There is a statue outside the Chelsea stadium. Inscribed on its plinth are the words: ‘Stamford Bridge has many heroes but only one king.’ Saturday night presents the chance for someone to achieve the same kind of immortality.

The 'king,' Peter Osgood, captured hearts for his style and manner, and his extraordinary contribution during the 1970 FA Cup triumph. But it was arguably his right-foot shot into the corner of the Real Madrid net in Athens in 1971 that put him on a more rarefied level - it was certainly his favourite strike.

Gianfranco Zola's winner in Stockholm against Stuttgart in 1998 also occupies an indelible place in the collective memory. European finals are exceptional, exotic occasions either way. Has anything hurt as much as defeat in Moscow in 2008?

There are no prizes for coming second. (Or third for that matter, which will clearly come as a surprise to some Arsenal fans.) And nothing propels supporters onto planes, trains and automobiles quite like a continental jaunt. From the platform of Munich, one of our heroes can launch themselves into an orbit of adoration.

This weekend has nothing to do with the last chance to qualify for next season's Champions League - nor the schadenfreude of evicting rivals Spurs from it. It is about glory. History.

In simple terms Chelsea, officially the third-ranked club in Europe, against take on Bayern Munich, the fourth. The two are here because in the semis they brilliantly overcame the clubs in first and second respectively.

Yet the Blues - who should by rights have been the first to enter this tournament in 1955 - are bidding to become the first London club to lift it, while Bayern aim to become the third team to win the title in their own ground.

The Allianz Arena is not their home over decades, of course. It is massive, modern, multi-storeyed but not yet multi-storied - they have been here one year longer than Arsenal at the Emirates. Throw in an unusually huge contingent of opposing fans from Chelsea's global fan base and it could be quite a disorientating experience for the hosts. The field of play does not change, though. The Allianz pitch size is the same as Barcelona's Camp Nou (105m x 68m compared to Stamford Bridge's 103m x 67m).

Three European Cup finals have been played in Munich (all at the Olympic Stadium). On each occasion a new name was put on the trophy: Nottingham Forest in 1979, Marseille in 1993 and Borussia Dortmund in 1997.

Not, perhaps, since Leslie Knighton's touring party stopped off for 'sightseeing' in Berlin - in 1936 of all years - has it been more surprising to see a Chelsea team arrive in Germany. Trailing 1-3 from the Round of 16 first leg in Napoli, then 0-2 down with ten men in the formidable Camp Nou... both deficits were overturned - this is a squad that simply never accepts defeat.

The burden has been shared around. Chelsea's last seven goals in this competition came from seven separate players, the five assists from five different sources. With four players suspended - John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles - the load will have to be spread even further. Bayern are missing three key men themselves on Saturday. Their full-strength side - the same one that beat Real - was thrashed 2-5 in the DFB Pokal (German FA Cup final) last weekend. Barcelona were the last team to put four past them three years ago.

The result was achieved by quick counter-attacks from their rivals and costly errors on the Bayern account. In particular the centre of midfield and defence looked all at sea. Luis Gustavo and Holger Badstuber, among the most culpable, are ruled out from facing Chelsea, along with pacy left-back Daniel Alaba. All three suspended Bayern players have played 10 of their 12 Champions League matches.

The Reds' influential centre midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, not 100% after injury, was exercised for 90 minutes by Dortmund. In contrast, Chelsea's first choice shield of Mikel and Frank Lampard had their feet up watching the Blues' 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers. Seasoned coach Jupp Heynckes does have the option of hastening the return of veteran defender Daniel van Buyten. Out with a broken metatarsal since January, the 34-year-old played an hour of Bayern reserves' 0-3 defeat at home to Ingolstadt last week. Everyone in Munich will be all too aware of the impact Didier Drogba had when our two sides met for the only time in April 2005, and that may dictate a decision.

The Ivorian terrorised centre-backs Lucio and Robert Kovac, feeding off Frank Lampard's ready supply and setting the midfielder up for chances - between them, the two netted five of the six goals scored by Jose Mourinho's men.

Petr Cech, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and John Terry, and for Bayern Bastian Schweinsteiger, are the only current players who featured in those meetings in 2005.

This weekend Chelsea face one of the most lethal attacking trios in world football in former Blue Arjen Robben, Mario Gomez and Franck Ribery. The French winger has notched up 30 assists this season and is the most fouled player in this competition.

Three times previously European Cup finals have been played at the home ground of one of the competing teams, the hosts emerging victorious in two of them. Real Madrid won 2-0 against Fiorentina at the Bernabéu in 1957, Inter beat Benfica 1-0 at the San Siro in 1965, and Liverpool won a penalty shoot-out against Roma at their Stadio Olimpico ground.

The last four European Cup finals between English and German teams have been won by the English club - 1999 Man Utd 2-1 Bayern Munich being the most recent.

Five Champions League finals have gone to penalties - the most recent being the painful one in Moscow in 2008.

Chelsea have won two of our last four penalty shoot-outs although in Europe, we have lost both - to Man Utd in 2008 and Liverpool in 2007. Bayern have won all four in UEFA competition including the 2001 Champions League Final against Valencia and this season's semi-final in Madrid.


- Math preview by chelseafc.com