The history of the European Cup and Champions League is long and remarkable, with fifty years of competition finding winners and losers from all parts of the continent.

Tracing the history of the Champions League back to its beginning, it is possible to pick out periods when specific teams or countries dominated the competition, only to find themselves rapidly superseded by another dominant team or teams. With that in mind, it is easy to view the European Cup and Champions League by era:

Genesis

In the early 1950s, football played under floodlights was still a novelty. The summer of 1953 saw the first set of lights installed at the Molineux stadium of Wolverhampton Wanderers, which were first tested in a friendly game against a South African XI. Over the next months, Wolves played a series of "floodlit friendlies" against foreign opposition. Beginning with Racing Club of Argentina, they also played Spartak Moscow of the USSR, before meeting Honved of Hungary in a game televised live on the BBC. The Honved team included many of the "Magical Magyars" team who had humbled England twice. Wolves won the game 3-2, which led their manager Stan Cullis to proclaim them as "Champions of the World", in spite of Honved's defeat to Red Star Belgrade (then lying seventh in their domestic league) days earlier. This was the final spur for Gabriel Hanot, the editor of L'Équipe, who had long campaigned for a Europe wide club tournament to be played under floodlights. Modern stage lighting is a flexible tool in the production of theatre, dance, opera and other performance arts. ... Molineux Stadium is the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., who are currently members of the Football League Championship. ... Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. are an English football club playing at Molineux. ... Racing Club de Avellaneda is a football team based in the city of Avellaneda, a suburb of Gran Buenos Aires (the Buenos Aires metropolitan area), Argentina. ... FC Spartak Moscow (Russian: ) is a football club from Moscow, Russia. ... Budapest Honvéd FC is a Hungarian football team from Budapest. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... First international Austria 5 - 0 Hungary (Vienna, Austria 12 October 1902) Biggest win Russia 0 - 12 Hungary (Russia; 14 July 1912) Hungary 13 - 1 France (Budapest, Hungary; 12 June 1926) Hungary 12 - 0 Albania (Tirana, Albania; September 24, 1950) Biggest defeat Hungary 0 - 7 England (Budapest, Hungary; 10 June 1908... First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... Stan Cullis, (October 25, 1916 - February 28, 2001), was a football player and manager, most notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers. ... Crvena Zvezda can also be applied to KK Crvena zvezda, VK Crvena zvezda, RK Crvena zvezda. ... Gabriel Hanot was a French journalist (the editor of LÉquipe) who came up with the idea of having a Europe-wide football club competition. ... LEquipe logo LÉquipe (French for the team) is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

"Before we declare that Wolverhampton are invincible, let them go to Moscow and Budapest. And there are other internationally renowned clubs: A.C. Milan and Real Madrid to name but two. A club world championship, or at least a European one - larger, more meaningful and more prestigious than the Mitropa Cup and more original than a competition for national teams - should be launched." - Gabriel Hanot Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. are an English football club playing at Molineux. ... Position of Moscow in Europe Coordinates: , Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Government  - Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Area  - City 1,081 km²  (417. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... The Mitropa Cup was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides. ...

The UEFA congress of March 1955 saw the proposal raised, with approval given in April of that year, and the kick-off of the first European Cup the following season. The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ...

1955 to 1960 - Five years, one winner - Munich air disaster

Real Madrid dominated the first five competitions, with the team led by Ferenc Puskás, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Gento and José Santamaría winning each of the first five competition relatively comfortably. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... Ferenc Puskás (April 2, 1927–November 17, 2006) (Hungarian: Puskás Ferenc, nickname Puskás Öcsi, Spanish: Ferenc Puskas Biro), was a legendary Hungarian football forward and coach. ... Alfredo Di Stéfano (born July 4, 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine-born former footballer and coach. ... Francisco Gento López (born October 21, 1933 in Guarnizo, Santander) was a Spanish football player. ... José Emilio Santamaría (born July 31, 1929) is a football player and later, manager. ...

While this was the case, several other clubs did offer some resistance during the late 1000's, notably from Stade de Reims of France, who reached two finals and several Italian clubs such as AC Milan and Fiorentina. Stade de Reims-Champagne is a French association football currently playing in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. ... AC Milan is an Italian football club. ... ACF Fiorentina is an Italian football club based in Florence (Firenze), Tuscany. ...

Manchester United also had a good record in this period, reaching the semi-finals in 1957 and 1958. However, the 1958 Munich air disaster ultimately ended all hopes that the club would rise to overtake Real, whose unorthodox and cavalier playing style meant that all challengers had been beaten so far. Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The season 1957-58 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Real Madrid in an exciting extra time final victory against AC Milan. ... A plaque at Old Trafford Football Ground commemorating the Munich air disaster The Munich air disaster took place on February 6, 1958, when the British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at the Munich-Riem airport in Germany. ...

This era culminated in the famous 1960 European Cup Final, at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, where Real Madrid obliterated Eintracht Frankfurt of the then West Germany 7-3 in front of BBC and other Eurovision television cameras and a crowd of over 135,000 - still the largest attendance for a European Cup or Champions League final. The season 1959-60 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Real Madrid for the fifth consecutive time in a memorable final in Glasgow against Eintracht Frankfurt. ... For other uses, see Hampden Park (disambiguation). ... “Glaswegian” redirects here. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English (de facto)1; Gaelic[1]2 and Scots3 (recognised minority... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its football team. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... The Eurovision Network is part of the European Broadcasting Union. ...

1961 to 1966 - Latin might, Latin power

Real Madrid's domination was ended by their biggest domestic rivals, Barcelona, in the first round of the 1961 competition, starting an era of changing champions. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sə), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The season 1960-61 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by SL Benfica for the first time in a tight final against FC Barcelona. ...

Barça continued on to the final at the Wankdorf Stadion in Berne, Switzerland, where they were defeated in a close game by Benfica of Lisbon, Portugal. The Wankdorf Stadium (Wankdorf Stadion in Swiss German) was a football stadium in the suburb of Wankdorf, Bern, Switzerland, and the former home of Swiss club BSC Young Boys. ... For other uses, see Berne (disambiguation). ... Benfica redirects here. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ...

This team, captained by the impressive Mário Coluna from Mozambique, were joined by the legendary Eusébio during the following 1962 season, where they defended the trophy beating Real Madrid 5-3 in the final at the Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Mário Esteves Coluna (pron. ... Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (known by the playing name of Eusébio) (born January 25, 1942 in Lourenço Marques [now Maputo], Mozambique) nicknamed The Black Pearl and The Black Panther, is a Portuguese football icon. ... The season 1961-62 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by SL Benfica for the second time in a row in a thrilling final against Real Madrid. ... The Olympic Stadium The Olympisch Stadion was built as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics. ... Nickname: Motto: Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig (Valiant, Determined, Compassionate) Location of Amsterdam Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province North Holland Government  - Mayor Job Cohen (PvdA)  - Aldermen Lodewijk Asscher Hennah Buyne Carolien Gehrels Tjeerd Herrema Maarten van Poelgeest Marijke Vos  - Secretary Erik Gerritsen Area [1][2]  - City 219 km²  (84. ...

Benfica would then go on to reach a third successive final in 1963, but lost to Milan, whose city rivals Internazionale would win the trophy in both 1964 and 1965 beating Real Madrid and Benfica in the process. This Grande Inter period is well remembered in Italy with many at the time expecting the club to match the domination of Real throughout the decade. The season 1962-63 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by A.C. Milan for the first time, in a final match against SL Benfica, who were appearing in a third consecutive final. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ... The season 1963-64 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Internazionale for the first time, in a final match against Real Madrid. ... The season 1964-65 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Internazionale for the second time in row, in a final match against two-times former champions Benfica. ...

This era was ended by Real Madrid, who defeated Internazionale in the 1966 semi-final, before going on to win a sixth European Cup with against Partizan Belgrade in the King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels (then Heysel Stadium). The season 1965-66 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Real Madrid for the sixth time in a close final against FK Partizan. ... Fudbalski Klub Partizan (Serbian Cyrillic: ФК Партизан, English: Football Club Partizan) is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. ... King Baudouin Stadium (Heysel Stadium) The Heysel Stadium was a sports ground in north-west Brussels, Belgium. ... Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: , Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ...

