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Champions League

Milan 3, Liverpool 3

Final, 2005, Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul

Heroes: Steven Gerrard, Jerzy Dudek

Was this the greatest comeback in Champions League history or the

biggest capitulation o all time? For sure, it was Harry Kewells lowest

moment, limping rom the pitch ater 23 minutes with his muscle torn rom

the bone, and disgraceully booed by Liverpool ans. It was denitely Raael

Benitezs greatest triumph, returning Liverpool to its mythical heights

(or 120 minutes, at least). The rst-hal saw Liverpool totally shredded

as Hernan Crespo scored two o Milans three goals. Liverpool aced

humiliation but showed never-say-die desperation i

dramatic six-minute spell, Steven Gerrard headed a

belie. Vladimir Smicer, in his nal game or the Red

set up Liverpool as the only team likely to score aga

Alonso getting the rebound rom a saved penalty, w

the match was progressing. Milan, apparently with t

world, were overwhelmed, and as the game went to

ater a spectacular late-game double-save rom Je

condence proved too much or the battered Itali an

ask themselves, how did that happen? They are not a

They had incredible ans, said Paolo Maldini. See. Y

Euro

Flash

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Manchester United 2, Bayern Munich 1

Final, 1999, Camp Nou, Barcelona

Heroes: Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Five minutes gone and Mario Baslers ree kick put Bayern Munich ahead

early. Veryearly. United keeper Peter Schmeichel shouted (was he ever happy?)

at his deence in an attempt to awaken them but United seemed to be late risers

and 1-0 was how the score seemed destined stay. United seemed out o ideas

but Alex Ferguson rolled his dice throwing on Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar

Solskjaer to partner Dwight Yorke in attack. The clock ticked down . . . and down.

But with 30 seconds o added time let in the match, a misplaced shot by Ryan

Giggs ell to veteran Sheringham, who ound the net. Grown men rom north-west

England hugged and kissed. With Bayerns best players exhausted, United

surged orward. Solskjaer won a corner, Sheringham won the header,

Solskjaer hit the net to write himsel into United olklore and many terrace

songs. Bayerns Sammy Kuour wept on his hands and knees and

so too did millions o Bavarians. Football, bloody hell, chirped

Ferguson, European champion.

2Th

e 10 greatestChampionsLeague battles

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Barcelona 0, Milan 4

Final, 1994, Olympic Stadium, Athens

Heroes: Dejan Savicevic

Milan were expected to be blown away by a classic Barcelona side coached

by Johan Cruy that starred Romario, Ronald Koeman, Jose Bakero and

Pep Guardiola. Milan, meanwhile, were missing Marco Van Basten, Gianluigi

Lentini, Franco Baresi, Allesandro Costacurta, Jean-Pierre Papin and Michael

Laudrup. May as well have stayed at home, boys. Except, o course, when

the Champions League is up or grabs. Fabio Capellos Milan, playing in all

white, didnt seem to care about the absentees. Daniele Massaro gave Milan a

lead but it was Dejan Savicevics extraordinary long-range chip ater a slip by

Miguel Nadal (Raaels uncle) that eectively sealed the win. Marcel Desailly,

running rom deence to attack, added a ourth to complete Barcelonas

destruction and sum up Milans total domination.

Juventus 2, Manchester United 3

Semi-fnal, second leg, 1999, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin

Heroes: Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole

United had never beaten an Italian side in a European tie over two matches.

History seemed likely to repeat with Juventus 2-0 up ater 11 minutes in Turin in

this classic semi-nal. Uniteds hopes o making a European nal looked dead or

another year. Filippo Inzaghis early double meant that, under the away goals rule,

United needed to score twice to stay alive. Roy Keane stepped up in the 24th minute

with a header and United dramatically drew level 10 minutes later with a Dwight

Yorke header. Keanes mideld battle with Zinedine Zidane (Juventus also had Didier

Deschamps and Edgar Davids in the middle) became a turning point or the match

the Irishman copped a yellow card or a oul on the Frenchman that eventually ruled

him out o the nal. Needing to score, Carlo Ancelottis Juve turned the screw in the

second-hal but it was the deadly counter-attacking combo o Yorke and Andy Cole,

rampant in the Premier League that season, which nally gave United the le ad.

Yorke was brought down by Angelo Peruzzi in the middle o a solo run to goal,

but the reeree played advantage, allowing Cole to tap into an empty net.

Uniteds chase or the Treble was still a possibility.

4

3Manchester United 4, Real Madrid 3

Quarter-fnal, second leg, 2003, Old Traord, Manchester

Heroes: Ronaldo, David Beckham

Regarded as one o the most remarkable matches in Champions League history,

this quarter-nal had drama, action and skill aplenty. Needing to score early to close

the gap rom the rst leg, United pressed hard but were cut open on the break when

Ronaldo (the Brazilian one) red inside Fabien Barthezs inside post to silence the home

crowd. Ruud van Nistelrooy responded just beore hal time ollowing some determined

work rom Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to keep the Red Devils in with a chance. But the attacking

class o Madrid came to the ore ater the break, and when Luis Figos shot came back o

the crossbar, the deending champions held possession and worked United all around the

box beore setting Ronaldo up to tap in his se cond. United stayed in the match ater

Ivan Helguera turned Juan Sebastin Verons shot into his own net, but it was Ronaldo

who grabbed the headlines when he drove home rom 25 yards to round o his

hat-trick and put the tie beyond Uniteds reach. An out-o-avour David Beckham

made a statement to his manager when he came o the bench to slot a trademark

reekick. He slid in or a second late on to give United the lead in the match, though

they trailed the tie 6-5 on agg regate. And thats how it nished a truly epic

matched awash with sparkling attacking ootball. Ronaldo received a

standing ovation rom the home ans.

