Earlyface

The current Bayern Munich
side are rewriting the club's
history after their 3-0 win at
Barcelona put them into a
third Champions League final
in four years in their chase for
a historic treble of European, league and
cup titles, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
has said.
"This team can re-write the club's history
and I am convinced that we'll do it, you're a
determined bunch," Rummenigge told the
Bayern squad in the early hours of
Thursday morning after Barcelona lost 7-0
on aggregate over the semifinal's two legs.
For the first time, two German teams will
contest a European Cup final after Borussia
Dortmund booked their place at Wembley
on May 25 with a 4-3 win over Real Madrid
on aggregate in the other semifinal.
Bayern are bidding to become the first
team to win the treble having already won
the Bundesliga title with a record six games
to spare and have reached the German Cup
final, where they will play VfB Stuttgart on
June 1 at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
But after losing last year's final on penalties
to Chelsea at Munich's Allianz Arena, this
Bayern team are determined to win the
Champions League at the third attempt,
having also been beaten by Inter Milan in
the 2010 final.
"The joy of reaching the final is huge, but
we still have the two lost finals at the back
of our minds," said midfielder Thomas
Mueller.
"We're working on it and we want to finally
bring this bloody thing back to Munich:
that's what we're focused on."
While Mueller insisted the post-match
celebrations had been "slightly
disappointing" as the Bayern team
restricted themselves to only a few beers in
their dressing room, Rummenigge made a
cheeky joke ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga
match at final opponents Dortmund.
"You have an easy game coming up. You
don't need to prepare, let it rip, you're
already German champions," he told the
team before adding: "I wouldn't want to
send out any challenges in Dortmund's
direction, we are too stylish for that."
Despite permission to indulge in a few
celebrations, Mueller said the job is only half
done.
"The motivation is extremely high, we are
really up for it, that's a good thing," said the
Germany star.
Regardless of the winner at Wembley, the
Champions League trophy will be won by a
German team for the first time since 2001,
but coach Jupp Heynckes has said Bayern
can win the treble.
"We were convinced that we could reach
the final, because the team is playing in a
magnificent way. We can do the treble,"
said the 67-year-old who will be replaced
by ex-Barca coach Pep Guardiola in July
when his two-year contract expires.
"If we look at the whole tie, we have won
7-0. It couldn't be more clear and now we
have to enjoy it.
"We couldn't have imagined that we would
win the first-leg 4-0 and then the second
3-0."
Captain Philipp Lahm has said while it is
"great for Germany" for Bayern to face
Dortmund in the final, "who we face plays
no role for us".
After winning no silverware in their two
previous season, Bayern are sweeping all
before them this term.
"We all have a huge hunger for success,"
said Heynckes, who said he was pleased
none of the six players in danger of being
suspended for the final picked up a
booking in Barcelona.
"We have worked on our outstanding
defence and have matured as a group.
"We are unified and we have goals."