Of the great 1950s side, only Paco Gento played in all six winning teams, with this Real Madrid being comprised solely of Spanish players - a major contrast to the multicultural teams of five years before. Francisco Gento López (born October 21, 1933 in Guarnizo, Santander) was a Spanish football player. ... Multiculturalism or cultural pluralism is a policy, ideal, or reality that emphasizes the unique characteristics of different cultures in the world, especially as they relate to one another in immigrant receiving nations. ...

1967 - Celtic the only Scottish team to win

In 1967, Celtic became the first Scottish, British and northern European team to win the competition, beating Internazionale 2-1 in the Estádio Nacional, in Lisbon, Portugal. The season 1966-67 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Celtic F.C. in a tremendous final victory against Internazionale. ... Celtic Football Club (pronounced seltik in IPA; AIM: CCP)[1] is a Scottish football club, competing in the Scottish Premier League, the highest form of competition in Scotland. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English (de facto)1; Gaelic[1]2 and Scots3 (recognised minority... Northern Europe is a name for the northern part of the European continent. ... Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ... The Estádio Nacional (Eng. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisboa  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ...

The team, which became known as the Lisbon Lions, managed by Jock Stein, were all born within 30 miles (48 km) of Celtic Park in Glasgow, and as such remain unusual by the event's longstanding nature of attracting the best and most cosmopolitan players from all over the planet. Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions The Lisbon Lions is the nickname given to the Glasgow Celtic team that won the European Cup at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal on May 25, 1967, defeating Inter Milan 2-1. ... John Jock Stein CBE (5 October 1922 - 10 September 1985) was one of the most notable managers in British football history. ... Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow in Scotland. ... “Glaswegian” redirects here. ...

Celtic are the only club to have won the competition with a team comprised entirely of players born in the region of the club they represent. By way of contrast, while Real Madrid fielded many Spaniards in the 1950s and an all Spanish team in 1966, the major stars were from elsewhere; Di Stéfano had arrived from Argentina, while Puskás had defected from Hungary in 1956. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... A defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. ... Combatants Soviet Union ÁVH Hungarian government, various nationalist militias Commanders Yuri Andropov Pál Maléter, Béla Király, Gergely Pongrátz, József Dudás Strength 150,000 troops, 6,000 tanks 100,000+ demonstrators (some later armed), unknown number of soldiers Casualties 720 killed according to official...

1968 - Manchester United is finally out of the shadow of the Munich air diaster

Ten years after the Munich air disaster, Manchester United became the first English team to win the competition, in the 1968, after beating Benfica in the finals 4-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium, London, England. Two of the survivor of the disaster in Munich played in the game Bobby Charlton who scored two goals in the game and Bill Foulkes. Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... The season 1967-68 saw the European Cup football club tournament won by an inspired Manchester United FC in an extra time final victory against SL Benfica. ... Benfica redirects here. ... Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London, England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... Sir Robert Bobby Charlton, CBE (born 11 October 1937 in Ashington, Northumberland) is a former English professional football player who won the World Cup and was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1966. ... Bill Foulkes (born January 5, 1932 in St. ...

The game was incredibly close, and though United scored three times in extra time to win with a flourish, Benfica could have won the game in normal time when Eusébio missed what should have been (for him) an easy chance in the last seconds. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM (pron. ...

1969 to 1973 - Total Football to the fore

The European Cup was now to spend almost the whole of the next decade and a half as the property of just three clubs - each winning at least three finals, and appearing regularly in the latter stages of the competition.

The first club to dominate was AFC Ajax, who first lost the 1969 final to Milan and then had to watch deadly rivals Feyenoord of Rotterdam win the same title in 1970 against Celtic after extra time. Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX) also referred to as Ajax Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax (pronounced /ˈʌɪjaks/), is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... The season 1968-69 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by AC Milan against Ajax in a one-sided final match. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Nickname: Motto: Sterker door strijd (Stronger through Struggle) Location of Rotterdam Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province South Holland Government  - Mayor Ivo Opstelten  - Aldermen Jeannette Baljeu Hamit Karakus Orhan Kaya Lucas Bolsius Jantine Kriens Dominic Schrijer Roelf de Boer Leonard Geluk Area [1]  - City 319 km²  (123. ... The season 1969-70 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Feyenoord Rotterdam in an extra time final victory against Celtic FC. It was the first time the cup went to Holland, and beginning a run of four consecutive years the trophy went there. ... The greatest football club in the known universe. ...

After that though, the Total Football of Johan Cruijff, Barry Hulshoff, Ruud Krol, Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan, Gerrie Mühren and Piet Keizer dominated for three years, despatching Panathinaikos, Internazionale and Juventus in swift succession. In football (soccer), Total Football is a system where a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus retaining their intended organizational structure. ... Hendrik Johannes Cruijff ( ) - often spelled Cruyff outside the Netherlands; see IJ (digraph)); born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager/coach and former player. ... Barry Hulshoff (born 30 September 1946) is a former Dutch footballer who played for Ajax Amsterdam and was part of their European Cup victories in 1971, 1972 and 1973. ... Rudolf (Ruud or Rudi) Jozef Krol (born March 24, 1949 in Amsterdam) is a retired Dutch footballer who was capped 83 times for his native country. ... Johannes (Johan) Jacobus Neeskens (born September 15, 1951) is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. ... Arie Haan (born November 16, 1948) is a Dutch football manager and a former player. ... Gerardus Demonicus Hyacinthus Maria (Gerrie) Mühren (Volendam, Netherlands, 2 February 1946) is a former Dutch football player. ... Peter Johannes (Piet) Keizer (born June 14, 1943 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch professional football player. ... Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos (Greek: Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος,  ), widely known both as Panathinaikos or PAO, is a Greek multisport club based in Athens, Greece. ... Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ...

Each player was able to adapt to play in many positions and roles, strikers switching with defenders at will, Krol creating nearly as many chances as Mühren, Cruijff stopping as many as Hulshoff.

Created by Rinus Michels and refined by Stefan Kovacs, Ajax seemed unbeatable until Cruijff opted to join former coach Michels at Barcelona later in 1973. With that and the loss of Neeskens later, Ajax were left to struggle in the premier European competition for over 20 years. Marinus (Rinus) Jacobus Hendricus Michels (February 9, 1928 – March 3, 2005) was a Dutch football player and coach. ... Stefan Kovacs (Hungarian: Kovács István, also known in Romanian as Stefan Covaci), (October 2, 1920 in Timişoara, Romania - May 12, 1995), is with 15 major titles one of the must successful association football coaches in the history of the game. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sə), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ...

1974 to 1976 - The rise of Bayern

Bayern Munich became the next club to dominate the competition, winning it three times consecutively in the mid 1970s. FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

Led by Franz Beckenbauer, and starring Sepp Maier, Gerd Müller, Uli Hoeness and Paul Breitner, Bayern continued on from Total Football, adding their own version of rigidity and organisation to the mix to make an equally as imposing mixture. Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945) is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed der Kaiser (the emperor) because of his elegant style, his leadership qualities, his first name Franz (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. ... Josef Sepp Maier (born February 28, 1944, Metten, Germany) is a former professional football goalkeeper. ... Gerd Müller (IPA—German: ) (born November 3, 1945 in Nördlingen) is a former West German football player. ... Ulrich Uli Hoeness, (German Hoeneß), (b. ... Paul Breitner (born September 5, 1951 in Kolbermoor, West Germany) was a German football player. ...

Defeating first Atlético Madrid after a replay in 1974, Bayern then beat Leeds United 2-0 in a bad-tempered final at the Parc des Princes, Paris, France in 1975, and finally St. Étienne at Hampden Park, Glasgow, in 1976. Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid. ... The season 1973-74 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by Bayern Munich, beginning their own three year period of domination, in a replayed final against Atlético Madrid. ... Leeds United Football Club is the only professional association football club in the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire. ... The Parc des Princes (translation: Princes Park) is a 48527 capacity stadium in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... The season 1974-75 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for the second consecutive time by Bayern Munich in the final against Leeds United. ... Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire, (ASSE or A.S. Saint-Étienne) are a French football team founded in 1920. ... For other uses, see Hampden Park (disambiguation). ... “Glaswegian” redirects here. ... The season 1975-76 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for the third consecutive time by Bayern Munich in the final against AS Saint-Étienne. ...

Thereafter the side declined, like all the previous dominant clubs, and Bayern would not win another European Cup for 25 years.

