harshly punished for handling Angel Di Maria's shot and Ronaldo slotted home the resulting penalty.

The visitor responded positively though and should have been level within minutes as Alaba nearly made amends for conceding the penalty with a brilliant run and cross but somehow Arjen Robben scuffed the ball over the bar from only yards out.

Franck Ribery was then denied by a brilliant saving challenge from Sami Khedira after Casillas had spilled a Gomez shot from 20 yards, but only 15 minutes had passed when Ronaldo doubled his tally and Madrid's advantage on the evening as he raced on to a brilliant throughball from Mesut Ozil and stroked the ball past Neuer from the edge of the area.

The tie was back on a knife-edge 12 minutes later though as Pepe was penalised for a push on Gomez as he tried to get on the end of Kroos' cross into the box.

Robben had missed a significant penalty in the Bundesliga title decider against Borussia Dortmund a fortnight ago, but the former Real player stepped up again and his spot-kick just sneaked past Casillas who got a hand to the ball.

The chances continued to flow at both ends towards the end of an engrossing 45 minutes as firstly Karim Benzema's curling effort floated just over the bar before Gomez was again found by Kroos but the man who had scored 12 goals in his previous 10 European appearances could not find a way past Casillas.

The Real captain was called into action again in the final action of the first half as he palmed away Robben's free-kick and the visitor came close again right at the start of the second period as Gomez's header from Lahm's cross crept inches wide.

Generally though both sides tightened up significantly in the second half and opportunities were far harder to come by at either end.

Benzema brought a smart save from Neuer before the Frenchman wasted Real's clearest opening after the break as he fired over from the edge of the area after being fed by Ronaldo.

Gomez then had the chance to send Bayern into the final with five minutes remaining of normal time as Robben found him free inside the area but he took too many touches and allowed the Real defence to recover and block his effort.

The home side regained the initiative at the start of extra-time but tiredness seemed to affect its decision making in the final third as Ronaldo dallied to allow Lahm to make a crucial last-ditch challenge before the break and Kaka did likewise when presented with the ball in the area with just eight minutes remaining.

Real had claims for a third penalty of the evening turned down moments later as instead Esteban Granero was booked for going down under pressure from Neuer.

And that decision was to prove vital as Ronaldo, Kaka and Ramos all failed from the spot to hand the German side a place in the final on 19 May.

The holder looked on course to overturn its 1-0 semi-final, first-leg defeat when it took a 2-0 lead at the Nou Camp, with Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta scoring either side of captain John Terry's dismissal for kneeing Alexis Sanchez.

However, Ramires clawed a goal back for the Blues in first-half stoppage-time and, after weathering the proverbial storm, Fernando Torres came off the bench to wrap up victory late on.

Messi missed a penalty and hit the post as Barca pressed in the second half, but Rosell does not blame the diminutive attacker for its exit.

"I do not think Barca has been knocked out by Messi's penalty," he said.

"After 180 minutes we had many occasions and they took three of theirs. That's what happened.

"The way we play is taught in la Masia and is not going to change.

"Football is a game. Sometimes you win and sometimes not. We win and lose.

"I think every time we've had a setback against this season it has been unfair, but opposing teams play well against us and we must accept it.

"Despite failing to qualify for the final and having had a bad week, the fans have been supporting us.

"I am very proud of them. I'm not happy with the result but I am proud."

Cesc Fabregas also left the match with an overriding sense of pride, albeit a sensation tainted by what he feels was an undeserved Champions League exit.

"It's a painful way to go out because we were superior," he told the club's official website, www.fcbarcelona.com

"The result in Stamford Bridge is what did us in.

"We played a great game, we dominated and we created a lot of chances. We didn't sacrifice our style.

"It's painful to be eliminated this way, seeing that we had a lot of chances to score.

"It's a very hard blow. We have to hold our heads high. [Next year] we'll have the chance to do important things."

Dani Alves echoed his team-mate's sentiments, adding: "We tried in every way, but the approach they took, playing ultra-defensively, worked well.

"We had opportunities to take the tie forward and we failed.

"I think this team is great and once again we have to show how big we are.

"We suffer and hurt like hell, but it is a profession in which there are wins and losses, not only happy moments."

While Barcelona players were all left hurting emotionally, defender Gerard Pique also had to deal with physical pain.

The Spain international was involved in a horrific collision with goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who came storming off his line to punch the ball away under pressure from Didier Drogba and took out his own player in the process.

After trying to play on, Pique was substituted and taken to hospital with suspected concussion and, despite being released on Wednesday morning, will rest for a week before being re-assessed.

The 25-year-old was a key component in Barca's 3-4-3 formation before his substitution, which left Carles Puyol as the only recognised central defender in the side.

Coach Pep Guardiola admitted he may have to alter the way they attack in the future, which goalscorer Iniesta agrees with.

