The 2021/22 champions league entered into the final phase and it will start to get interesting from here on. This season’s Round of 16 promises to be one of the most exciting yet. Chelsea vs Real Madrid, Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid are some interesting matchups in the quarter finals. This is the time for fans to expect the best matches and predict and bet on the outcomes. Before you go browsing the bookmakers on the market, you should check out the best betting bookies at Wincomparator, where a team
of experts will accompany you through this incredible journey.
In this article, we will look at the top 5 greatest matches in the history of the champions league. So let’s begin the countdown.
5. Barcelona vs Manchester United, 2010 -11 final
May 28, 2011 | Wembley Stadium, London
Barcelona 3 - 1 Manchester United
The legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said this was the best team he ever played.
Lionel Messi was at his brilliant best, turning in a performance for the ages, but United just couldn’t get close to the intricate passing, movement and possession generated by the midfield trio of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Xavi.
Wayne Rooney was also at the height of his powers for Manchester United and scored a great goal in the 34th minute, but strikes from Pedro, Messi and David Villa saw Barca absolutely hammer England’s best, leaving Ferguson bewildered.
It's hard to imagine a team ever playing quite as well as this again. This was surely the pinnacle for Pep Guardiola’s Barça, who wiped the floor with Manchester United in trademark style.
4. Chelsea vs Bayern Munich, 2011-12 final
May 19, 2012 | Allianz Arena, Munich
Chelsea 1 - 1 Bayern Munich (Chelsea 4-3 on penalties)
Didier Drogba takes an outrageously cool penalty, side footing it into the bottom left corner as Neuer goes the other way. Chelsea are the champions of Europe! For nine years – nine long, heartbreaking years – it looked as if Chelsea and the European Cup were simply never meant to be.
After shocking both Napoli and Barcelona in the knockout rounds, Chelsea’s ragtag group of diehards, under the direction of interim boss Roberto Di Matteo, approached Bayern Munich in the final at Bayern's own Allianz Arena as massive underdogs.
But it was written in the stars (and Chelsea had one Didier Drogba, who would not be denied his Champions League title).
Thomas Muller gave Bayern the lead in the 83rd minute, but Drogba found the equalizer in the 88th with a header off a Juan Mata corner. Drogba’s status as a favored man was further confirmed in extra time after his foul on Franck Ribery led to an Arjen Robben spot kick. However, Petr Cech saved the penalty.
The match went to a shootout, and Drogba scored Chelsea’s fifth to make the club London’s first Champions League winners.
3. Barcelona vs PSG - 2016-17 round of 16, leg 2 champions league
March 8, 2017 | Camp Nou, Barcelona
Barcelona 6 - 1 PSG
The greatest comeback in Champions League history and one of the greatest in all of sports, Barcelona’s stirring recovery after a 4-0 first leg defeat will probably never be repeated again.
Barça were only playing for pride in this second leg, having been flagellated 4-0 in the French capital three weeks earlier. Nevertheless, they raced into a 3-0 lead within 50 minutes thanks to Luis Suarez (who was at his devious and divey best), an own goal from Layvin Kurzawa and Lionel Messi's penalty.
Barca needed three goals as the clock entered the 88th minute, and Neymar duly provided with a stunning free kick, a penalty and an assist for Sergi Roberto’s gobstopping winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
In the last five minutes, they somehow got them. Two Neymar goals and a late Sergi Roberto winner prompted scenes of delirium on an industrial scale.
2. Manchester United vs Bayern Munich (1998-99 Final)
May 26, 1999 | Camp Nou, Barcelona
Manchester United 2 - 1 Bayern Munich
If the manner in which they reached the final was a rollercoaster journey, Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League final comeback against Bayern Munich was of equal, if not undoubtedly larger, proportions.
Trailing 1-0 as the clock entered the allotted three minutes of injury time, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were done and dusted. With goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel coming up for a corner kick, United were acting out of sheer desperation when the chaotic set piece finally resulted in Teddy Sheringham grabbing a 91st minute equalizer.
With extra time now looking a certainty, United super sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got on the end of another corner to earn a miraculous victory for the Red Devils. Bayern were left absolutely devastated.
1. Liverpool vs AC Milan (2004-05 Final)
May 25, 2005 | Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul
Liverpool 3 - 3 AC Milan (Liverpool 3-2 on penalties)
The greatest game ever played. From Steven Gerrard’s remarkable embodiment of leadership to Jerzy Dudek’s unbelievable double save on Andriy Shevchenko in extra time and subsequent penalty antics (while also making note of Kaka's superlative performance in defeat), this match was an all-timer.
What truly set this showdown apart was the raw shock of the comeback. After Paolo Maldini had scored from Milan’s opening attack, Hernan Crespo added two more and Kaka ran amok. The humiliation of the Reds and the elation of their detractors during half-time appeared total.
But then the madness kicked in: Didi Hamann muffled Kaka, Steven Gerrard galloped forward, and in six minutes – thanks to Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso – Liverpool were level. Jerzy Dudek then saved from Andriy Shevchenko in extra time, before denying the same player – as well as Andrea Pirlo – in the penalty shoot-out to ensure victory.