1977 to 1985 - English dominance until the Heysel Stadium disaster

In 1977, Liverpool started a domination of the competition by English clubs which would see six consecutive victories, and a total of seven in eight years. The season 1976-77 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for the first time by Liverpool FC in the final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. ... Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ...

Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 in Rome, then in 1978 became the first British club to win the trophy twice by beating the Belgian champions, Club Brugge at Wembley. Borussia Mönchengladbach, often referred to as Gladbach, is a German football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... The season 1977-78 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by defending champions Liverpool FC in the final against Club Brugge K.V.. The game finished 1-0, started a run of six consecutive finals that finished 1-0 after ninety minutes, five of them won by... Club Brugge KV is a football club from Brugge, Belgium. ...

Liverpool lost in the first round of the 1979 competition to fellow English side Nottingham Forest who went on to win the tournament in arguably the most impressive rise to the top of continental football in the European game's history, guided by their uniquely gifted manager Brian Clough, as they defeated Swedish side Malmö 1-0 in the Munich Final. The next year, Forest beat Hamburg SV at the Santiago Bernabéu by the same scoreline to defend the trophy successfully in 1980 and remain the only side to win the competition more times (twice) than their own domestic league (once). The season 1978-79 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by English champions Nottingham Forest F.C. in the final against Malmö FF. Forest had defeated defending champions Liverpool F.C. in the first round. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Brian Howard Clough, OBE (21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was a successful footballer and subsequently football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. ... This article is about Malmö FFs football section. ... For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... Hamburger SV is a German football club based in Hamburg. ... The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. ... The season 1979-80 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by defending champions Nottingham Forest F.C. in the final against Hamburger SV. Forest became the first side to win the European Cup more times than their domestic league. ...

Liverpool returned to the final in 1981 where they picked up their third trophy with a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in Paris. The season 1980-81 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for a third time by Liverpool FC in the final against Real Madrid. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...

To show the English game's strength in depth, Aston Villa won the competition in 1982 with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam. Aston Villa Football Club (also known as The Villa and The Villans)[3] are an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who currently play in the Premier League. ... The season 1981-82 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for the first time by Aston Villa in the final against Bayern Munich. ... The Feijenoord Stadion, nicknamed de Kuip (the Tub), is a stadium in Rotterdam, completed in 1937. ...

Hamburg SV then won the final in 1983, beating Juventus FC 1-0 in a final which no English side was playing in for the first time in seven years. Hamburger SV is a German football club based in Hamburg. ... The season 1982-83 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for the first time by Hamburger SV in the final against Juventus. ... Juventus F.C. (Latin for Youth) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ...

However, Liverpool were back in 1984 to defeat AS Roma on their home turf in a penalty shootout after the teams were tied 1-1, becoming the first team to win the trophy four times since Real Madrid in the 1950's. A.S. Roma finished 1-1 after extra time, and went to penalty shootout. That match is best known for the antics of Liverpool keeper Bruce Grobbelaar. As Roma's Bruno Conti prepared to take his kick, Bruce Grobbelaar walked towards the goal smiling confidently at the cameras lined-up behind, then proceeded to bite the back of the net, in imitation of eating spaghetti. Conti sent his spot kick over the bar. Grobbelaar then produced a similar performance before Francesco Graziani took his kick, famously wobbling his legs in mock terror. Graziani duly missed and Liverpool went on to win the shootout 4-2, making Grobbelaar the first African to win the competition. The season 1983-84 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by for a fourth time by Liverpool FC in a penalty shootout in the final against AS Roma. ... Associazione Sportiva Roma (ISE: IT0001008876) is a major professional football club both in Italy’s Serie A and in European football. ... Stadio Olimpico is the major stadium of Rome, Italy. ... Associazione Sportiva Roma (ISE: IT0001008876) is a major professional football club both in Italy’s Serie A and in European football. ... A penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches which would have otherwise been drawn or tied. ... Bruce David Grobbelaar (born October 6, 1957 in Durban, South Africa) was a football goalkeeper for Zimbabwe and a number of clubs, most notably Liverpool F.C. during their dominant 1980s period. ... Bruno Conti (born March 13, 1955 in Nettuno, province of Rome) is an Italian ex-soccer player and former coach of the Serie A team A.S. Roma from 14 March 2005 to 30 June 2005. ... Francesco Ciccio Graziani (born December 16, 1952 in Subiaco, Rome) is a football manager and former player. ...

Liverpool returned to defend the trophy in Brussels a year later, but the 1-0 defeat by Juventus was rendered meaningless due to the death of 39 Juventus fans in the Heysel Stadium. Nickname: Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: , Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Government  - Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area  - Region 162 km²  (62. ... The season 1984-85 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by Juventus in a close final against Liverpool FC. However, the result was left meaningless after the deaths of 39 spectators in the Heysel Stadium disaster, and this led to the banning of... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The consequence was a 5-year ban from European competition for English clubs, with a 6-year ban on Liverpool.

1986 to 1988 - Unexpected endings

Rabah Madjer scores the equalizer with his back-heel for FC Porto in the 1987 final

With English clubs banned from participating in European football, the spell of dominance was well and truly over. In the few years that followed the Heysel Disaster, the European Cup was contested between other clubs. 1986, 1987 and 1988 saw the trophy lifted by Steaua Bucharest of Romania, FC Porto of Portugal and PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands respectively. Only the final, lost by Bayern Munich to FC Porto was really eventful, and regarded among the greatest European Cup finals of all time, with the special back-heel goal by Madjer. Image File history File links Madjer. ... Image File history File links Madjer. ... Madjer scores the equalizer with his back-heel for FC Porto in the 1987 European Cup final Rabah Madjer (Arabic: ‎) (born February 15, 1958 in Hussein Dey) is a Algerian footballer, playing as a striker, who reached stardom as a FC Porto player during the 1980s, and is considered the... The season 1985-86 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Steaua BucureÅŸti on penalties in a final against FC Barcelona. ... The season 1986-87 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by FC Porto, coming from behind in the final against Bayern Munich. ... The season 1987-88 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by PSV Eindhoven on penalties in the final against two-times winners SL Benfica. ... FC Steaua Bucureşti is a Romanian football club, playing in the capital, Bucharest. ... Futebol Clube do Porto (pron. ... Philips Sport Vereniging (English: Philips Sports Union), widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ...

1989 to 1991 - The return of Milan

A.C. Milan won the European Cup in 1989 and retained it the following year. The Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard played an important part in their success. Milan missed out on a third successive European crown in 1991, when the trophy went to Yugoslav league champions Red Star Belgrade who beat Marseille on penalties after a goalless draw. The 1991 final was also the only final in the 1989-1998 period that failed to feature an Italian team. The ban on English clubs in European football was lifted for the 1990-91 season, but English champions Liverpool were unable to compete in the European Cup because they had to serve an extra year. Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... The season 1988-89 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the third time by AC Milan decisively in the final against former winners Steaua Bucureşti. ... Marcel (Marco) van Basten (October 31, 1964 in Oog in Al, Utrecht) is a Dutch football manager, currently in charge of the Dutch national team. ... Ruud Gullit (born September 1, 1962) is a Dutch footballer coach and former player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. ... Franklin Edmundo Frank Rijkaard (born September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. ... The season 1990-91 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by FK Red Star on penalties in the final against Olympique de Marseille. ... Capital Belgrade Language(s) Serbo-Croatian, Slovenian, Macedonian, Albanian, Hungarian and languages of other nationalities. ... Logo of Red Star Belgrade Fudbalski Klub Crvena Zvezda (Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, commonly known in English as Red Star Belgrade) is one of the two major football teams in Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia and Montenegro. ... Olympique de Marseille (also known as lOM or Marseille) is a football team that plays in Ligue 1, the top level of the French Soccer League, based in Marseille. ... Penalty shootouts, officially named kicks from the penalty mark, are a method sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament (or wins the tournament) following a draw in a game of football. ... The season 1997-98 of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Real Madrid in a 1-0 final victory against Juventus, who were playing in a third consecutive final. ... The season 1990-91 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by FK Red Star on penalties in the final against Olympique de Marseille. ...

1992 to 1996 - Italian Consistency

English clubs made their return to the European Cup in the early 1990s, but none reached even the last eight, being hampered by the strict "three foreigner" rule, and the trophy stayed with continental clubs. For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

Serie A clubs reached the final in seven consecutive seasons, winning twice. The 1992 final, played at Wembley Stadium, was won by Barcelona against Sampdoria. Barca, coached by Johan Cruyff, was known as the "Dream Team" at the time of its win. This article is about the Italian football (soccer) league. ... The season 1991-92 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by FC Barcelona after extra time in the final against U.C. Sampdoria. ... Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London, England. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sə), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ...