"Football has not been fair in this tie," he told Barca TV. "The tactics we used penalised us.

"We play as we do because we are passionate about our profession and for those fans that are behind us and suffer.

"We will return to be there [in the final]."

Grant, who was sacked by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich after losing the 2008 Champions League final to Manchester United in a penalty shootout, believes Di Matteo has done enough to earn a new deal.

"Roberto deserves one more year, at least, because he has done a good job with this team. To come to the final with this team is unbelievable," Grant said in the Evening Standard.

However, Grant - now in charge of Serbian club Partizan Belgrade - warned that it would be difficult to predict Abramovich's next move.

"Abramovich sometimes thinks different," he said.

"In my time we came to the first final in the history of the club. We also played unbelievable football in the (Premier) League, in my opinion, beating all the big teams. But then he decided that I would not continue."

But Grant believes Di Matteo has a chance of taking the job on a permanent basis because he has done so much to improve Chelsea's fortunes since replacing the sacked Andre Villas-Boas.

"In this case, Abramovich has seen that the team was on the way up and I think Di Matteo will have a chance to continue," he said.

"For a manager, against Barcelona is the most difficult game you can play. Especially as Chelsea are not great this season.

"But over the two games Di Matteo did a very good job. What is the weakness of Chelsea? Chelsea are not playing great football this season so he went for the strengths of his team, the old players in combination with good tactics, to stop Barcelona."

The Catalans came into the semi-final second leg on the back of successive defeats, losing 1-0 to Chelsea in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge and then suffering a home defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Barcelona's losing run stretched to three games at the Nou Camp as the Blues somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending off to secure a 2-2 draw and progress to the Munich finale.

Fabregas was disappointed not to defeat the west London club given Barca's dominance but insists it will overcome the disappointment.

"It's a painful way to go out because we were superior," he told the club's official website, www.fcbarcelona.com.

"The result in Stamford Bridge is what did us in.

"We played a great game, we dominated and we created a lot of chances. We didn't sacrifice our style.

"It's painful to be eliminated this way, seeing that we had a lot of chances to score.

"It's a very hard blow. We have to hold our heads high. Next year we'll have the chance to do important things."

Fabregas's sentiments were echoed by a number of his Barca teammates on Twitter.

Isaac Cuenca, who set up Sergio Busquets for the host's opening goal, said: "We fought until the end. Fans, I'm very sorry. We'll pick ourselves up with your help #forcabarca."

Andres Iniesta doubled Barcelona's advantage as half-time approached and posted after the match: "It's a difficult and hard moment. We did everything to be in the Munich final, but it wasn't meant to be ..."

Dani Alves was another to express his disappointment via the social network, adding: "I'd like to thank all the Cules for your support and, at the same time, apologise for what happened. We tried but it wasn't meant to be."

The London club's 2-2 draw in Barcelona secured a 3-2 aggregate triumph that had seemed hugely unlikely when it trailed 2-0 late in the first half and with only 10 men after the sending-off of captain John Terry.

But goals from Ramires and an injury-time strike by Fernando Torres at the Camp Nou set up a final against the winner of the second semi-final between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

"Can Nou believe it?" roared The Sun, while The Mirror went with "Blue Heaven", adding: "It could not happen. Simply could not happen.

"Not against Barcelona in the Nou Camp. Not playing for nearly an hour with 10 men against the greatest team on the planet.

"But somehow, on a night that transcended belief, turned everything we are supposed to know on its head, it did."

Former Chelsea, Everton and Scotland winger Pat Nevin, now a pundit, said it was "right up there" as one of the most memorable European nights.

"I am sure some Liverpool fans will say a certain final (in 2005), when they came from 3-0 down at halftime to win was the best," Nevin told BBC Radio 4.

"But last night's match had everything. It was incredible."

His thoughts were echoed by Chelsea's interim manager Roberto Di Matteo, who is odds-on to get the job permanently.

"We were playing the best team in the world - they're amazing - and we were up against all the difficulties you could imagine in any football match," the Italian said.

"We seemed always to find some reserves from somewhere, playing against the odds. We just showed a lot of desire to reach the final and go through.

"We had a little bit of luck as well, which we needed. But to win the trophy, you need that.

"We've had a difficult season but we seem to always get something special out when we need to. I think that's part of the DNA of these players. It's quite incredible."

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, one of his side's star performers on the night, said it was "one of the finest moments I have felt in a Chelsea shirt.

"I know people want to see beautiful football, but to play for 50 minutes with 10 men and to be 2-0 down here and to perform like that, what spirit. Unbelievable."

The sending-off of Terry for a mindless knee in the back of Alexis Sanchez could have cost Chelsea dearly.

The captain will miss the final, along with Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles, who all picked up yellow cards on the night.

But Di Matteo refused to blame Terry for an indiscretion he only apologised for after seeing a damning television replay.

