Well as we all know uefa champions league starts  from 15th september, I would like the readers to imagine for a moment the goose bumps that all of the football lovers get when they listen that champions league theme song, “These are the CHAMPIONS. The CHAMPIONS“. Its without doubt the biggest club tournament in the world and only the best get to win it. Here we relive the five greatest finals since 92-93 after being rightly named as the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

5- BAYERN MUNICH VS VALENCIA:

1-1       a.e.t

BAYERN WON 5-4 ON PENALTIES.

(SAN SIRO, MILAN. 23rd MAY,2001)

Held at one of the greatest arenas on planet, The San Siro, this final can be termed as the final of penalties. It was the second consecutive final for the spanish side Valenica having been beaten by Real Madrid the previous year. It was Valencia who scored first, very early in the third minute, via a penalty kick which Gazika Mandieta took successfully. It remained one nil till half time and early in the second half Bayern got a penalty which Stefan Effenberg put past Canizares. The match remained 1-1 till full time and then after extra time it was still 1-1 and the match went to penalties. Both teams missed 2 penalties each and it came down to the lottery of sudden death. After Thomas Linke scored on the 7th penalty for bayern, it was the current assistant manager of liverpool Pellegrino who missed and hence heartbreak for valencia. Any match that goes down to sudden death is intense but since valencia were on a redemption mission that year it made it twice as more interesting. Eventually Bayern became kings of europe for the fourth time.

4- BARCELONA VS ARSENAL:

2-1

(Stade de France, Paris,17th MAY 2006)

Controversial, exciting, exhilarating. This final had almost everything. Held at a picturesque stadium Stade De France in Paris, Arsenal had more support from the locals since it was home to a lot of french players and also the manager Arsene Wenger. But it all started very badly for them. Arsenal’s goalkeeper Lehman got sent off early in the first half for a foul on Eto’o who was through on goal. Arsenal were left with 10 men with 70 minutes to play. Pires got substituted for goalkeeper Almunia and arsenal had their backs to the walls. But against the run of play arsenal took the lead from a set piece. Sol Campbell rose high and slotted the ball home. Arsenal hung on to that lead up until the 80th minute mark and then it went all wrong. Eto’o found a little bit of space to get barca on level terms and then there was just enough time for the current chelsea player Juliano Belleti to score a dramatic late winner. Another thing worth noting is that Barca started that match without Xavi,Iniesta or Messi. Arsenal on the other hand were left baffled by a late late show of the catalonian giants.

3- BAYERN LEVERKUSEN VS REAL MADRID

1-2

(Hampden Park, Glasgow. 15th May,2002)

This was Real Madrid’s third final in five years and it ended in their ninth european title courtesy a Magic Goal by 3 time world palyer of the year Zinedine Zidane. Bayern Leverkusen reached they final by eliminating three english sides arsenal,liverpool and manchester united. And infront of a very noisy Hampden Park the match started with two goals inside the first 15 minutes. Spanish legend Raul opened the scoring in the 8th minute, only to see leverkusen getting levelled just after 5 minutes with Lucio the brazilian centre back heading past ceasar sanchez. Then as they say “Cometh the hour cometh the man“. Just at the stroke of halftime Zidane scored one of the greatest goals ever seen at such a big stage. Roberto Carlos struck a hopeful ball from the left inside the penalty area  which seemed to be behind Zizou but somehow he managed to hit a volley with his left foot that went past Bayern goalkeeper Butt. Real Madrid hung on to the lead till the end and became the kings of Europe for a record ninth time.

2-MANCHESTER UNITED VS BAYERN MUNICH

2-1

(Camp Nou, Barcelona. 26th May 1999)

This Match can be divided into three parts the first 45 minutes, the second 45 minutes and then the injury time. With both teams chasing trebles that season the match started with Bayern on top. And it was Bayern who took the lead in the 6th minute. Basler struck a beautiful free kick into Schmeichel’s goal and gave Bayern a dream start. From there on in United who were without scholes and keane took control in the first half, but failed to score. In the second half  Bayern again started really well. Mathaus and company passed the ball around and looked comfortable with their lead. Then captain Mathaus was substituted with 4 minutes remaining. In injury time United won a corner which beckham struck in, a goal mouth scramble followed with a weak giggs shot finding the foot of Teddy Sheringham whose touch got United back on level terms. Shocked with the equalizer Bayern conceded another corner a minute later and once again Beckham took it and via sheringham it fell to Solskjaer who struck the most memorable winner of his career. The commentator famously said “ Manchester United have reached the PROMISED LAND“. Fanatic celebrations followed by the players and staff and ofcourse the United fans while the Bayern players had to be helped on to continue by the refree as most of them just laid on the ground after the Solskjaer goal. Heartbroken and shellshocked they just had no time to respond to what had hit them.

1-A.C MILAN VS LIVERPOOL

3-3

(a.e.t)

LIVERPOOL WON 3-2 ON PENALTIES

(Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul. 25th May, 2005)

When Crespo scored the third goal from kaka’s pass the commentator said “Milan are now playing football out of this world and NOONE CAN LIVE WITH THEM“. The same commentator after smicer’s goal to make it 3-2 was saying “MIRACLES DO HAPPEN“. And after the equalizer by Xabi Alonso he said “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ACCOMPLISHED“.

Such was the nature of the match that the commentator and co were bound to look mad. Milan scored the 1st goal in the 1st minute through Maldini and then Crespo scored two to make it 3-0 at halftime.  Then in the first 15 minutes of the second half liverpool accomplished may be the greatest comebacks in history. Gerrard opened liverpool’s account with a great header. Smicer scored a long range goal after two minutes and then after 5 minutes Gerrard was brought down by Gattuso in the box to give liverpool a penalty. Xabi Alonso’s kick was initially saved by Dida but it fell kindly to him on the rebound and he slotted it home with his left foot to bring liverpool back to level terms.

String of exceptional saves by dudek got liverpool through to the penalties, where he famously handed the ball to Schevchenko with his left hand to take the kick which he had to score to keep milan in the title hunt. But moments later Dudek used the same left hand to hand liverpool the champions league title for the 5th time. Labeled as the “MIRACLE OF ISTANBUL” or “MISSION ISTANBUL” this final was without doubt a nerve shattering and heart piercing experience for both sets of fans. At the end Liverpool won and now they keep the trophy at mersyside since it was their 5th european title.