The competition was named to UEFA Champions League for the 1992-1993 season. Marseille won the 1993 final, defeating A.C. Milan, but were later banned from defending their crown in what was only the beginning of a collapse which arose from domestic match fixing committed by chairman Bernard Tapie. The club was eventually stripped of their French First Division league championship after it was revealed that Tapie had cooked the club's financial books. Marseille remains the only French club to have won the European Cup/Champions League. Olympique de Marseille (also known as lOM or Marseille) is a football team that plays in Ligue 1, the top level of the French Soccer League, based in Marseille. ... The 1992-93 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won for the first time by Olympique de Marseille in the final against A.C. Milan. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Bernard Tapie (born January 26, 1943 in Paris) is a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. ... Ligue 1 (Première division or Division 1 until 2003) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being Ligue 2. ...

In 1994, A.C. Milan reclaimed the trophy by comprehensively beating a star-studded Barcelona side, 4-0, in what many have hailed as one of the finest European Cup Final performances of the modern age. Milan were the underdogs, with two key defenders forced to sit out, but coach Fabio Capello spurned the traditional Italian caution of catenaccio and led them to a rout of Johan Cruyff's Barca[3]. Milan defender Marcel Desailly had previously played for Marseille when they won the Champions League, being the first player to win the Cup in consecutive seasons with different clubs, and also making him the first player to transfer to the Finals opposing side. The 1993-94 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won for the fifth time by A.C. Milan in a heavy final victory against FC Barcelona. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Ender Wiggin szerint a 2007es ligát is megnyerte már Fabio Capello :-D (born June 18, 1946 in San Canzian dIsonzo, Gorizia) is an Italian football manager and former professional player who is currently the coach of Real Madrid. ... Karl Rappans verrou Catenaccio describes a tactical system in football with an emphasis on defence and tactical fouls. ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ... Marcel Desailly (born September 7, 1968 in Accra, Ghana as Odenke Abbey) is a former French football player and a former star for its national team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000. ...

Milan also went on to reach the final in 1995 but lost 1-0 to Ajax side powered by the brilliant 19 year-old striker Patrick Kluivert. It was the club's first triumph since 1973, when they had won three titles consecutively, and much of the squad in the 1995 victory also dominated the Dutch national team. Ajax, in turn, reached the next final in 1996, but fell to Juventus after a penalty shoot-out. The season 1994-95 of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Ajax Amsterdam with a late goal in the final against AC Milan. ... Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX) also referred to as Ajax Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax (pronounced /ˈʌɪjaks/), is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Patrick Stephan Kluivert (born July 1, 1976 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch international football striker of Surinamese descent. ... First international Belgium 1 - 4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) Biggest win Netherlands 9 - 0 Norway (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 1 November 1972) Biggest defeat Netherlands 2 - 12 England Amateur (The Hague, Netherlands; 1 April 1907) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1934) Best result Runners-up, 1974 and 1978 European... The season 1995-96 of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Juventus on penalties in the final against defending champions Ajax. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ...

By this time world football had just begun to adapt to the radical changes brought on by the Bosman ruling. It was best known for allowing out-of-contract players to move to other clubs without a transfer fee, but its most important impact was on the Champions League. It meant the elimination of quotas against European Union nationals, so players from EU member states were not considered foreigners for clubs in EU member states any more. In football (soccer), the Bosman ruling is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision that allows professional football players in the European Union (EU) to move freely to another club at the end of their term of contract with their present team. ...

1997 and 1998 - Phoenix risen

Borussia Dortmund joined the list of European Cup winners in 1997 when they upset holders Juventus in the final, having already disposed of English champions, Manchester United, in the semi-final. BV Borussia Dortmund is a German football club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia and one of the most successful clubs in German football. ... The 1996-97 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Borussia Dortmund in a surprise final victory against defending champions Juventus. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ...

In 1997-98, UEFA allowed the runners-up of top European leagues to compete in the European Cup (now officially the UEFA Champions League). UEFA's rationale was that the quality of its premier tournament increased by including more top teams from big leagues rather than minnows from the likes of Wales and Andorra. Despite the new changes, an old face claimed the crown in 1998: Real Madrid won their first European Cup since 1966 and seventh overall when they beat Juventus 1-0 in the Italian club's third straight final (and second straight defeat). The season 1997-98 of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Real Madrid in a 1-0 final victory against Juventus, who were playing in a third consecutive final. ... The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... This article is about the country. ... The season 1965-66 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Real Madrid for the sixth time in a close final against FK Partizan. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ...

1999 - Manchester United a great come back

1998-99 will be remembered for Manchester United's treble success. United had forged an impressive path to the Final by emerging from a group containing Barcelona and Bayern Munich unbeaten, then beating Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus, winner over the latter in both legs coming from behind. They had also forged a reputation for late comebacks in England as they picked up the Premiership and FA Cup en-route to the Champions League final. The 1998-99 season of the UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Manchester United, coming back from a goal down in the last two minutes of injury time to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 in a memorable final. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... The Treble is a term in football that refers to a club winning their countrys top tier league and two cup competitions in the same season. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sə), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Internazionale Milano Football Club is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, which plays in the Serie A. It is more commonly known as Inter, and often named Inter Milan in foreign countries. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... The original FA Premier League logo, used until 2007 The Premier League (officially known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons, colloquially known as The Premiership), is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the English football league system (above The Football League). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Their opponents, Bayern Munich, were also chasing a treble, and took the lead after just six minutes through a clever Mario Basler free-kick. It appeared to be enough for Bayern as Manchester United failed to find a way through, with goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, (playing his last game for the club and captaining the club in the absence of skipper Roy Keane) in inspirational form to keep his team in the game. With referee Pierluigi Collina signalling three minutes of stoppage time the English club sent everyone forward for a David Beckham corner, and were rewarded when substitute Teddy Sheringham turned home the equaliser after Ryan Giggs miss-hit a shot at goal. Just over a minute later another Beckham corner again provided the danger as Sheringham headed it on to fellow substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who flicked out a boot to send the ball into the roof of the net and win the European Cup for Manchester United. FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Mario Basler (born December 18, 1968) is a German soccer player. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... Peter BolesÅ‚aw Schmeichel MBE (IPA: , born 18 November 1963 in Gladsaxe, Denmark) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the Worlds Best Goalkeeper in 1992 and 1993. ... Roy Maurice Keane (born 10 August 1971, Cork, Ireland) is a former Irish professional footballer and the current manager of English Premier League club Sunderland, the winners of the 2006-07 Coca-Cola Championship. ... Pierluigi Collina (born 13 February 1960) is an Italian former football referee, who was widely regarded as one of the worlds best officials. ... David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ... Edward Paul Teddy Sheringham MBE [1] (born April 2, 1966 in Highams Park, London) is a veteran English footballer. ... Ryan Joseph Giggs, OBE [1](born Ryan Joseph Wilson on 29 November 1973 in Cardiff) is a Welsh footballer, currently playing for Manchester United in the English Premiership, and formerly for the Welsh national team prior to his retirement from international football on June 2, 2007. ... Ole Gunnar Solskjær (born February 26, 1973) is a Norwegian football player who currently plays for Manchester United. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ...

It was the club's first success since 1968 and marked the first English winner since Liverpool in 1984. Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ...

2000 to 2002 - Spanish dominance

The 1999-2000 season saw UEFA again ease the entry requirements for the so-called Champions League. Now the top three leagues (Spain, Italy and Germany, according to UEFA's rankings) could enter four teams, while the next three (England, France and Holland) could enter three. The 1999-2000 season of the UEFA Champions League was won by Real Madrid, who had clinched an historic 8th title win, against fellow La Liga side, Valencia. ... The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... In European football, the UEFA coefficients are statistics used for ranking and seeding teams in club and international competitions. ...

