Top 5 Champions League Finals

Champions League final in itself is a spectacle. Sometime this match can be boring and not live up to the expectation. While sometime it is purely beauty of football. The five instances when these match lived up to the expectation of not only the critics but also the fans. Some might not have been excellent football match, but had something special to be remembered about. Top 5 Champions League Finals are really hard to nail down but this is what i feel.

Top 5 Champions League Finals

5) Bayern Munich vs Chelsea 2012-2013 Champions league final

 

It was expected to the year in which Bayern finally wins the cup. They were hosting Chelsea at the Allianz Arena in the final. Chelsea went in the match as the clear underdogs. The way the league campaign went for Chelsea, it was a shock that they reached the finals of the champions league let alone win the cup itself. The match was completely dominated by Bayern but still at the end the winner of the famous old trophy was the club from London, known as Chelsea. Bayern broke the deadlock at the 83rd minute by Thomas Muller's goal and were on the verge of 5th Champions League , but then at the 88th minute Drogba happened and scored a sensational header to get the match to extra time. Peter Cech was also crucial as he saved a penalty from Robben in the extra time. It was Drogba at it again as he scored the winning penalty for Chelsea to give them the champions league and by virtue becoming the most loved Chelsea player ever.

4) Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid 2013-2014 Champions League final

What happens when a unstoppable force meets an immovable object. In this case the unstoppable Real Madrid penetrated the Atletico defence to win the final 4-1. If any one just watches the score they think it was a cakewalk for Real Madrid. The fact is Atletico Madrid got the lead in the 36th minute by Diego Godin's goal. It took Real Madrid 90+3 minutes  to score a goal from Sergio Ramos header to make the match go to extra time. During the extra time it was clear that Atletico Madrid's player have lost hope, but Real Madrid believed that the cup is in their destiny. The heart of Atletico players , fans and anyone associated to them broke after Gareth Bale scored a goal in the 110th minute to get Real Madrid 2-1 up against Atletico. Madrid was in no mood to stop scoring as Marcelo scored another on in the 118th minute. The icing on the cake for Madrid was the 120th minute penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo as Madrid won the match by 4-1. This victory ment Real won the Champions League after a long 10 years of wait and finally getting the La Decima. This victory was the start of Madrid's dominance again in the Champions League.  

3) Barcelona vs Manchester United 2010-2011 Champions League final

The reason for this match to be included in this list, is very simple . This match is considered to be the greatest performance by a team in Champions League. Barcelona faced Manchester United in Wembley stadium and totally outclassed a very good Manchester United team to win the match 3-1. It was such a performance that even Sir Alex Ferguson  said , "In my time as a manager, I would say they're the best team we've faced. .. No one has given us a hiding like that. " This came out of the mouth of a manager who never loves lossing. 

The match opened with a goal from Pedro at the 27th minute. Rooney got one back for United in the 34th minute. Even after the goal it was all in Barcelona's hand as they dominated the match and took on the lead in the 54th minute by Lionel Messi. The match was dead and buried in the 69th minute itself by David Villa and Barcelona won their 4th Champions League. Till this day no one says anything against United as they might have defeated any team in the world that day apart from Barcelona. Barcelona was so good that Pep Guardiola till date say that the final was the best match any of his team has played. Non of the Barcelona player could be singled out in the match as it was through and through a nearly perfect team performance by Barcelona.

2) Manchester United vs Bayern Munich 1998-1999 Champions League final

"You have to feel, this is their year. Is this their moment? Beckham into Sheringham … and Solskjaer has won it! Manchester United have reached the Promised Land! Ole Solskjaer! The two substitutes have scored the two goals in stoppage time, and the Treble looms large.", ask any United fan and this still brings chills to their spine. It was the greatest comeback by the comeback kings. It was not the match that was won by the better team. It was a match that was won by the desire of United. Even during the injury time they did not quite and just attacked. Bayern was in firm control throughout the match . They scored in the 6th minute of the match by Basler's difflected free kick and then it was all in Bayerns control. It was at the 90+1 minute that Beckham took a corner for United , which was converted by Sheringham. Soon after this something changed and united was booming with confidence. They attacked and in the minute 3 of injury time, Manchester United earned another corner. It was again David Beckham's to take. What followed was the most dramatic last minute of a champions league match, as Solskjaer scored to win the champions League for United. 

It was 2 substitute by Alex Ferguson who won the match for Manchester United, and also became the first English Team to win a treble. Truly the most wonderful moment for Manchester United the comeback kings.

1) AC Milan vs Liverpool 2004-2005 Champions League final

The greatest final of a champions league. It was not about the technicality, but solely the love and passion for the game. AC Milan took a 3-0 lead by Maldini and brace from Crespo in the first 45 minutes. Many left the stadium and Liverpool's heart was crushed as they had to watch a painful 45 minutes more. They knew only a miracle can save them from this embarrassment. Not even a die hard fan would have said that Liverpool will win the match. All the would have liked was a goal in the second half. The footballing god's listened to their preys and what followed was extraordinary. Liverpool scored 3 goals in the next 45 minutes to get the game to extra time. They eventually did the impossible by winning on penalty kicks to when their 7th Champions League.

Gerrard was inspirational in the 2nd half and the Liverpool grown boy along with his fellow teammates won the match that they should not have. Gerrard opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 54th minutes. Smicer scored another one to get it 3-2 in the match. Finally the comeback was completed Xabi Alonso in the 60th minute. By far the greatest final of the champions league.

They only reason, why this match is rated higher than all the other finals is that in all those other games they eventual winner just need to get a goal to get back in the game or the team was so good throughout the 90 minutes that they won it. This was different , as after going 3-0 down in the final of a Champions League against a dominating AC Milan, no one could have hoped Liverpool to win the match.

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