"He's fantastic leader of this group," Di Matteo said.

"He's the captain of our club. Everybody can make a mistake in life. We're just so happy that this group has managed to go to the final.

"We're all human beings. We're under a lot of pressure as players."

The 31-year-old centre-back was sent off in the 38th minute for violent conduct after kneeing Barca forward Alexis Sanchez, and his automatic one-match ban will mean he misses the 20 May (AEST) final against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

European football's governing body has the power to extend the punishment, which would apply to next season's European Super Cup and possibly early Champions League or Europa League matches.

"The UEFA control and disciplinary body will decide on the suspension on 31 May 2012," read a UEFA statement.

The 25-year-old was injured after 17 minutes in the clash with the goalkeeper, which appeared to leave him briefly unconscious.

Pique tried to play on but was substituted eight minutes later and taken to hospital with suspected concussion.

A statement from Barcelona read: "Gerard Pique has been discharged from hospital after follow-up medical tests proved satisfactory.

"The Barcelona FC defender spent the night in hospital under observation after a heavy collision with Didier Drogba and Victor Valdes in the early stages of the match against Chelsea.

"The player will now rest for a week before being re-assessed."

Barca was held to a 2-2 draw by 10-man Chelsea at the Nou Camp, losing 3-2 on aggregate.

The holder looked to be on course to overturn the 1-0 semi-final first-leg deficit when it took a 2-0 lead on the night through Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, and found itself playing against 10 men for more than 50 minutes after the dismissal of Blues captain John Terry for kneeing Alexis Sanchez.

But Roberto Di Matteo's side grabbed a crucial away goal on the stroke of half-time through Ramires and then, after Barca talisman Lionel Messi had crashed a penalty against the bar and another shot against the post, ensured its progress as Fernando Torres's stoppage-time strike earned the visitor a stunning 3-2 aggregate win.

Madrid-based Marca revelled in Barca's failure, declaring: 'Nightmare at the Camp Nou'.

The editorial elaborated with: 'CHAMPION is eliminated by 10 MEN OF CHELSEA', and 'Barcelona is out of La Liga and the Champions League after the three darkest days of the Guardiola era'.

Real Madrid's 2-1 victory at the home of its arch rival on Sunday moved Jose Mourinho's side seven points clear at the Primera Division summit with four games remaining.

El Mundo labelled the UCL result: 'Mortal blow at the Camp Nou' and questioned: 'Is this the end of the victorious cycle?'

Barcelona-based Sport took a more sympathetic view, headlining: 'Football punishes Barca'.

It read: 'Unjust, cruel, horrible, unmerited. Any adjective is not enough to define the incredible elimination of Barca at the hands of Chelsea. Few times has a team done so much to deserve to reach the Champions League final as that of Guardiola. And rarely has a rival, with so little, gained that very prize. The fact is that the Blues scored three goals from three chances in 180 minutes. And they advanced to Munich.'

AS went with simply: 'Adios Barcelona'.

It continued: 'An ultra-defensive Chelsea eliminated Barcelona to reach the final in Munich. The English team played with 10 men for 52 minutes. Fernando Torres made it 2-2 on the night. Messi missed a penalty and struck the post.'

The Madrid-based daily also pondered the future of Guardiola, who has guided the club to 13 trophies since taking charge in summer 2008 but has not yet committed himself beyond the end of the campaign as he prefers one-year contracts.

'Pep to speak with the president about the future,' it said, before quoting the 41-year-old's post-match thoughts: "We did not score at the opportune times and we have paid for that. Now, we're thinking about next year. I looked at what we have done wrong to tell the players, and cannot find anything."

Barcelona has won two of the last three Champions League crowns, but El Mundo Deportivo looked back on the other unexpected defeats.

'FC Barcelona lose to Chelsea, as in Bern [1961 final against Benfica] and against Inter [2010 semi-final],' it read.

'HISTORICAL Barca has fallen in the semi-final against Chelsea in a game full of bad luck, in which Messi missed a penalty and hit the post while the English team took advantage of their two chances.'

It also spoke of Guardiola's contract situation alongside a pained-looking image of the coach on the touchline, saying: 'Now turn to take a decision'. It added: 'Pep Guardiola, who lamented the bad luck throughout the tie, has assured that in the coming hours the president will deal with his and [assistant] Tito Vilanova's renewals.'

Madrid's El Pais went with the headline: 'The most tragic monologue of Barcelona', and followed up with 'Barca crash against the Chelsea wall on a fateful night for Messi'.

Here Press Association Sport looks at those who will be missing and what impact it might have on Roberto Di Matteo's side.

JOHN TERRY

The captain's needless first-half red card for clashing with Alexis Sanchez will deny him the chance of redemption for his penalty shootout miss in Moscow four years ago, a miskick which cost Chelsea its first chance at Champions League glory. But putting his personal disappointment aside, the loss of its defensive leader will surely leave a hole at the back that Chelsea - given the other absentees - will struggle to fill.