This season saw Spanish clubs return to the top of the European table and the start of a somewhat dominance in the Champions League in the 21st century after winning two European cups in the 1990s with Barcelona in 1992 and Real Madrid in 1998. La Liga had 3 semi-finalists in the 2000 Champions League (Real Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona) and the first all-country European Cup/Champions League final between Real Madrid and Valencia . Real Madrid started the 21st century in similar fashion to their 20th century exploits by defeating Valencia 3-0 to lift the European Cup again. This was the first final to feature two teams from the same country. On the way to the final, Real also achieved the remarkable feat of successively eliminating last year's runners-up (Bayern Munich, semi-finals), and champions (Manchester United, quarter-finals). The tie against Manchester United has obtained legendary status among Madrid fans after a memorable away victory at Old Trafford (2-3) which included a fine goal created by midfielder Fernando Redondo, dubbed el taconazo (backheel) de Old Trafford. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... Valencia Club de Fútbol (also known as Valencia CF or Valencia) are a Spanish professional football club based in Valencia, Spain and are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football. ... The 1999-2000 season of the UEFA Champions League was won by Real Madrid, who had clinched an historic 8th title win, against fellow La Liga side, Valencia. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Manchester Uniteds emblem Manchester United F.C. (often abbreviated to Man United or just Man U, pronounced man-yoo) is an English football club based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. ... Fernando Carlos Redondo Neri (born July 6, 1969 in Adrogué, Buenos Aires) is a former Argentine professional football player. ...

La Liga had another good outing in the 2001 Champions League, with Real Madrid and Valencia again reaching the semi-finals. Los Che returned to the Final again in the 2001 only to lose again. The winner this time was Bayern Munich, who had earlier ousted defending champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals, which finally erased the memory of their 1999 final defeat. That match ended 1-1 and Bayern won the shootout 5-4. That win also gave coach Ottmar Hitzfeld the distinction of winning the European Cup with two different teams, having lifted it in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund. Valencia had now lost two Champions League finals in a row. The 2000-01 season of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Bayern Munich on penalties against runners-up Valencia CF. It was their fourth UEFA Champions League win. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Ottmar Hitzfeld (born 12 January 1949 in Lörrach, Baden-Württemberg) is a German former football player and manager, now serving in his second stint with FC Bayern Munich. ... BV Borussia Dortmund is a German football club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia and one of the most successful clubs in German football. ...

There were echoes of Real Madrid's legendary 1960 final victory when they faced another German team (Bayer Leverkusen) in the 2002 final at Glasgow's Hampden Park. Bayer became the first finalist never to have won their domestic league. Furthering the comparisons with the classic team of Di Stéfano and Puskás was the much-hyped "Galactico" policy Real Madrid were pursuing at the time, where they intended to sign one world-class player a year. That season they added multiple FIFA World Player of the Year winner, Zinedine Zidane, to their ranks for a world record fee of €71 million. Zidane and Madrid lived up to the hype; the Frenchman displayed textbook skill to acrobatically volley home the winner in their 2-1 victory that gave the club its ninth European Cup, after defeating fellow La Liga side Barcelona in the semi-finals, where the Spanish dominance continued with them having the most semi-finalists for the 3rd season running with two in 2002 (three in 2000, two in 2001 and two in 2002) and culminating with Real Madrid becoming European Champions for the third time in five seasons. Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. ... The 2001-02 season of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Real Madrid. ... “Glaswegian” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Hampden Park (disambiguation). ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... The FIFA World Player of the Year is a football award given annually to the male and female player who are thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams. ... Zinedine Yazid Zidane (IPA: ; born 23 June 1972), popularly nicknamed Zizou, is famous for leading France to winning the 1998 World Cup. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ...

As a footnote, that defeat capped off a thoroughly unfortuitous season for Bayer Leverkusen. They first surrendered the German league title in the last game of the season, then lost the European Cup final, finally conceding the German Cup final to achieve an unenviable runners-up treble. And to add insult to injury, some of that side (including midfield star Michael Ballack) then went on to lose the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final with Germany that summer. The official Bundesliga logo. ... The German Cup trophy The German Cup (official German name: DFB-Pokal, after Deutscher Fußball Bund Pokal or German Football Association Cup) is an elimination football (soccer) tournament held annually. ... The Treble is a term in football that refers to a club winning their countrys top tier league and two cup competitions in the same season. ... Michael Ballack (born September 26, 1976 in Görlitz, Saxony region) is a German football player. ... Qualifying countries The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ...

2003 - The Return of Italy and AC Milan

The next season saw Italian clubs return to the top of the European table. Despite dominating the competition through the 1990s, Italian clubs fell so far so fast in the intervening years that Italy didn't boast a single quarter-finalist in 2002. The following season, however, saw three Italian semi-finalists—and a final between A.C. Milan and Juventus. Milan won their sixth European Cup when they beat their old rivals 3-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw. The victory was especially sweet for captain, Paolo Maldini, who lifted the trophy in Manchester exactly forty years after his father Cesare had done so for Milan in London. Another remarkable fact was accomplished by Clarence Seedorf, who won the Champions League for the third time, and with three different clubs. He won the cup earlier with Ajax in 1995 and Real Madrid in 1998. The 2001-02 season of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Real Madrid. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Juventus Football Club (Latin for Youth, pronounced yoo-VEHN-toos) is one of Italys oldest and most successful football clubs, based in Turin. ... Paolo Maldini (born June 26, 1968 in Milan) is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. Milan. ... Manchester shown within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region North West England Ceremonial county Greater Manchester Admin HQ Manchester City Centre Founded 13th Century City Status 1853 Government  - Type Metropolitan borough, City  - Governing body Manchester City Council Area  - Borough & City 115. ... Cesare Maldini (February 5, 1932, Trieste, Italy) is a football (soccer) coach and former player. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Clarence Seedorf (born April 1, 1976 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a Dutch-Surinamese football midfielder, who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He was the first, and to date, the only person to have won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998... Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX) also referred to as AFC Ajax, simply Ajax (pronounced /ˈʌɪjaks/) is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ...

In the group stage of that year there was also an interesting feature. Three teams had the same result in all their matches. Fancy Barcelona managed to win all 6 group matches in style, while a mediocre Spartak Moscow side lost them all. AEK Athens drew 6 times and became the first team that failed to qualify from the group stage undefeated, finishing third. The competition was also notable for Newcastle United making history in it by being the only team ever to lose their first 3 group stage games and progress to the second round, they did so by defeating Juventus, Dynamo Kiev and Feyenoord to finish second in the group on 9 points. AEK Athens FC is the football club of the Athletic Union of Constantinople (AEK), a sports club founded in Athens, Greece in Turkey in 1922. ...

2004 to 2006 - Unexpected results and Triumphant Comebacks

2004: Outsiders

There was a major upset in 2004 when FC Porto defeated Monaco 3-0 to win the European Cup. Goals were scored by Carlos Alberto, Deco and Dmitri Alenichev. Neither team had been tipped for any success in the competition, but between them they managed to claim the scalps of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Chelsea as European football's big names tumbled out. The 2003-04 season of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by FC Porto in a comfortable final victory against AS Monaco, following up their 2003 UEFA Cup success. ... Futebol Clube do Porto (pron. ... Carlos Alberto, real name Carlos Alberto Gomes de Jesus , born December 11, 1984, in Rio de Janeiro, is a Brazilian attacking midfielder. ... Anderson Luis de Souza, OIH (born August 27, 1977 in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil) is a professional Brazilian footballer widely known as Deco [Portuguese]. He is of Portuguese Brazilian descent. ... Dmitri Anatolievich Alenitchev (Russian: ) (born 20 October 1972 in Velikie Luki, Soviet Union) is a professional footballer. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and are one of the most popular sports clubs in the world, with over 50 million supporters worldwide. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ...

