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Yes, The Guardian had the temerity to term Roberto Di Matteo's visit to Berlin's Olympiastadion as a "spying trip" ahead of next weekend's Champions League Final. Not sure whether to laugh or cry at that word choice, but I think we should all join him and spy together in total non-secrecy on 'ze Germans'. After all, we're making history here: never before in football management has the manager travelled to (sorry, infiltrated) another country to watch his upcoming opponents live and in person! This is totally brand new and cunning and amazing. Groundbreaking!
In any case, this match is important to both Dortmund and Bayern and both are expected to field full-strength sides (minus maybe a Bastian Schweinsteiger through injury). Jurgen Klopp has predicted a "really awesome final [...] one of the biggest games there has ever been in Germany" and that they'll "step out [...] like it's Wembley or Wimbledon or wherever". So if this thing turns into a tennis match, we'll know who to blame.
Bayern goalkeeper Manual Neuer meanwhile claims that all they're thinking about is this final, putting aside all thoughts of the Champions League. Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben both spoke of their burning desire to win the German equivalent of the FA Cup as well. It would only be fitting, I think, if next weekend's Final pitted the two Cup winners against each other - I imagine Michel Platini would be laughing like a maniac in the corner while doing a little dance on top of the Cup Winners' Cup's grave!
Anyway, the match starts at 2pm EDT / 20:00 CEST and can be seen live online at ESPN3 (USA). Not sure about coverage in the UK.
Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Kehl, Gundogan - Blaszczykowski, Kagawa, Großkreutz - Lewandowski
Substitutes from: Santana, Bender, Perisic, Langerak, Barrios, Goetze, Leitner
Bayern (4-2-3-1): Neuer - Lahm, Boateng, Badstuber, Alaba - Schweinsteiger, Luiz Gustavo - Robben, Kroos, Ribery - Gomez
Substitutes from: Butt, Pranjic, Rafinha, Olic,Tymoschuk, Mueller, Contento
Soooo...about that Schweinsteiger injury...