Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will contest an all-German showdown of the 2012-13 Champions League at Wembley on May 25.
It’s only the fourth ever final of the competition between two teams from the same country, following Real Madrid v Valencia (2000), AC Milan v Juventus (2003) and Manchester United v Chelsea (2008).
And the Bundesliga duo booked their places by overturning the odds, knocking out favourites Barcelona and Real Madrid thanks to spectacular semi-final first-leg performances on home soil.
Borussia Dortmund are the more surprising finalists for they had shown little last season to suggest such an impressive achievement was on the cards this time around.
But Jurgen Klopp’s side have really got their act together in Europe and striker Robert Lewandowski’s four-goal salvo in a 4-1 victory meant Real Madrid’s late rally at the Bernabeu to win 2-0 was in vain.
For all that Dortmund have gained many new admirers around the continent, however, it’s Bayern who looked the more formidable in the semi-finals as they swept aside Barcelona to indicate they are now Europe’s No 1 team.
Their three main creative influences – Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Thomas Muller – were in superb form as Jupp Heynckes’ team won 4-0 at home and 3-0 in the Nou Camp, and Bayern look a team simply at the peak of their powers.
It’s little wonder then that they are the red-hot favourites to lift the trophy and atone for last year’s disappointment against Chelsea, with bookmaker
Paddy Power quoting Bayern at 4/9 to collect the winners’ medals and Dortmund at 7/4.
MAY 2013
Saturday May 25: Champions League final at Wembley - Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (19:45 BST)