FC Porto and their charismatic manager, José Mourinho, achieved the rare feat of following up a UEFA Cup victory by winning the European Cup the next season. Russian international Alenichev became only the third player after Ronald Koeman and Ronaldo to score a goal in two consecutive different European finals and Vítor Baía became the tenth player to have won the three European club titles. This well-deserved victory was based on a tight defence, a battling midfield and a skilful front line, all beautifully orchestrated by No. 10 Deco. In that season, it was the first time ever that a metropolitan area (Athens, though Piraeus is formally another town) was represented in the group stage by three teams: Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens. Futebol Clube do Porto (pron. ... José Mourinho, GOIH (pron. ... The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Ronald Koeman (born March 21, 1963 in Zaandam) is a former Dutch football defender and current manager of PSV Eindhoven. ... Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (b. ... Vítor Manuel Martins Baía, (aka Vítor Baliza (Portuguese for goalmouth)) (born 15 October 1969 in São Pedro da Afurada, Portugal) is a professional footballer. ... Anderson Luis de Souza, OIH (born August 27, 1977 in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil) is a professional Brazilian footballer widely known as Deco [Portuguese]. He is of Portuguese Brazilian descent. ... Athens (Ancient Greek: αἱ Ἀθῆναι (plural), evolving into the modern Αθήναι in Greek until recently, and Αθήνα nowadays (IPA ); singular: see Origin of the name below) is both the largest and the capital city of Greece, located in the Attica periphery. ... Olympiacos CFP (Greek: Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς - Olympiakos Syndesmos Filathlon Peiraios) is the largest and the most popular Greek multisport club, based in Piraeus, Athens. ... See also: Panathinaikos Panathinaikos FC, also known as PAO or Panathinaikos AO (Greek: ΠΑΟ - Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος - Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos), the Pan-Athenian Athletic Club, is a Greek association football club based in Athens, Greece. ... AEK Athens FC, more commonly known as AEK FC (Greek: – Athlitiki Enosis Konstantinoupoleos), the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece. ...

2005: Horror for Milan - Seven Minutes of Madness

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Liverpool beats Milan on penalties in Champions League final

There was a similar surprise in 2005. This time it involved two of Europe's most successful clubs. Six-time European Champions A.C. Milan faced four-time winners Liverpool in what could be considered one of the most dramatic finals in the competition's history. Milan were the overwhelming favourites, having claimed the crown two years previously and boasting a star-studded lineup that included the ageless Paolo Maldini and Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko along with a new threat in the form of the Brazilian attacking midfielder Kaká. Liverpool, on the other hand, had struggled through a domestic league campaign that saw them only finish fifth, but produced an incredible series of performances in Europe, beating Juventus F.C. for the first time since Heysel, and then upsetting runaway Premiership winners Chelsea F.C.. Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... The 2004-05 season of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament was won by Liverpool in a dramatic final against A.C. Milan in the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ... Paolo Maldini (born June 26, 1968 in Milan) is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. Milan. ... Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko (Ukrainian: , born 29 September 1976, Dvirkivschyna, Kiev Oblast) is a Ukrainian football striker who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League. ... Kaká, please see kaka (disambiguation) Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (IPA: ; born April 22, 1982 in Brasília), better known as Kaká, is a Brazilian footballer midfielder for Brazil and A.C. Milan. ... Juventus Football Club (from Latin [1] iuventus: youth, IPA: ); (pronounced yoo-ven-toos) also known as Juventus Turin (or Juventus Torino), Juventus, or simply Juve, is a football club from Turin, Italy. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ...

Milan broke through after just 52 seconds, Maldini striking the fastest goal in European Cup Final history. The Italians, buoyed by a sensational showing from Brazilian star Kaká took control of the game. Shevchenko fed Hernán Crespo five minutes before half-time to make it 2-0, only for Crespo to add another two minutes later after a defence-splitting pass from Kaká. At 3-0 down at half-time, Liverpool looked dead and buried; so much so that a small minority of Liverpool supporters left the match at half-time, it was a decision that they would later come to regret. Kaká, please see kaka (disambiguation) Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (IPA: ; born April 22, 1982 in Brasília), better known as Kaká, is a Brazilian footballer midfielder for Brazil and A.C. Milan. ... Hernán Jorge Crespo (born July 5, 1975 in Florida, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine international football player currently playing in the Italian Serie A for Internazionale, having signed from English Premier League champions Chelsea on a 2 year loan deal on 7 August 2006. ...

Liverpool's Spanish manager Rafael Benítez changed the course of the game when he introduced German midfielder Dietmar Hamann. After Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek made a fine save from a Shevchenko free-kick, the European Cup Final's greatest ever comeback began. Captain Steven Gerrard scored with a header before Vladimír Šmicer's long-range drive made it 3-2 just two minutes later. And on the hour mark Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso completed the comeback by converting the rebound from his saved penalty kick to make it 3-3. Rafael Benítez Maudes, (born April 16, 1960, Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish football manager and former player. ... Dietmar Hamann (born August 27, 1973 in Waldsassen, Bavaria) is an ex-German international midfielder who currently plays for Manchester City. ... Jerzy Dudek (born March 23, 1973 in Rybnik, Poland) is a Polish football player who plays for La Liga team Real Madrid. ... A free kick is a method of resuming play in various forms of football, including: Association football (soccer) Indirect free kick Direct free kick Penalty kick American football Free kick; used to restart play after a safety Rugby football Free kick Australian Rules Football Free kick This is a disambiguation... Steven George Gerrard MBE[2][3][4][5] (IPA: []) (born 30 May 1980, Whiston, Merseyside) is an English football player. ... Vladimír Å micer (born May 24, 1973 in Děčín) is a Czech football (soccer) midfielder and forward, who currently plays for SK Slavia Praha in the Czech Gambrinus liga. ... Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Spain), is a Spanish footballer who plays for Liverpool F.C.. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. ...

Milan almost won it at the end of extra time when Shevchenko was twice denied in quick succession by Dudek. That proved crucial as they moved on to a penalty shoot-out where Liverpool triumphed 3-2 when Dudek again saved from Shevchenko. Liverpool had captured their most unlikely European Cup victory, and as five-time winners earned the honour of keeping the trophy.

Liverpool almost failed to qualify from the group stage. Participating in Group A, along with Monaco (FRA), Deportivo La Coruña (ESP) and Olympiacos (GRE), Liverpool were placed third on matchday 5 and had to win with a clean sheet or to win by 3-1, 4-2 etc in their last match against Olympiacos at home. Final scoreline 3-1, but only after an Olympiacos first half 1-0 advantage.

Rule Changes: League Position and Qualifying

There was further controversy as Liverpool had finished fifth in their domestic league and thus were not automatically entitled to enter the 2005-06 competition. The Football Association had entered Everton F.C. as the final entrant after their fourth place finish in the league, and did not wish to replace the team with Liverpool to allow the defence of the Champions' League (despite having made provision for such an eventuality the previous season when Arsenal faced Chelsea in the quarter-final). The UEFA Champions League 2005-06 was the 51st edition of the European UEFA Champions League football club tournament. ... The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. ... Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. ... Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ...

If Everton were to be replaced with Liverpool, it would be the second time in which Liverpool had caused Everton not to qualify for the cup although they had gained a spot (English clubs were banned after the Heysel stadium disaster, a season in which Everton had finished first). This was in contrast to the Spanish football authorities who in 2000 had replaced Real Zaragoza with Real Madrid. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Categories: Football (soccer) stubs | Football (soccer) governing bodies | Spanish football ... Real Zaragoza is a Spanish football team from Zaragoza in Aragón. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ...

Liverpool and the FA lobbied hard for a special fifth Champions League place for the team, claiming it was UEFA rules rather than the FA's previous decisions that were keeping Liverpool from the competition. After some debate, UEFA decided to grant special dispensation and allow Liverpool to defend their title, but they had to enter the tournament at the First Qualifying Round. The ruling also stated that if the team made it into the Champions League proper the other English teams would have to split the prize money that was due to them. The rules of the competition were also changed to prevent any further dispute if the same situation happened again; future winners not qualifying through their domestic league will take the place of the team claiming the last Champions League spot in the domestic League. If the same situation were to happen again, where Everton claimed the fourth and final Champions League place in the English Premiership with Liverpool finishing fifth, Liverpool would take Everton's place in the Champions League and Everton would have to settle for a UEFA Cup spot. The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ...

The situation almost presented itself again in the 2005-06 season, when Arsenal made progress all the way to the final of the Champions League while performing poorly in their own domestic league, finding themselves behind their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur — it was only on the last day of the domestic season that Arsenal achieved the final Champions League qualification spot, with Spurs, who had held fourth place for several months, going into the UEFA Cup. Had Arsenal finished fifth, then gone on to win the Champions League, then they, and not Spurs, would have been England's final entrant into the next season's competition. Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... Tottenham Hotspur F.C. is a North London association football team, also known by the nickname Spurs. ... The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ...

This changes the previous rules where the winners of the competition had to qualify in order to defend their title, just like the winners of World Cup, as it was assumed they would finish in the qualification places in their domestic league. All winners are now however, as described, allowed to defend their title. The FIFA World Cup Trophy, which has been awarded to the world champions since 1974. ...