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC

Ivanovic, who played most of the return match as Chelsea's only regular centre-half, talked himself into a suspension when he was booked for dissent for arguing over the award of a penalty for Didier Drogba's foul on Cesc Fabregas. Lionel Messi missed the spot-kick, but the punishment will still be felt by Ivanovic, who did not seem to realise the implications of the booking until he was told during a television interview after the match. With Gary Cahill hobbling off with a muscular injury and Chelsea anxiously awaiting the results of tests, the loss of Ivanovic and Terry means Chelsea could need the injured David Luiz to shake off his own hamstring problem if they are not to go into the final without a single experienced central defender.

RAMIRES

The Brazilian midfielder found himself playing much of the match at right-back in Chelsea's reshuffled backline. However, he still managed to get forward to score the dramatic 49th minute goal that would have been enough to send Chelsea through before Fernando Torres's late strike made sure. His audacious chip over Victor Valdes came after he was booked for dissent late in the first half, meaning he already knew he would not be part of the final he was helping Chelsea to reach.

RAUL MEIRELES

The Portuguese midfielder will pay a heavy price for the 90th minute booking he received for a late sliding tackle on Javier Mascherano. But the price Chelsea might pay remains to be seen as his absence alongside that of Ramires will rob Di Matteo of two of his more versatile midfield options. Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou are the players that might stand to benefit, but all have suffered from either injuries or indifferent form and they are likely to leave Chelsea weaker in the middle of the park.

The Blues somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending-off at the Nou Camp to progress to the Munich finale at the expense of Barcelona.

Chelsea was penned back for the most part as it looked to achieve progression from the semi-finals and saw it secured when Torres came off the bench to wrap up victory late on.

The Spanish international has an impressive record against Barca, netting seven goals in 10 league appearances for Atletico Madrid, and was delighted - if surprised - to add to his goal haul.

"I was not expecting to have any chances," he said. "I was playing almost as a left-back.

"The only chance we could have was on the counter-attack like this.

"One more goal against Barcelona. I have nice memories in this stadium, nice memories against them.

"But this one's more special than any one before because it helped us to go the final.

"I am very happy to be part of the game, to score the goal.

"To be in the Champions League final, obviously, is a dream come true for all the Chelsea players, for all the Chelsea supporters who come here and everyone watching the game at home.

"It's the second Champions League final for Chelsea. Everyone knows what happened in the past with the penalty shootout.

"So, I think Chelsea deserved a second chance and we have the chance now."

Chelsea came into the return match boasting a 1-0 first-leg lead but went behind to goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, either side of Terry's sending-off for inexplicably kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

But, while he scored the equalising goal, Torres was quick to highlight Ramires's superb goal in first-half stoppage-time as the game-changing moment.

"It was frustrating to be on the bench watching the game," he said. "It's a difficult moment when you cannot help your teammates.

"We are happy now but, to win the game, there were a lot of ups and downs.

"When JT was sent off, when they scored the second one, it looked like everything was lost.

"And after Ramires scored to make it 2-1, at half-time we started believing that we could do it.

"That goal made us believe. That was the key for us.

"After the 2-2 and getting to the final, there are a lot of different emotions during the game, a day to remember."

Chelsea will find out their opponents for the 20 May (AEST) showpiece on Thursday when Real Madrid and Bayern Munich meet for the semi-final second leg.

If it is Jose Mourinho's side, though, former Atletico striker Torres insists it would have no bearing on proceedings.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "They have to play one more game and Bayern Munich are another great team.

"We are waiting for one of them in the final but the main thing is Chelsea's there and we have a chance to win it.

"If we play with this unity, we can beat anyone. To not lose against Barcelona in two games is quite difficult.

"Everyone at the club and the supporters have to be very proud."

Guardiola said he 'will decide if I continue or not' after discussing the situation with assistant Tito Vilanova and president Sandro Rosell.

He said it was the moment to 'take a decision because it's evident that it's time to'.

Guardiola has guided Barcelona to 13 trophies in 16 competitions and has helped the Catalan club in May's Copa del Rey final.

But the team's exit from the Champions League coincides with a loss to Real Madrid that leaves it unlikely to win a fourth straight Spanish league title.

Messi cut a disconsolate figure after his side's agonising semi-final exit to Chelsea, which fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 on the night and claim a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Arguably the turning point in the contest came early in the second half when Messi smashed a penalty against the crossbar after Didier Drogba was adjudged to have brought down Cesc Fabregas.

Had Messi converted his spot-kick Barcelona would have been 3-1 up and effectively assured of a place in the final against a Chelsea side reduced to 10 men after the first-half dismissal of John Terry.

Fernando Torres' last-gasp equaliser, which came as Barcelona swarmed forward desperately in search of the goal that would seal the tie, shattered the Catalan side's hopes of reaching a third final in four seasons.