5

Deportivo La Coru

Quarter-fnal, frst leg, 2

Heroes: Albert Luque

Ater AC Milan dominated the rst leg a

taking a 4-1 lead to the Riazor this wa

second-leg ght backs. The humble Sp

world when they blew away mighty Mila

opening 43 minutes. Ater Milan squand

chances, the opener came when Walte

the edge o the box and red low into th

was a git, with keeper Dida horribly mi

cross, allowing Juan Carlos Valeron to

net. The Milan deence boasting the li

and Maldini was a shambles, and Luq

minutes beore hal-time, stealing the b

into the roo o the net to put D epor ahe

rule. The icing on the cake came on 75

Gonzalez Frans defected shot ound th

securing an unlikely semi-nal spot or

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Chelsea 4, Barcelona 2

Round o 16, second leg, 2005, Stamord Bridge, London

Heroes: John Terry, Petr Cech

Star-studded Barcelona shaded Chelsea 2-1 at Camp Nou in the rst leg.

Needing a strong start at Stamord Bridge, Chelsea ans g ot a whole lot more than

they were hoping or as their team shot to a 3 -0 lead inside 20 minutes. The rst

came o a lightning break rom the middle o the park, with Icelandic ace Eidur

Gudjohnsen skillully turning in the box beore nishing o the move emphatically.

Soon ater Joe Cole cut in rom the right and his defected shot orced a ne save rom

Victor Valdes, who could only watch helplessly as Frank Lampard smashed home the loose

ball. Two minutes later Damien Du latched on to Coles pass and slid his shot home to send

the crowd into raptures. Throughout, Chelsea manager Jose Mourniho remained almost

eerily calm maybe because he knew that a three-goal lead over Barca doesnt always

guarantee victory. The Catalans kept their ocus and eventually earned a penalty which

Ronaldinho calmly slotted. But it was in the 38th minute that the Brazilian showed his

true class, shimmying away rom a tackle and guiding in a gloriously placed shot rom

20 yards which surprised everyone. The remainder o the match ebbed and fowed

with both teams searching or the vital goal to send them through. Barcelona had

their chances (with Petr Cech pulling o some world clas s saves) but it was

Chelsea captain John Terry who stood up, heading home the decider in the

75th minute, prompting Mourinho to claim that he enjoyed this game more

than his victorious Champions League nal with Porto the previous year.

7

Chelsea 4, Liverpool 4

Quarter-fnal, second leg, 2009, Stamord Bridge, London

Hero: Frank Lampard

Coached by the mercurial Guus Hiddink, Chelseas aim to win their rst

ever Champions League title was nearly shut down early in this remarkable

quarter-nal tie. With skippers John Terry and Steven Gerrard unavailable,

composure and control were never really present in a game where every

moment o brilliant skill seemed to be matched by a disastrous mistake.

Trailing 3-1 ater the rst leg, Liverpool leveled the tie inside hal an hour;

Fabio Aurelios ree kick embarrassing Petr Cech at his near post beore

Xabi Alonso expertly slotted a spot kick. A blasting rom Hiddink in the

sheds at hal-time saw Chelsea come out ring ater the break, with a

poachers goal rom Didier Drogba, a stunning driven ree-kick rom Alex

and a calm nish rom Frank Lampard giving the Londoners the lead in

the tie. Reusing to die (even though manager Raa Benitez had seemingly

thrown in the towel by withdrawing star striker Fernando Torres) Liverpool

ought back with two goals in two minutes, setting up a thrilling nale.

It all proved too much though, as Lampard levelled up an astonishing

game in the 89th minute, sending Chelsea through 7-5 on aggregate.

8

Manchester United 1, Porto 1

Round o 16, second leg, 2004, Old Traord, Manchester

Heroes: Benni McCarthy, Costinha

Not the greatest o games in theory, and one to argue about or sure,

but this game is legendary or its turning point in history and consequences.

Had United won this match, we may never have heard too much more about

Portos coach, Jose Mourinho. Instead, everything is now special. With

one minute to go, and 1-0 up and cruising into the next round, Phil Neville

gave away a oolish ree kick close to Uniteds penalty area. Goalkeeper Tim

Howard could only parry Benni McCarthys brilliant ree-kick to allow Porto

striker Costinha to equalise and eliminate Manchester United on aggregate.

Cue Mourinhos now-amous trench coat sideline sprint into the history books.

Porto won the trophy that year, Mourinho was snapped up by big-spending

Chelsea (taking Ricardo Carvalho with him) while Neville and Howard

were soon on their way out o Old Traord.

10

Monaco 3, Real Madrid 1

Quarter-fnal, second leg, 2004, S

Heroes: Ludovic Giuly, Fernando

Nobody saw this result coming. Ater a 4-2 victo

the rst leg, Real Madrid arrived in France with a

bar David Beckham. When Raul put his team ah

strike it seemed the tournaments most celebra

making yet another semi-nals appearance. Do

Ludovic Giuly volleyed home just beore hal tim

glimmer o hope. Just minutes ater the break F

(on loan rom Real Madrid ater alling out o av

champions) got one over the club that spurned

home to give Monaco the lead. The atmosphere

stadium reached ever-pitch as the home team

the all important third. It came on 66 minutes in

fick rom Giuly through the legs o Roberto Carl

crowd into raptures. The nal 20 minutes was r

squandering chances. Madrid couldnt nd a re

ended 5-5 with Monaco going through on away

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