A little over 10 years ago, Chelsea made history by winning their first Champions League title. The London club defied all odds to defeat Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final at the Allianz Arena!
With the score tied at the end of extra time, the Blues prevailed in the penalty shootout, winning 4-3 on penalties and capturing the European title.
The London club made their first appearance in the Champions League in 1999 and have been a regular in the European competition since then.
Like for example, Chelsea were one successful penalty kick away from winning the Champions League in 2008 when John Terry slipped during his sudden death penalty and lost to Manchester United.
A year later, Chelsea lost in the semifinals to FC Barcelona in what is remembered as one of the most contentious European matches.
Chelsea finally won the European Cup in 2012 after losing to Inter Milan in the round of 16 in 2010 and Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
Chelsea had sacked Andre Villas-Boas after a 3-1 loss to the Italians, and also their top-four Premier League spot in jeopardy, with Roberto di Matteo set to take over.
Roberto di Matteo outperformed expectations by leading Chelsea to a remarkable comeback in the tournament, defeating Napoli, Benfica, and FC Barcelona, and leading Chelsea to the 2012 Champions League final.
Bayern Munich, on the other hand, defeated Basel, Marseille, and Real Madrid to advance to the final and play the biggest club football match in front of their home crowd.
Chelsea against all odds
Without club captain John Terry, Ramires, and Ivanovic, the Blues were missing a major part of the spine that helped them reach the finals.
Chelsea managed to keep things even at halftime despite fielding a few inexperienced players against a full-strength Bayern Munich team.
In the second half, Bayern Munich sent the crowd into a frenzy when Thomas Muller slotted the ball past Petr Cech to give the German giants a commanding lead.
Didier Drogba, on the other hand, had other ideas, as the Ivorian headed the ball into Bayern’s net at the end of regulation time, sending the finals into extra time and then a penalty shootout.
Chelsea got off to a bad start when Juan Mata failed to score from the team’s first penalty kick. Cech, on the other hand, managed to make up for Mata’s error by blocking Ivica Olic’s kick, tying the shootout at 3-3.
Petr Cech saved Schweinsteiger’s penalty kick, giving Chelsea the chance to win the Champions League with one spot-kick remaining.
Drogba stepped up to take the most important penalty of his life and kept his cool as Chelsea became the first London club to win the Champions League.