2006 - Barca Triumph

After 3 years of dominance by La Liga during 2000-2002, the 2003-2005 span was not successful as they only had semi-finalists Real Madrid in 2003 and Deportivo in 2004. In 2006, they made a truimphant return with Barcelona and Villarreal in the semi-finals. The semi-finalists were Villarreal, Arsenal, AC Milan and Barcelona. Barcelona overcame Chelsea and Benfica in the knockout stages, while Villarreal beat the Glasgow Rangers and Inter Milan, AC Milan beat Bayern Munich and Olympique Lyonnais, and Arsenal beat Juventus and Real Madrid. Making use of their 1-0 victory at Highbury, Arsenal succeeded in holding off Villareal (including a Jens Lehmann save of a late penalty from Juan Román Riquelme) to a 0-0 draw which put them through to final. Barcelona played Milan in the other semi-final, and held on to the 1-0 advantage of the first leg to qualify for the final. Villarreal Club de Fútbol SAD, usually abbreviated to Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a small town in the province of Castellon. ... Highbury Clock is located just north of Highbury Fields, near the junction of Highbury Barn and Highbury Hill. ... For other persons named Jens Lehmann, see Jens Lehmann (disambiguation). ... Juan Román Riquelme (born June 24, 1978 in San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine professional football attacking midfielder. ...

In the final, held on 17 May at the Stade de France, Lehmann became the first player ever to be sent off in a European Cup/Champions League final after fouling Samuel Eto'o just outside the penalty area. The sending off was the subject of some protest, as Eto'o had already passed off to an open Ludovic Giuly who put the ball in the goal; however, the referee had blown the whistle for the foul. Arsenal nonetheless took the lead off a Sol Campbell header in the 37th minute and held it for most of the second half, with substitute keeper Manuel Almunia tipping away a shot by Eto'o. Eto'o equalised off a probing feed from substitute Henrik Larsson in the 76th minute; this goal was disputed by Arsenal as they had thought it was scored from an offside position ^[1]. Five minutes later, another Larsson ball found Juliano Belletti, who put the second goal through the legs of Almunia to give Barça their final 2–1 margin. The Stade de France and the district of La Plaine The Stade de France (the English translation Stadium of France is not used) is a stadium in an inner suburb of Paris, and the national stadium of France, built for the 1998 Football World Cup. ... Misconduct in football (soccer) is any conduct by a player which is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction (caution or dismissal) in accordance with Law 12 the Laws of the Game. ... Samuel Etoo (born March 10, 1981 in Nkon, Cameroon) is a professional footballer, who currently plays for FC Barcelona. ... Ludovic Giuly (born July 10, 1976 in Lyon) is a French footballer who plays as a winger for FC Barcelona. ... Sulzeer Jeremiah Sol Campbell (born 18 September 1974 in Plaistow, London) is an English footballer. ... Manuel Rivero Almunia (born May 19, 1977 in Pamplona) is a Spanish football player who currently plays for Arsenal as a goalkeeper. ... Henrik Edward Larsson MBE [IPA: ] (born September 20, 1971 in Helsingborg, SkÃ¥ne) is a Swedish footballer. ... Juliano Haus Belletti (born June 20, 1976 in Cascavel, Brazil), often known as Belletti, is a Brazilian-Italian football player who currently plays for FC Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga. ...

2007: AC Milan revenge over Liverpool

Route to semi-finals

The Premier League boasted three semi-finalists with Manchester United, Liverpool F.C., and Chelsea F.C., with the last spot being held by A.C. Milan. 2006 Champions League finalist Arsenal F.C. was the only English disappointment, unable to repeat its record shutout streak from last year and being hampered by injuries to Thierry Henry, as they were eliminated 2-1 by PSV in the round of sixteen. Manchester United lost 2-1 to A.S. Roma in the first leg but returned home to deliver a 7-1 drubbing. Man Utd's closest Premiership competitors Chelsea edged Valencia C.F. with a goal in the 90th minute. Liverpool knocked out defending champions FC Barcelona in the round of 16, including a comeback 2-1 away victory at Nou Camp and then holding Barca to 0-1 at Anfield to advance on away goals. Liverpool then they proceeded to comprehensively shutout PSV in the quarterfinals, which included a 3-0 first leg victory, and a 1-0 win in their second leg as they rested their key players. Milan continued their dominance of Bayern Munich, leading most of the first leg until Bayern equalized with a stoppage time strike to level it at 2-2, with Daniel van Buyten scoring both goals for Bayern; the Italians beat the Germans at their home stadium 2-0.[4][5] The original FA Premier League logo, used until 2007 The Premier League (officially known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons, colloquially known as The Premiership), is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the English football league system (above The Football League). ... Manchester Uniteds emblem Manchester United F.C. (often abbreviated to Man United or just Man U, pronounced man-yoo) is an English football club based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. ... Liverpool Football Club are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside, who play in the Premier League; they are historically the most successful club in the history of English football, having won more trophies than any other English club. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... Thierry Daniel Henry (born 17 August 1977 in (Les Ulis, Essonne) Paris, France) is a French football player. ... Philips Sport Vereniging (English: Philips Sports Union), widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. ... Manchester Uniteds emblem Manchester United F.C. (often abbreviated to Man United or just Man U, pronounced man-yoo) is an English football club based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. ... Associazione Sportiva Roma (ISE: IT0001008876) is a major professional football club both in Italy’s Serie A and in European football. ... Valencia Club de Fútbol (also known as Valencia, CF or just Valencia or Los Ches) is a team in the first division of the Spanish Football League. ... Futbol Club Barcelona, known familiarly as Barça (IPA: baɾ.sÉ™), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... FC Barcelona playing against Real Madrid the 6th of December 2003 The Camp Nou is a football stadium in Barcelona, Spain. ... Anfield is a football stadium in the district of Anfield, in Liverpool, England. ... The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each teams home ground. ... Philips Sport Vereniging (English: Philips Sports Union), widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. ... FC Bayern Munich (German: FC Bayern München) is a German football club based in Munich, the capital of the state of Bavaria. ... Daniel Van Buyten (born February 7, 1978 in Belgium) is a Belgian international footballer who currently plays as a defender for Bayern Munich, following a June 2006 transfer from Hamburger SV. His father Franz was a popular catcher/wrestler in Europe from 1960 to 1980. ... Allianz Arena The Allianz Arena is a football stadium located in the north-Munich district of Fröttmaning. ...

Valencia was the only La Liga team to advance to the quarter-finals, knocking out Serie A leaders Inter Milan on away goals, but falling to Chelsea in the next round. Barcelona and Real Madrid were eliminated in the round of sixteen; Madrid has not advanced beyond the quarter-finals since 2003. Madrid won their home leg 3-2 against Bayern Munich with two crosses from David Beckham, but Bayern triumphed 2-1 on the second leg after Roberto Carlos conceded the ball early which led to Roy Makaay scoring the quickest goal in Champions League history. Spanish teams Sevilla, Osasuna, and Espanyol, however, have made the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, with Sevilla defeating Espanyol in the final.[6] (Professional Football League), commonly known as La Liga, is the professional football league in Spain. ... This article is about the Italian football (soccer) league. ... Football Club Internazionale Milano (commonly, but incorrectly, known as Inter Milan) is an Italian football club, playing in the Serie A (first division). ... David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE (born May 2, 1975) is an English footballer born in Leytonstone, London. ... Roberto Carlos may refer to: Roberto Carlos, a Brazilian MPB singer. ... Roy Rudolphus Anton Makaay (born March 9, 1975 in Wijchen, Netherlands) is a Dutch international footballer who is a striker for the Netherlands and Bayern Munich. ... The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ...

Both Ligue 1 teams, Lille OSC and Olympique Lyonnais were defeated in the round of sixteen. Lille lost to Manchester United in an acrimonous first leg with Ryan Giggs' controversial free kick being the difference; the French protested that they had insufficient time to assemble their defensive wall which allowed Giggs to score.[7] Ligue 1 (Première division or Division 1 until 2003) is the top division of French and Monegasque football, one of two divisions making up the LFP, the other being Ligue 2. ... Lille Olympique Sporting Club is a French football club. ... Olympique Lyonnais (popularly known as OL, or simply Lyon) is a French football club based in Lyon. ... Ryan Joseph Giggs, OBE [1](born Ryan Joseph Wilson on 29 November 1973 in Cardiff) is a Welsh footballer, currently playing for Manchester United in the English Premiership, and formerly for the Welsh national team prior to his retirement from international football on June 2, 2007. ...

