6 Reasons why the 2010 Champions League Final Will Be Memorable

1. No English or Spanish Teams

Spanish champion Barcelona dethroned Manchester United in last year's final, and Real Madrid holds the record for most UEFA Champions League trophies. But there are other world class teams and leagues in Europe.  And every once and a while it's beneficial, for the sake of the game, that they make their presence known.

Italy's Internazionale and Germany's Bayern Munich have both hoisted the Champions League trophy multiple times. However, they each enjoyed their greatest runs of success when the trophy was known as the European Cup. Now a vicotry for either will clinch the first Treble in their league's history. And two former Champions League winning managers will be overseeing the proceedings from the benches.

It is true that the English Premiere League and the Spanish La Liga are the top two leagues in the world. However, Germany's Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A are not far behind (we'll get to that later). It's been six years since the UEFA Champions League final has featured two teams that don't call England or Spain home. In 2004 Portugal's FC Porto defeated Monaco from France's Ligue 1. Coincidentally that FC Porto coach was.....

2. Jose Mourinho

If Jose Morinho was an American coach, he'd be an Armani sporting hybrid of Bill Parcelles and Tony LaRussa. The media hates him. His owners don't always love him. But his players win trophies. Multiple. Every season.

In two seasons at FC Porto he won back to back Portuguese titles and claimed the Europa League and Champions League trophies in succession. The following three seasons he spent in England with Chelsea, leading them them to their first Premiere League title in over 50 years. They repeated as champs, won 2 League Cups, and FA Cup and a Community Shield for good measure. With six trophies in hand he still managed to have a falling out with owner Roman Abromovich. And after a year off from coaching, Mouriho took over Inter Milan and guided them to a Serie A title and an Italian Super Cup.

Now he's claimed his second Italian league title with Inter, and he's looking to get his second Champions League title with as many teams. In another happenstance, one of his star players is looking to accomplish the same feat... in as many seasons....

3. Samuel Eto'o

Last year Eto'o's teammate, Gerard Pique, became the third player to win back-to-back Champions League titles while playing for different teams. This season the Cameroonian national is hoping to accomplish the same feat. After helping Barcelona win the Treble, Eto'o was shipped off to Italy in exchange for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

In one of those “random” UEFA scheduling coincidences, Eto'o was forced to face off against his former team in this season's semifinals. Amazingly, Gerard Pique was also forced to best his former team in last year's tourney. Of course, players getting one over on their former team seems to be a theme of the Champions League. Especially considering....

4. The Real Madrid Factor

Last off-season Florentino Perez wrestled back control of Real Madrid. In doing so he pledged to bring back his “Galacticos” policy of purchasing the top stars in the world. Apparently only massive spending could help Los Blancos make it past the 1^st knockout stage of the Champions League.

Real Madrid spent over 200 million Euros on 5 world class players. But by bringing in new starters, they were forced to purge themselves of their “underachieving” incumbents. Two of their released players happen to be talented Dutch midfielders. They also happen to be considered two of the best soccer players in the world. Barring injury they will be featured in The Netherlands' starting World Cup lineup. And on May 22, they will be facing off against each other for the UEFA Champions League title.

Arjen Robben of Bayern Munich and Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan have lifted their teams past the semifinal stage. To the finals, where Florentino Perez believed they couldn't carry Real Madrid. And 200 million Euros later, Robben and Sneijder's former team is wondering how they fell in the 1^st knockout round, again. But they aren't the only superstars on Munich or Inter...

5. World Class Talent Gearing Up For The Cup

If you wanted a match to gear you up for the World Cup, this is it. Eto'o, Robben and Sneijder aren't the only players who will be representing their countries come June.  Inter Milan features 60% of the starting Brazilian national team defense: backs Lucio, Maicon, and goalie Julio Cesar.  And although Javier Zanetti  was left off Argentina's roster because his national team coach has spent the last two decades sniffing the dust off of Tony Montana's desk, Diego Maradona still had the right mind to include Walter Samuel and Diego Milito on his roster.

Bayern is loaded with German stars.  Phillip Lahm may be the best right-back in the world.  Miroslav Klose has led Germany to second and third place finishes in past World Cups.  Bastian Schweinsteiger has almost as many caps as Klose.  And then there's goalie Hans-Jorg Butt, defender Holger Badstuber, and forward Mario Gomez who all got the preliminary call for the national side.   Hopefully that list of internationals can make up for missing frenchman Franck Ribery, who's been suspended for this unfortunate incident but not this unforgettable one.

6. The Battle For Coefficients

Many of the players in this final make there homes in other nations, but this final has significant stakes for their adopted countries.  Explaining the coefficient system properly would require an advanced statistics degree.  However, what's important to know is that the more teams from a country win in either the Champions League or Europa League, the higher that league's coefficient gets.  The higher the coefficient, the more teams that country gets to send to either competition.

The top 3 leagues in Europe get 4 spots in the Champions and 3 spots in Europa.  In the history of the coefficients, only four leagues owned the top spot in Europe: England, Spain, Italy, and Germany.  Currently, England and Spain are #1 and #2.  Italy has been in the top 3 since what seems like the invention of the sport. Germany is also no slouch, and owned the top spot for most of the late seventies and early eighties.  The winner of this final will hold the #3 ranking for 2011-12.

If that doesn't take this match up a notch, I don't know what else would.  This could get out of control.  And we'd all be the better for it.