Despite being recently threatened by the formerly proposed European Super League, the UEFA Champions League continues to serve premium football content and has given us some of the best moments in the history of the game.
This past weekend saw the curtain come down on many of Europe’s top leagues, with the Premier League and Serie A races going to the wire as Manchester City and AC Milan would clinch the respective titles.
We now turn our focus to arguably the biggest game in Europe, the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool, to be played at Stade de France, in Paris this Saturday. With a few days to go, we take a look at some of the best finals we’ve witnessed in this competition in the last 20 years.
5. Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, 2011
The Red Devils went into the match having won their fourth Premier League title in five years and there was a hint of optimism about Sir Alex Ferguson’s side boasting talents such as Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, and Javier Hernandes.
Barcelona was at a whole different level though with the core of their players being players that had won the Champions League against United in 2009, and some of them being players that had just won the World Cup with Spain in 2010.
Barcelona dominated the match, winning 3-1 with goals from Pedro, Lionel Messi, and David Villa, securing their fourth Champions League title. Wayne Rooney scored for Manchester United to level the score going into half-time.
Lionel Messi won the Man of the Match award and went on to win his third Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi on his favourite goal:
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 13, 2019
“The one in Rome in the Champions League final against Manchester United." pic.twitter.com/7hFE4EX3wa
4. AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool, 2007
This makes it on the list purely due to the generational talent AC Milan had. Kaka, Inzaghi, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso, Maldini, Neto, and Dida were all in the starting XI in what was arguably the best team in Milan’s history. The Liverpool team wasn’t too shabby either, with the likes of Kuyt, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, and Agger.
The first half was balanced right up until the 45th minute when Inzaghi deflected Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick into the Liverpool goal.
Inzaghi went on to add a second goal when he was picked out by Kaka in the 82nd minute. Liverpool managed to pull a goal back in the 88th minute when Kuyt scored with a header after Agger had flicked on Pennant’s corner, and the game ended 2-1 as Milan went some way in dispelling the ghosts of Istanbul.
.@kaka 🆚 Liverpool
— SempreMilan (@SempreMilanCom) January 26, 2021
🏆 2007 Champions League Final. Masterclass.
📹 @iskaholic pic.twitter.com/ECMZIqB08I
3. Manchester United 1-1 (6-5P) Chelsea, 2008
The 2008 Champions League final which was hosted at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow was the first all-English final in the history of the competition. It was only the third time two clubs from the same country had contested the final, and it lived up to expectations.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Manchester United in the 26th minute with a header, but Frank Lampard equalized shortly before half-time. The second half was relatively quiet but it lit up when Didier Drogba was sent off for slapping Nemanja Vidic before full time.
On penalties, Ronaldo missed the third penalty kick and gave Chelsea an opportunity to win it. That responsibility was handed to John Terry who slipped, unfortunately, and hit the post.
Twelve years ago today, Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties to win the Champions League.
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 21, 2020
That John Terry slip ...
(via @ChampionsLeague) pic.twitter.com/BvryxlC1SA
2. Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid, 2014
The rivalry between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid was at its peak in 2014. Atletico had just won the league with Barcelona and Real finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. The Champions League final represented an opportunity for Real to claim the bragging rights against their fierce rivals.
Diego Godin gave Atletico the lead in the 36th minute and they held onto it right up until stoppage time when Sergio Ramos stepped up and scored a last gasp equalizer. Real went on to dominate extra time and scored with Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Ronaldo putting Atletico to the sword.
⌛️—90+3’
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 16, 2021
Real Madrid were a minute away from losing the 2014 Champions League final.
Then Sergio Ramos did this 🔊 (🎥 @realmadrid) pic.twitter.com/9YzKSxjyhD
1. Liverpool 3-3 (2-3 P) AC Milan, 2005
That famous Liverpool comeback in Istanbul.
Liverpool, who had won the competition four times, was appearing in their sixth final, and their first one since 1985. AC Milan, who had won the competition six times, appeared in their second final in three years and tenth overall. The Rossoneri took the lead within the first minute through captain Paolo Maldini. Milan striker Hernán Crespo added two more goals before half-time to make it 3-0.
In the second half, Steven Gerrard inspired Livepool’s comeback with a headed goal in the 54th minute, followed by a Vladimír Šmicer goal just two minutes later, before Xabi Alonso equalized in the 60th minute. Liverpool went on to win the game on penalties after extra time.
Arguably the most memorable moment from the game was Jerzy Dudek’s outrageous double-save from Andriy Shevchenko in the dying minutes of extra time. Check it out below.
Joyeux anniversaire à Jerzy Dudek, qui fête ses 49 ans !
— Liverpool 🇫🇷 (@RedsFrance) March 23, 2022
C'est l'occasion de revoir CETTE parade légendaire du portier polonais face à Andriy Shevchenko en finale de la Ligue des Champions 2005 contre l'AC Milan ! 🔥 [@LFC] #LFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/kc89o04LwI
