UEFA Champions League Classics

On 1st June 2019, Liverpool won there sixth title,first since 2005. So here are the matches which will be always remembered in UCL history.

5. Manchester City 5-3 Monaco, 2016/17

A topsy-turvey thriller at the Etihad Stadium which ushered in the ‘arrival’ of Leonardo Jardim’s thrilling young side, despite defeat. It was a bizarrely open match – the first time eight goals had been scored in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie. The Frenchmen raced into commanding 2-1 and 3-2 leads, but City came on strong with strikes via Sergio Aguero, John Stones and Leroy Sané.

Pep Guardiola’s boys thought they’d got away with it, until a 3-1 loss in the return leg sent them packing.

4. Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool, 2008/09

A time when all-English clashes were commonplace – but this was surely the best. Chelsea had won 3-1 at Anfield, but were in danger after a cheeky Fabio Aurelio free-kick and Xabi Alonso penalty had hauled the Reds level by half-time.

Goals from Didier Drogba, Alex and Frank Lampard put Chelsea firmly back in command after half-time, only for Lucas and Dirk Kuyt to quickly restore Liverpool’s lead on the night. But Lampard’s late strike settled nerves and ensured a semi-final showdown with Barcelona – and one troublesome Norwegian ref.

3. Chelsea 4-2 Barcelona, 2004/05

The birth of two rivalries – Chelsea vs Barcelona and Jose Mourinho vs football. After a 2-1 first-leg defeat at the Camp Nou where Didier Drogba was sent off, Mourinho accused Barça counterpart Frank Rijkaard of going into referee Anders Frisk’s room at half-time for a little chat. The Swede later received death threats and soon quit football.

But Chelsea made a fine start in the return leg, as Eidur Gudjohnsen, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff sent them 3-0 up after 20 minutes. Ronaldinho pulled one back 10 minutes later, then conjured the most magical moment of the tie.

Andres Iniesta shifted the ball to the Brazilian, then hurtled towards the box expecting to get it back. But Ronaldinho instead poked the ball beyond a hoard of players and Petr Cech into the bottom corner. Chelsea trailed on away goals, but a John Terry header sent the Blues through before chaos ensued with a Barça tunnel scrap.

2. Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, 2010/11

Will a team ever play as well as this ever again? This was the pinnacle for Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, who dismantled Manchester United in the final with their unmatchable trademark style.

Pedro’s cool finish put the Catalans 1-0 up at Wembley, only for Wayne Rooney to steer in an equaliser. But then Barça cranked through the gears: Lionel Messi surged forward to regain the lead, before David Villa curled home a delightful third past Edwin van der Sar from distance. Breathtaking.

1. Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain, 2016/17

“This is a sport for crazy people,” said Barça coach Luis Enrique. “I’d like to cry, but tears don’t come out.”

Bewilderment seemed the only fitting response after the most preposterous game in recent footballing memory. Barça were only playing for pride, really, having been devoured 4-0 in Paris three weeks earlier, but somehow they had a 3-0 lead within 50 minutes thanks to Luis Suarez, Layvin Kurzawa’s own goal and Lionel Messi spot-kick.

Hope was brutally punctured at the Camp Nou, however, when Edinson Cavani’s 62nd-minute strike left the Catalans needing three more to go through. Ludicrously, they somehow got them all in the last five minutes. Two Neymar goals and a late Sergi Roberto winner caused incredible scenes of delirium, capping a stunning, mental fixture.

Stay tuned for Part-2