Some incredible memories here.
The biggest prize in European club football is up for grabs this weekend as the newly crowned champions of Spain and Italy meet in Berlin.
Both Barcelona and Juventus have impressive pedigree in the Champions League since its makeover in the 1992/93 season – Barca have lifted it three times while Juve last won ‘Old Big Ears’ in 1996.
We’ve tried to rank the Champions League finals based on the standard of football, tension, excitement and drama. We’re certain that some people won’t agree but let us know.
Here’s hoping for a classic final.
10) Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (2013/14)
The narrative: Atletico Madrid were so close to pulling off the near perfect gameplan until Sergio Ramos’ fantastic leap forced extra-time.
Simeone’s men (who had to win La Liga in the Nou Camp just days before) had nothing left to give as Real ran out comfortable winners.
Don’t allow yourself to believe the re-written version of how this match unfolded though, Real won due to Di Maria and Modric not Ronaldo and Bale.
The defining memory: The best header of the ball in the modern game breaking Atletico Madrid hearts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQwWDBPe8Mw
9) Real Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen (2001/02)
The narrative: Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The Galacticos smashed the world record transfer fee to sign Zinedine Zidane from Juventus as the World Cup winner chased the one trophy that eluded him, the Champions League.
Bayer Leverkusen already shattered Alex Ferguson’s dream of a Glasgow final and they ran Real close in this one, a teenage Iker Casillas was sprung from the bench and kept very busy in the final stages.
The defining memory: What else can it be?
8) Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (2012/13)
The narrative: The Bavarian giants have rarely seen some genuine contenders emerge to challenge their status as Kings in Germany in the last decade (Wolfsburg and Stuttgart won titles but soon wilted) but Dortmund and their charismatic coach Jurgen Klopp forced Bayern to up their game.
Dortmund were a revelation to watch that season with Reus, Lewandowski and Gundogan excelling but the big sub-plot in this final was the transfer of Mario Gotze from Dortmund to Munich.
The future World Cup winning star didn’t play at Wembley but his imminent move only heightened the hatred between both clubs.
The abiding memory: Arjen Robben’s redemption on the biggest stage possible after the Dutchman (and Mario Gomez) was guilty of missing some big chances against Chelsea in the previous year’s final.
7) Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal (2005/06)
The narrative: Poor Arsene Wenger. Arguably the finest coach of the modern era to not win the Champions League must absolutely hate hearing the names of Henrik Larsson and Terje Hauge.
Jens Lehmann became the first person to be sent off in a European Cup final after he was harshly dismissed for a foul on Samuel Eto’o in the early stages but the Gunners rallied and took the lead through a powerful Sol Campbell header.
There was an aura of fate and inevitability about Barca that year though but they needed the introduction of a certain Celtic Park icon to swing the match in their favour.
The abiding memory: Juliano Belletti collapsing to the turf in sheer disbelief that he was the match winner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YMwWufdaZA
6) Dortmund 3-1 Juventus (1996/97)
The narrative: Arguably the last great upset in a Champions League final because Juventus were Europe’s finest team at the time; three consecutive finals don’t tell a lie.
Borussia Dortmund had my own favourite defensive partnership of all-time in their ranks – the silky Sammer and the tough as nails Kohler – combined with the predatory instincts of Riedle and guile of Chapuisat.
In the battle of two great managers, Ottmar Hitzfeld topped Lippi.
The abiding memory: A fresh faced Lars Ricken being sprung from the bench and instantly lobbing Peruzzi.
5) Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United (2010/11)
The narrative: The build-up to this final was all about how Alex Ferguson had learned the painful lessons of Manchester Utd’s defeat in Rome to the same opposition just two years previously.
He hadn’t.
Barcelona’s wonderful midfield carousel once again ran Man Utd ragged in what was arguably the best performance by any club side in the last decade. Maybe of all-time.
This was Barca at their tiki-taka best.
The abiding memory: Messi outfoxing Van der Sar from distance swung the match but Andres Iniesta asking for Paul Scholes’ jersey was one of those moments that just make you love the Spanish maestro even more.
4) Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (1998/99)
The narrative: Could they do it? The league was clinched on the final day of the season against Spurs, Newcastle offered little resistance in the FA Cup but Keane and Scholes were absent for Man Utd’s date with destiny.
Bayern and Man Utd had met each other in the group stages that season and played out two incredibly absorbing draws. While this game didn’t come close to equaling their earlier meetings for quality, it definitely topped it for drama.
The abiding memory: “And Solskjaer has won it!”
3) AC Milan 4-0 Barcelona (1993-94)
The narrative: Milan didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell. If United were without Keane and Scholes for ’99 then imagine this scenario, Capello’s men were missing Van Basten, Baresi and Costacurta while Lentini was only fit enough for the bench.
Pundits said that it was going to be a landslide win and they were right, just in the opposite direction. If the Brazil 1-7 Germany World Cup semi-final left you shell-shocked then this was the club equivalent.
The abiding memory : The supremely talented Dejan Savićević executing the most perfect lob over Andoni Zubizarreta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIgsLn9_FF0
2) Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens) (2007-08)
The narrative: Jose Mourinho arrived in Stamford Bridge on the back of a Champions League win and was supposed to be The Special One that led the Blues to the European promised land. But it wasn’t him in the dugout at Moscow.
Avram Grant did what Mourinho couldn’t so at Chelsea – reaching a CL final – but Man Utd were a team that was inspired by the trio of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.
What followed was a match that had EVERYTHING. ’99 was definitely more dramatic but this game was played by two teams that played to their best. Take a look at an epic shoot-out featuring a sublime penalty from Owen Hargreaves.
The abiding memory: That slip.
1) Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (3-2 pens) (2004/05)
The narrative: Istanbul. Do I need to add anything else?
The abiding memory: The final whistle and the sheer release of euphoria, nerves, tension and every other emotion under the sun.
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