Top 10: Greatest Finals in Champions League History
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After yesterdays Champions League final, Barcelona FC – Manchester United, a stroll down memory lane seems in order. Over the years, from the time when it was referred to a the European Cup, The UEFA Champions League has held many great moments and championship finals. Here are a top 10 listing of the greatest finals and moments in Champions League/European Cup, history.
1. AC Milan – Liverpool FC
Year: 2004 – 2005
Final score: 2 – 3
Highlights: Down by three goals at half-time, Liverpool came back strong the second half to win the penalty shoot-out and thus the title. Andriy Shevchenko, who scored the winning penalty in 2003, was this game unfortunately denied by Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek.
2. Manchester United FC – FC Bayern München
Year: 1998 – 1999
Final score: 2-1
Highlights: In dying seconds, United miraculously turns the game around, scoring two goals. Substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer brings home the championship title and are eternally remember by United fans for their contributions.
3. Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Real Madrid CF
Year: 2001 – 2002
Final score: 1-2
Highlights: Zidane’s volley in the 44th minute made this final worthy as one of the greatest.
4. Zidane Volley at Hampden Park
Perhaps it was Zidanes beautiful volley that made the final game between Real Madrid and Leverkusen worthy for this list. In the 44th minute, the Glasgow crowd watched the ball sail through the air from Zidanes foot to the net. A goal, one of the greatest in Champions League history.
5. Juventus FC – AC Milan
Year: 2002 – 2003
Final score: 2 – 3
Highlights: After 120 minutes of goalless soccer, it all came down to penalties where Andriy Shevchenko got to score the winning goal for Milan with a nice spot-kick.
6. Real Madrid CF – Eintracht Frankfurt
Year: 1959 – 1960
Final score: 7-3
Highlights: Crushing Frankfurt with a four goal margin, Real Madrid dominated the 1959 Champions Leagie final, ultimately winning seven goals to three. What many failed to realize about that year’s playoffs was how close FC Barcelona came to denying Real their qualification to the final game.
7. Olympique de Marseille – Milan AC
Year: 1992 – 1993
Final score: 1-0
Highlights: A game with few goals but intense and beautiful play finally was settled Marseille’s Basile Boli in the 44th minute.
8. Solksjaer’s goal in Man. United’s amazing turnaround against Munchen
9. John Terry’s miss against Man.United
During the intense penalty shootout in the 2008 Champions LEague final between Man. United and Chelsea, John Terry became the whip boy as he missed his penalty shoot. Hard to watch, and once again a testament how ruthless penalty shootouts can be.
10. Celtic FC – Internazionale FC
Year: 1966-1967
Final score: 2-1
Highlights: Although a very long time ago, the scottish boys of Celtic FC deserves a spot on this list, as they took the title as champions of Champions League. With ten Glasgow born players on the field, Celtic showed the world of soccer never to under estimate to Scots.
For more information and details on specific game and finals, go to Uefa.com.
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