Guardiola however issued a vociferous defence of Messi, who has now failed to score in eight games against Chelsea.

"We've gotten to where we are today thanks to this kid," Guardiola said. "More than ever I want to thank him for what he's done for us.

"My admiration for him knows no limits. He's daring, he's brave, he plays fantastic in different conditions.

"We played in Pamplona and it was 10 below zero - very cold - and he wanted to play and win the game. He's an example for all of us.

"His competitiveness, how he pushes us all to be better. I've got no doubt that he's going to experience a few difficult hours now because he's a competitive guy but this is what is beautiful about football.

"Sometimes you smile and sometimes it's your turn to be sad."

Guardiola said Barcelona's concession of a goal from Ramires on the stroke of half-time had proved crucial. Prior to that Barcelona had led 2-0 and appeared to be sauntering to a routine victory.

"I think that at 2-0 at half-time we would have believed we would do it, but at 2-1 it was bad for us psychologically," Guardiola said.

"Even so, we went out in the second half, we had a penalty but we didn't score and then they got stronger and it was difficult for us to score with the minutes we had left.

"It's not easy to score. We were not a team that can play in lots of different ways. We have a peculiar way of playing and this is why the opposition adapts themselves to us.

"Anyway, we will go away and look at it and decide what is best for the institution."

Guardiola admitted however he was struggling to pinpoint weaknesses in his side which once again dominated possession - by a margin of 72 percent to Chelsea's 28 percent - but was unable to land the decisive blow.

"You look at the team and try to tell them what they did wrong, why they're not in the final," Guardiola said. "And I don't know what to tell them.

"At the end of the day you're out of the final and that's all that matters. Sincerely I think it wasn't our turn.

"We did everything we could - absolutely everything - but we got to a semi-final and lost.

"No matter what we did it wasn't enough. And this is what counts. Probably we did something wrong and we need to see what that was and try to fix it in the future," he said.

"You have to praise Chelsea for their defensive display - for their courage, for their bravery, for their mental strength in knowing that they had to play this game."

The Bavarian side takes a 2-1 advantage with it to Spain from the first leg and, while a 0-0 draw would suffice for the visitor to reach the final in its own stadium, few expect Wednesday evening's (Thursday morning AEST) clash to end goalless.

Heynckes is not expecting that either as he prepares for one of the most important nights of the season.

"Tomorrow is going to be spectacular. It is going to be a real treat with everything which belongs in such a football game," he said.

"Just a fortnight ago, people were saying that Barcelona are the be all and end all, but now Real have gone and won in Barcelona.

"It will be a battle of the giants. Both clubs have a great history and I am looking forward to it, and I hope it has a positive outcome for us."

Heynckes expects Real to attack his side, but he is not going to set his side up to build a wall in front of the goal.

Instead, he has promised his team will play its part in the spectacle by remaining faithful to the style of play which has seen it score 71 goals in the Bundesliga and 27 times in Europe.

"We are capable of scoring at the Bernabeu," he said at a press conference in the Spanish capital. "At the same time, we have shown that we don't concede many.

"The first-leg result gives us a small advantage, but Real have amazing goalscoring potential and have scored nearly 150 goals so we will be prepared for that."

David Alaba, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Luiz Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng risk suffering the same fate as Franck Ribery two years ago if they pick up a caution, but Schweinsteiger insists holding back is not an option.

"Sure, we have got to ensure we don't get involved in any scuffles, but you can't really influence that now," he said.

"We have got to get to the final in the first place, so I don't think that will actually be an issue."

Heynckes will not be telling any of his players to take it easy either as he demands total commitment for the crucial encounter.

"You can also go into the tackle without getting a yellow card," he said. "I will be making that clear to my players.

"But then again, you can never rule out getting a yellow card which is undeserved, like David Alaba did."

Alaba should start anyway, even if he is one of the seven players at risk of missing the final.

Star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is also likely to start, although Heynckes would not confirm his inclusion in the starting XI, despite him playing through Bayern's last two league matches and showing signs of having made a full recovery from a troublesome ankle injury.

"Our final training session should give me more of an idea about his condition," Heynckes said. "I will decide then whether he can start."

Arjen Robben, Ribery, Boateng, Badstuber, Mario Gomez and Lahm should all return after being rested in last weekend's 2-1 Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen.

Bayern travels to Madrid with a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg at Munich's Allianz Arena, which will also host the final on 19 May, and Schweinsteiger, who is back after an ankle injury, says it will score.

"I assume we will score a goal in Madrid. And we will," said Schweinsteiger ahead of the match at Real's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

"The chance to reach the final in our own stadium is motivation enough for us, but their stadium, with so many spectators and emotions, is sure to influence the game.

"In the first 20 minutes, it will be very intense, that is when we have to hold our composure and not concede a goal.

