Betting tips / Paul Bugeja / 20 May 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Following a brilliant European campaign, after 120 minutes the Blues are triumphant in the Champions League Final.

Chelsea are European champions after a stunning slow burner of a Champions League final won on penalties at the expense of heavy favourites Bayern Munich.

The English giants were backed at a high of 80.0 to win the tournament in Betfair's winner market.

Goalless through the first 80 minutes, the game burst into life late on to squeeze in as much drama and tension as the Allianz Arena crowd and watching millions could take.

Twice Chelsea came back from heavy Bayern body blows with Didier Drogba scoring with less than two minutes left to nullify Thomas Muller's opener and Petr Cech saving an Arjen Robben penalty four minutes into extra time.

Bayern dominated possession throughout the first 90 minutes as Chelsea adopted the defence first approach that took them past Barcelona in the semi-finals. But, though the favourites had most of the play, a a determined Blues backline blocked and cleared cleared any number of German attempts and the 'home' team were reduced to long shots for much of the game. When a clear cut chance came Bayern's way they were wasteful - witness, Mario Gomez blazing over late in the first half.

Eventually, however, Muller broke the deadlock with an 83rd minute header, thumped into the ground and past Cech. Muller had touched 19.5 in-running to open the scoring.

With the win almost in Munich's grasp, a Chelsea old stager took the tie into his hands and hauled his team back into it - Drogba heading in an equaliser on 88 minutes.

Bayern had traded at a low of 1.1 in-play to win in 90 minutes while the draw was backed at 12.5.

After a goalless period of extra time, we were down to penalties, but Chelsea did not slip up as they so infamously did in 2007-08's final against Manchester United.

Bayern took an early advantage as Manuel Neuer - who scored a penalty of his own - saved Juan Mata's effort. But successive Cech saves at the expense of Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger meant it was advantage Chelsea and Didier Drogba, in what may have been his last kick for the Blues, despatched his spot-kick past Neuer.

The win means Tottenham, who finished fourth in the Premier League, now drop into the Europa League, something that will make the celebrations even sweeter for Blues fans.