Petr Cech says he memorised Bayern Munich's last 64 penalties ahead of Chelsea's 2012 Champions League final win: "It paid off"

Petr Cech saved two Bayern Munich penalties in the 2012 Champions League final. (Deposit Photos)

Chelsea's victory over Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final remains one of the most iconic moments in the club's history.

After a 1-1 draw in regular time at the Allianz Arena, the Blues triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their first-ever Champions League title.

Legendary striker Didier Drogba famously netted the winning spot-kick, capping off a heroic performance in which he also scored a late equaliser.

While Drogba often receives much of the acclaim, goalkeeper Petr Cech was just as crucial to Chelsea's triumph.

Chelsea's starting team for the 2012 Champions League final. (Deposit Photos)

Cech correctly dived the right way for all five of Bayern's penalties in the shootout, saving crucial efforts from Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger to set up Drogba’s decisive moment.

Earlier, he also denied former Chelsea star Arjen Robben from the spot in extra time, a pivotal save that ensured the match reached penalties.

But his success wasn't just down to instinct – it was the result of meticulous preparation.

"In the preparation for the game, I watched every Bayern penalty since 2007," Cech revealed in a new interview with Chelsea's official website as part of the club's 120th-anniversary celebrations.

"It took a really long time to see them all and to kind of make a good picture," he said. "And I think in the end, it paid off."

According to Transfermarkt data, Bayern took 64 penalties across all competitions, including in shootouts, from the start of the 2007/08 season up to the 2012 Champions League final.

Schweinsteiger attempted six of those, converting five and missing one. Cech, having studied his approach, noticed a distinct pattern.

"Early in the footage of those penalties from 2007 until all the way to 2012, there was a period where Schweinsteiger was shooting penalties like that," Cech recalled. "Every time he sort of stopped, he shot to the left side of the keeper."

"So the moment he stopped in that final, I knew that he shoots there, and that’s what gave me a good chance to make the save," he said. "The preparation really paid off. But you need a bit of luck as well because nothing is 100 per cent. That day it worked."

It certainly did, Petr. It certainly did.