"A game like this is the highlight of the season, this is what you work hard the whole season for and the chance to play in a game like this motivated me through my injury."

Bayern striker Mario Gomez scored the 90th-minute winner in Munich to give his side a second-leg advantage and Real coach Jose Mourinho says games like this are what being part of football is all about.

Real's 2-1 El Clasico win at arch-rival Barcelona in the Spanish league last weekend keeps it on course to win the La Liga title but Mourinho knows nothing is decided yet.

"We can win two titles, one or none. This is the excitement of football that turns my hair grey," joked the Portuguese coach, who won the 2010 Champions League title at the Bernabeu as Inter Milan coach.

"I see my players excited about this semi-final like my Inter players were two years ago before the semi-final against Barcelona. They just want to win it.

"Bayern are a great team, the coach is good and they have the right to think they are going to play the final.

"I also know what Bayern want to do. If they don't score, they will be out and I think they will score."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who coached Real to the 1998 Champions League title, said the game will showcase European football.

"On Wednesday night, we will witness the creme de la creme of football games," he said.

"In terms of tradition, both teams are fantastic and for that reason it will be very even.

"I have positive memories from here. It was very difficult to be coach of Madrid back then, just as I am sure it is today.

"I realised after I won the Champions League here just how much of an obsession it was for everyone involved with Madrid and all of their fans.

"Madrid have great attacking potential, but so do my team."

VIDEO: Jose Mourinho discusses his coaching future

Mourinho claims he has been bereft of fortune in previous matches at the last four stage after twice losing to Liverpool (in 2005 and 2007) - when at Chelsea - and again to arch-rival Barcelona last season - a defeat he blamed on a UEFA conspiracy.

Madrid goes into the second leg with Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu 2-1 down with a place against Chelsea the prize for the winner.

"Overall I have not been lucky in semi-finals of the Champions League," he said.

"I lost one with Chelsea (2005) due to a goal that wasn't a goal, the ball didn't cross the line. Another season (2007) we lost on penalties and when you lose a semi-final on penalties it is due to bad luck and I lost the semi-final last season because of what everyone knows."

The Portuguese admits he also has more interest than usual in the other semi-final due to Chelsea's involvement.

Speaking before Chelsea progressed he said: "If it were Barcelona against Milan or Arsenal or any other team then it wouldn't matter to me who progressed, I would want the best team to win, but because it is Chelsea I feel slightly different.

"I would like it if the luck went to my old players."

Despite the Clasico victory at Barca last weekend virtually assuring Madrid of its first Primera Division title since 2008, speculation continues to suggest Mourinho could quit the club in the northern summer.

But the former Porto and Inter Milan boss insists he plans to stay.

"At the moment my future is not important, but I think I will be here next season," he added.

"I have a contract and once we arrive at the end of the season I will have time to speak with the players and the directors and we will decide what is best for me, for the club and for the squad.

"It is better to stay at a club for four or five years."

Mourinho was quick to point out that it was not the time to discuss individuals, however, something he was keen to stress with Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Coentrao and Gonzalo Higuain all one booking away from missing the final through suspension.

"A player can't be an egoist," he said.

"The important thing is that Madrid are in the final. I would sign now for me to not be in Munich (where the final is being staged) and stay back in my house if it means the team reaches the final.

"I hope that the referee is sensible enough to not show yellow cards that can be avoided."

Mourinho is confident his players will handle the occasion against Bayern, just as they did at the weekend.

He said: "I don't know if the Champions League is more important than the league, because the best team always wins the league and this isn't always the case in Europe.

"However, the final of the Champions League is the most important thing in football.

"Tomorrow is almost like a long-awaited final, but I see calmness in the players. I don't like an excess of emotion, nor a lack of it."

Pique exited the match at the Camp Nou in the 25th minute, nine minutes after colliding with team-mate Victor Valdes as the pair went to clear a long ball from the chasing Didier Drogba.

Pique lay motionless for some time before eventually getting to his feet and playing.

Barcelona says Pique suffered a light concussion.

Defending champion Barcelona failed to reach its third final in four seasons after 10-man Chelsea advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

The Chelsea icon was given his marching orders on 37 minutes of an epic encounter at the Camp Nou which saw the Premier League side fight back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and clinch a 3-2 aggregate win over the Catalan side.

Terry's dismissal for a foul on Alexis Sanchez threatened to trigger a drubbing for Chelsea, which conceded a second goal to Andres Iniesta soon afterwards after Sergio Busquets' opening strike.

However the veteran defender watched from the bench as goals from Ramires and Fernando Torres sealed a remarkable comeback.

Former England captain Terry admitted however that the result was bittersweet as he will be denied the opportunity to lead Chelsea in Munich.

"Sanchez was darting in behind me. I've seen the replay and it does look bad," Terry told Sky Sports.