Semifinals

This was Milan's third consecutive trip to the semi-finals and fourth in five years, keeping them at the top of UEFA rankings, while Chelsea had also reached that stage in three of the last four years. The Chelsea-Liverpool matchup was a rematch of the 2005 semi-final, while Milan and Manchester United had met that season in the round of sixteen. Each of the four possible final matchups would have been compelling for various reasons: In European football, the UEFA coefficients are statistics used for ranking and seeding teams in club and international competitions. ...

• As Manchester United and Chelsea were then first and second in the Premiership standings (and would eventually finish in that order), and made the final of the FA Cup, there was a possibility that all three competitions could come down to a Man United-Chelsea showdown, with the possibility of the Treble being completed.
• A Man Utd-Liverpool matchup would exemplify the traditionally heated rivalry between the two teams; it would also be a major potential logistical problem due to two teams located only 50 km apart and their large numbers of fans using the two nearby airports.
• A Chelsea-Milan final would see Blues striker Andriy Shevchenko playing his old team.
• A Liverpool-Milan final would be a rematch of the legendary 2005 final.

All four managers/coaches of the clubs in the Champions League semi-finals had previously managed Champions League-winning teams; three of them with their current club, though José Mourinho had taken key players and staff to join him at Chelsea. The original FA Premier League logo, used until 2007 The Premier League (officially known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons, colloquially known as The Premiership), is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top echelon of the English football league system (above The Football League). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Treble is a term in football that refers to a club winning their countrys top tier league and two cup competitions in the same season. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko (Ukrainian: , born 29 September 1976, Dvirkivschyna, Kiev Oblast) is a Ukrainian football striker who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League. ... 2005 UEFA Champions League Final The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on May 25, 2005 and lasted until the early hours of May 26, 2005. ... José Mourinho, GOIH (pron. ...

In a repeat of the 2005 semi-final, Liverpool knocked out Chelsea this time in a shootout. Chelsea won the first leg at Stamford Bridge 1-0 thanks to a goal by Joe Cole, but Daniel Agger levelled the aggregate scoreline at Anfield. Thus, the match went to penalties which Liverpool won 4-1, with keeper José Reina saving twice. This was Chelsea's third semi-final defeat in four years, meaning they are yet to reach a European Cup final in their history. Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham that is home to Chelsea Football Club. ... Joseph Joe John Cole (born November 8, 1981 in Romford, London Borough of Havering) is a professional footballer who plays for Chelsea of the English Premier League and the England national team. ... Daniel Munthe Agger (born 12 December 1984 in Hvidovre, Denmark) is a Danish professional footballer who currently plays as a central defender for English club Liverpool. ... Anfield is a football stadium in the district of Anfield, in Liverpool, England. ... José Manuel Reina Páez (born 31 August 1982 in Madrid, Spain), is commonly known as Pepe Reina (his preferred nickname), or José Reina. ...

The first leg of the other semi-final, at Old Trafford, was an exciting match with Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring, only for two Kaká goals to put Milan ahead 2-1 at half time. A Wayne Rooney brace in the second half gave United a 3-2 aggregate lead. The second leg at the San Siro, however, was a one-sided affair with Milan outclassing Man United from the start and winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Kaka, Clarence Seedorf and Alberto Gilardino. Old Trafford (given the nickname The Theatre of Dreams by Sir Bobby Charlton) is a football stadium in the Greater Manchester borough of Trafford, and is the home of Manchester United F.C.. The ground has been Uniteds permanent home since 1910, bar an eight year absence from 1941... Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH (pron. ... Kaká, please see kaka (disambiguation) Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (IPA: ; born April 22, 1982 in Brasília), better known as Kaká, is a Brazilian footballer midfielder for Brazil and A.C. Milan. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, also known as the San Siro, is a football stadium in Milan,Italy. ... Clarence Seedorf (born April 1, 1976 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a Dutch-Surinamese football midfielder, who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He was the first, and to date, the only person to have won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998... Alberto Gilardino, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI[1][2], (born July 5, 1982 in Biella[3], Piemonte) is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer, who is a striker for AC Milan and the Italian national team. ...

Final

Milan won the final 2-1, two goals from Filippo Inzaghi proving to be the difference. Liverpool scored late on through Dirk Kuyt, giving the Reds hope of another amazing comeback but to no avail. Steven Gerrard was given the chance to blast home from 30 yards in the 92nd minute, but his strike hit a defender. Milan were champions for a 7th time. Filippo Pippo Inzaghi, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI[1][2], (IPA: []; born August 9, 1973, in Piacenza) is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A giants AC Milan. ... Dirk Kuyt, officially spelled Dirk Kuijt[1] ( (help· info)), (born July 22, 1980, in Katwijk aan Zee) is a Dutch professional football player, who currently plays for English club Liverpool FC. A fan favourite, he plays in the position of striker and is known for his high work-rate and... Steven George Gerrard MBE[2][3][4][5] (IPA: []) (born 30 May 1980, Whiston, Merseyside) is an English football player. ...

The Final in Athens also suffered from poor security, with fans without tickets being allowed entry to the Stadium with former Conservative leader Michael Howard stating 'It's not a football stadium ... Ticket checks were a joke. Many people with valid tickets were not allowed in.'^[2] The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Rt Hon. ...

Police told fans going through the penultimate checkpoint to slow down or even stop moving, then riot police formed a line to stop other fans joining queues to move through the checkpoint.

UEFA attempted to absolve themselves of blame for inadequate systems, with William Gaillard stating "It is obvious that at one point the police felt overwhelmed and it is much to their credit there were no dangerous incidents. ^[3] William Gaillard is the director of communications and Public Affairs for Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ...

Evolution of the Championship format

The format of the competition has evolved substantially over the years, notably with the introduction of a Group Phase beginning in 1991, and multiple national representatives in 1998. The following summarizes the evolution of the championship format through the years:

• 1955-1991 - Knockout format, one club per country (the league champion) plus the defending champion
  • 1955: many countries were represented by a team not the domestic champion
  • 1956-59: the domestic runner-up was allowed to compete where the domestic champion was also European champion^[4]
• 1991-1993 - Three knockout qualifying rounds, group phase with 2 groups, 2 group winners meet in final, one club per country (the league champion) plus the defending champion
• 1993-1994 - Knockout semi-finals added following group phase
• 1994-1997 - One knockout qualifying round, group phase with 4 groups, group winners and all runners-up to 8 club knockout phase, one club per country (the league champion) plus the defending champion
• 1997-1999 - Two knockout qualifying rounds, group phase with 6 groups, group winners and 2 runners-up to 8 club knockout phase, up to two clubs per country
• 1999-2003 - Three knockout qualifying rounds, two group phases with 8 first phase group winners and all runners-up moving to 4 second phase groups, second phase group winners and all runners-up to 8 club knockout phase, up to four clubs per country
• 2003-present - Three knockout qualifying rounds, one group phase with 8 groups, group winners and all runners-up to 16 club knockout phase, still up to four clubs per country.

Prior to 1970, aggregate draws were settled by a play-off and (if necessary) coin-toss. Since then, it has been via the away goals rule and (if necessary) a penalty shootout. The final retained the potential for a replay until the late 1970s. A playoff in sports (North American professional sports in particular) is a game or series of games played after the regular season is over with the goal of determining a league champion. ... Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties or otherwise choose between two alternatives. ... The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each teams home ground. ... Penalty shootouts, officially named kicks from the penalty mark, are a method sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament (or wins the tournament) following a draw in a game of football. ... Look up replay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Books About the European Cup / Champions League

The following books each provide an excellent history of the European Cup / Champions League:

“Europe United: A History of the European Cup / Champions League” by Andrew Godsell (2005)

“50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League” by Keir Radnedge (2005)

“The European Cup: An Illustrated History” by Rab MacWilliam (2000)

“Champions of Europe: The History, Romance and Intrigue of the European Cup” by Brian Glanville (1991) Brian Lester Glanville (born 24th September 1931) is a leading English football writer and novelist. ...

“The European Cup 1955-1980” by John Motson and John Rowlinson (1980) This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

See also

• European Cup and Champions League finals

This page lists all the finals of the European Cup and Champions League. ...

References