5 Champions League finals with historical subplots

4. Chelsea beat Bayern in Germany

Chelsea defeating Bayern Munich to claim their first-ever Champions League title had several historical subplots. For starters, let’s remember that Germany fought England and its allies in both World Wars, which would witness the German empire be defeated on both occasions.

On this occasion, not only did an English team defeat a German opponent, but they achieved it in Germany. More precisely, they claimed it in Munich and in Bayern’s Allianz Arena. Furthermore, they also became the first side from London to claim the Champions League title.

Additionally, there was another subplot as it would be an English team defeating the Germans on penalties. England has always been known for their struggles with penalties and a shootout against Germany was always seen as a defeat before it began.

However, on this occasion, it would be an English side who beat a German opponent, and in Germany of all places, to claim victory.

3. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund face off in London

If Bayern Munich wanted revenge, they got it the very next season when they took on Borussia Dortmund in an all-German Champions League final. However, of all the places they could have played in, it just so happened to be at Wembley Stadium in London.

Germans playing each other in England’s most iconic city, its most symbolic stadium, and the place where the English national team plays its games – not exactly the final English fans would have wanted after its history of fighting in both World Wars against Germany.

There would be another historical subplot as Bayern Munich would claim the Champions League title with the game-winner being scored by Arjen Robben; a Dutch international getting the game-winner for a German team.

If the Germany vs England rivalry is already tense, Germany vs the Netherlands reached a completely different level after Germany invaded and occupied the Netherlands during World War ll. Although the political relations are good, tempers always scale on the field whenever the nations face off, making it even more significant to see that it was a Dutch who would claim the title for a German side.