"I'm not that type of player to intentionally hurt anyone. I've raised my knee, which I maybe shouldn't have done in hindsight. But hopefully people who know me as a person, as a player ... I'm not that type of player.

"I'm disappointed but delighted for the lads. To come here and play the way they did and get the result they did with 10 men ... I feel I've let them down. I've apologised to them and I want to apologise to the fans as well.

"At the time, I was bewildered because I was trying to protect myself a little bit, but looking at it on the replay, I've no complaints. I've let the lads down."

Terry, desperate to atone for the penalty shootout miss which cost Chelsea victory in the 2008 final over Manchester United, agreed it would hurt to miss the final.

"On a personal note, of course," he said.

"But this is what this football club deserves. We deserve to be in the Champions League final."

The Blues somehow overcame John Terry's first-half sending off at the Nou Camp to progress to the Munich finale.

Chelsea came into the match boasting a 1-0 first-leg lead but went behind to goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, either side of Terry's sending off for inexplicably kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

However, Ramires clawed a goal back in first-half stoppage-time with a deft chip and, after Lionel Messi missed a penalty and hit the post, Fernando Torres came off the bench to wrap up victory late on.

"It was an incredible game with all the events that happened," Di Matteo said.

"I am very happy and pleased for all the players because they deserved this moment.

"We've had a difficult season and we seem to always get something special out when we need to.

"I think that's part of the DNA of these players.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world. They are amazing.

"They have some of the best players in the world as well in their team.

"The way we played and defended and we just showed a lot of desire to reach the final and go through.

"We had a little bit of luck as well, which you need but I think to win the trophy, you need that."

Chelsea will find out its opponent for the 19 May showpiece when Real Madrid and Bayern Munich meet for its semi-final, second leg.

"I am just delighted for the players," Di Matteo added. "They put so much effort into this.

"We seem to always to find some reserves from somewhere, playing against the odds.

"We obviously weren't the favourites, even after that first leg.

"We had all the difficulties that you could imagine in any football game tonight, particularly with the way Barcelona play, but we still managed to qualify. It's quite incredible."

While Di Matteo was understandably elated, Chelsea's progression from the semi-finals has come at a huge cost.

Terry, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles are all suspended for the final, while the Blues saw Gary Cahill limp off with a hamstring complaint early on.

"For the moment, we'll try and enjoy this night because its quite historic for our club," Di Matteo said.

"Then we will see which players will be available for the final and I'm sure we'll put a strong team together which will make Chelsea Football Club proud.

"On the sending off, we're all human beings. We are put under pressure every three days.

"This was our fourth game in nine days, and you know everybody can make a mistake.

"We work as a group and we're delighted we've gone through."

Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola seemed shell-shocked when he made his late appearance at the post-match press conference.

"The first thing that crosses my mind is huge sadness," he said.

"I think we played exceptionally well and we have done everything we could to reach the final.

"Finals are great but we will have to watch this one on TV and I have to congratulate Chelsea because they were great defensively speaking.

"I think we failed because we did everything we could but we couldn't score [another goal] and football is about scoring.

"They scored at key moments but having said that we have worked very hard to get here and there is always this possibility.

"You can win and get the trophy or you can lose and today we lost."

The Blues survived having John Terry sent off and also a Lionel Messi penalty to draw 2-2 on the night and go through 3-2 on aggregate.

Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta netted for the home side but Chelsea scored through Ramires and Fernando Torres to secure a place in the final.

Souness told Sky Sports 2: "I think this is the greatest night in Chelsea's history.

"It's remarkable. They showed tremendous resilience.

"You can only get a result out there if you've got total togetherness.

"It's the most remarkable game, I think, I've ever seen.

"There was something about Chelsea tonight where there was a dogged determination."

Former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle paid tribute to the performance of goalkeeper Petr Cech who kept Barcelona at bay, fingertipping a shot from Lionel Messi on to the post in the second half.

He said: "He had an absolute stormer Cech, even the one from Messi which hit the post he got a fingertip to it.

"It was an amazing night of football, incredible."

Jamie Redknapp admitted he thought Chelsea had little chance of making the final.

He said: "I didn't give them a chance at half-time. I didn't see there was any way they would keep a clean sheet.

"It was monumental, the collective spirit they have shown."

On a night of unparalleled drama at the Nou Camp which saw a 2-2 draw enough for Chelsea to advance 3-2 on aggregate, Terry looked to have pressed the self-destruct button on the Blues' hopes of glory on the continent when he saw red for kneeing Alexis Sanchez from behind.

But the 10 men were simply magnificent for the rest of the second leg, fighting back from goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta with a stunning chip from Ramires before half-time.

And after surviving a Barca siege from start to finish that saw Lionel Messi miss a penalty, Fernando Torres came off the bench to score a stoppage-time breakaway goal as Chelsea avenged its 2009 defeat in the most dramatic manner possible.

