Chelsea plays for high stakes in Champions League
By GRAHAM DUNBARBy GRAHAM DUNBAR, AP Sports Writer?
?In this handout photo made available by UEFA, Chelsea's John Terry, front, is followed by Frank Lampard as they arrive in Munich, Germany, Friday May 18, 2012. Bayern Munich will play English Premier League soccer team Chelsea in the final of the Champions League on Saturday. (AP Photo/Lars Baron, UEFA)
In this handout photo made available by UEFA, Chelsea's John Terry, front, is followed by Frank Lampard as they arrive in Munich, Germany, Friday May 18, 2012. Bayern Munich will play English Premier League soccer team Chelsea in the final of the Champions League on Saturday. (AP Photo/Lars Baron, UEFA)
In this handout photo made available by UEFA Chelsea's coach Roberto Di Matteo, center, arrives with his team in Munich, Germany Friday May 18, 2012. Bayern will play English Premier League soccer team Chelsea in the final of the Champions League on Saturday. (AP Photo/Lars Baron, UEFA)
Chelsea's Michael Essien, left, leaves a bus during the arrival of Chelsea soccer club at a hotel in Munich, Germany Friday May 18, 2012. FC Chelsea will face FC Bayern Munch in the Champions League soccer final in Munich on Saturday. (AP Photo/dapd/Sebastian Widmann)
Bayern's Ivica Olic of Croatia kicks a ball during the training session of FC Bayern Munich in Munich, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2012, the day before the soccer Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and FC Chelsea. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Bayern's Franck Ribery of France gestures during the training of FC Bayern Munich in Munich, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2012, the day before the soccer Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and FC Chelsea. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
MUNICH (AP) ? Chelsea is playing for a place in European soccer history as well as next season's competition when it meets Bayern Munich on Saturday in the Champions League final.
After nine straight seasons among Europe's elite, Chelsea's sixth-place finish in the Premier League means its only entry to next season's Champions League is as title holder.
The price of defeat is therefore higher. Chelsea can ill afford to lose Champions League income of more than $63 million this season as European soccer's financial fair-play rules begin to bite.
Life will be easier for all at Chelsea next season if it becomes Europe's champion club for the first time. But in Bayern Munich it is facing a four-time winner that playing at home.
Associated Press
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