Reaching its second final came at a huge cost, with Terry's red card and yellows for Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles ruling them out of the final.

But it will worry about that in the morning after celebrating arguably the greatest result in the club's history and one which may finally convince Roman Abramovich to make Roberto Di Matteo's appointment as manager permanent.

Disaster struck for Chelsea as early as the sixth minute, Gary Cahill eventually forced off after slipping and pulling his hamstring, with Jose Bosingwa coming on and Ivanovic forced to move to centre-back.

It was soon 1-1 on the injury front, Gerard Pique lasting just 26 minutes of his recall after failing to recover from a sickening collision with the backside of Victor Valdes that appeared to leave him briefly unconscious.

That failed to alter the pattern of a game which was a carbon copy of the first leg as Chelsea parked the bus once more.

Messi rippled the side-netting inside three minutes and, after both sides' injury woes, he should have opening the scoring in the 20th minute, firing a one-two with Cesc Fabregas against Petr Cech's leg.

Fabregas also volleyed into the side-netting and Cech tipped over Javier Mascherano's drive but there was hope for Chelsea before Pique's departure when Didier Drogba shrugged him off but could himself only find the side-netting from the tightest of angles.

The first sign of Chelsea's discipline wavering came when John Obi Mikel was booked for chopping down Sanchez in the 32nd minute.

And when it went to sleep three minutes later, it was behind, its failure to close down allowing Isaac Cuenca to square for Busquets to tap into a virtually unguarded net.

The build-up to this tie was dominated by talk of refereeing meltdowns in previous clashes but Terry simply gave Cuneyt Cakir no choice but to dismiss him less than two minutes later.

Sanchez over-reacted to the swipe, bringing back memories of David Beckham's 1998 World Cup sending-off, and Terry initially refused to walk.

But Cech made him listen to reason before picking the ball out of his own net again two minutes before half time, Chelsea carved apart as Messi teed up Iniesta to stroke the ball home.

Chelsea looked dead and buried but, as at Stamford Bridge, it struck a dagger blow with its first shot on target in first-half stoppage-time.

Frank Lampard was again the creator as Ramires burst through and floated a glorious finish over Valdes - moments after picking up a booking that would rule him out of the final.

The cascade of noise that had filled the Nou Camp turned to silence at half-time but they were soon cheering again after the restart when Drogba conceded a penalty.

Cakir adjudged the striker had tripped Fabregas and pointed to the spot, with Ivanovic cautioned for his protest.

It looked certain Messi would end his Chelsea hoodoo but, incredibly, he smashed his effort against the crossbar.

Lampard was fortunate to escape punishment for a flare-up with Fabregas, Sanchez nodded substitute Daniel Alves' cross wide, and Cech was booked for timewasting having already been warned before saving well again from Cuenca.

Ivanovic almost capitalised after Drogba helped Chelsea win a rare corner but he was warned himself after going down theatrically, while Lampard was lucky to only see yellow for cutting down Fabregas after Messi was booked for tugging him back.

The visitor was hanging on and was given two lifelines in 60 seconds in the final 10 minutes when Sanchez had a goal ruled out for offside and Messi hit the post from 20 yards.

With time running out, Meireles was ruled out of the final after being booked for fouling Mascherano, who Cech saved from again in the final minute.

And then, in stoppage-time, a long clearance found substitute Torres with 50 yards of space in which to run.

Unlike most of his Chelsea career, he made no mistake, rounding Valdes and slotting home to jubilant scenes.

The Germans hold a narrow 2-1 lead from the first leg courtesy of the Germany frontman's late winner.

"We will attack, just as Real will do," Gomez was quoted as saying by German press agency dpa.

"If we put in a performance like we did in the home leg, we will get into the final."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes admits his team is likely to have to score in the Spanish capital.

"For us it is clear, that we will have to score one or two goals," he said in an interview with the club's official website.

"We are in a position to do this, we have outstanding attacking players.

"But we have to remain compact and tight, then very good counter-attacking opportunities will present themselves."

Bayern and Madrid experienced contrasting weekend's domestically, with the Germans seeing Borussia Dortmund win the Bundesliga for the second year running while Jose Mourinho's side beat Barcelona 2-1 to take complete control of the Primera Division title race.

Heynckes does not feel that result at the Nou Camp will necessarily give it an advantage.

He said: "Usually you say, when a team like Madrid wins 2-1 in the Nou Camp and in doing so virtually decides the championship, that is an advantage.

"However, we can never know exactly. I follow the Spanish press and you notice, Madrid have huge respect for us.

"They have to after the first leg."

Bayern has seven players on a yellow card, but Heynckes insists those players cannot afford to let the possibility of missing the final at their own Allianz Arena stadium through suspension affect them.

"That cannot be allowed to play a roll," he added. "You cannot pull back, because one thing is clear: it will be hot in the Bernabeu."