THE CHAMPIONS!

[Riou]

Read an article on BBC today about the best ever Champions League semi-finals, got me thinking about my favourite ever Champions Leagues games...then got me thinking about a new thread!

Share some of your favourite ever Champions League matches and why, putting it in the "Football Talk" section as I want both Arsenal and non-Arsenal games...i'll start with an easy one, a match that will probably always be the best match I have ever watched...


...being a nostalgia merchant, it's no surprise it's a game from the early 2000s, when I fell in love with football...the first leg was quality too, but a bit too one sided for a true classic as Madrid battered United in Spain really, this one was one of the best back and fourth games of football I have seen...such iconic names on both sides, Madrid's black shirt is one of my all time favs (wish Arsenal had more black kits tbf) just a brilliant game of football.

Beckham's freekick is amazing, but how good is Ronaldo's second goal...starts with Madrid in their own corner flag, under pressure...a few quality passes later, and Zidane is charging through the centre...after Figo's lovely chip hits the bar, the ball ends up near United's left hand corner flag...Madrid play it in like a beautiful half circle over to the right, before a brilliant Zizou pass finds Roberto Carlos who slides it across for the main man...perfect.

Football just seemed more special back then...

 

[A_G]

Kaka was an absolute monster, great performance in the 1st leg as well.

 

[Notorious Big]

Kaka was an absolute monster, great performance in the 1st leg as well.

That Milan team was monster.Beat Utd in 2005 and 2007 in Champions League.Nesta,Maldini,Cafu,Pirlo,Kaka,Shevchenko,Gattuso etc.

 

[Notorious Big]

Somehow this match was memorable for me.Inter wasn't one of favourites to win CL that season and they beat peak Barcelona with 10 men at Camp Nou.They played great counter attack football at San Siro and put great defensive performance at Barcelona.Probably will remember more,but this came first to my mind.

 

[A_G]

this was literally the one time these two played in that era and it wasn't a dull match

 

[Notorious Big]

this was literally the one time these two played in that era and it wasn't a dull match

Yeah ,Rafa vs Mourinho,what a boring match-up.

They played 3 times in CL ? Chelsea won once and Liverpool twice,as i can rememeber.

 

[Notorious Big]

This one also .Bayern ruined that Spanish wankers !

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

Read an article on BBC today about the best ever Champions League semi-finals, got me thinking about my favourite ever Champions Leagues games...then got me thinking about a new thread!

Share some of your favourite ever Champions League matches and why, putting it in the "Football Talk" section as I want both Arsenal and non-Arsenal games...i'll start with an easy one, a match that will probably always be the best match I have ever watched...


...being a nostalgia merchant, it's no surprise it's a game from the early 2000s, when I fell in love with football...the first leg was quality too, but a bit too one sided for a true classic as Madrid battered United in Spain really, this one was one of the best back and fourth games of football I have seen...such iconic names on both sides, Madrid's black shirt is one of my all time favs (wish Arsenal had more black kits tbf) just a brilliant game of football.

Beckham's freekick is amazing, but how good is Ronaldo's second goal...starts with Madrid in their own corner flag, under pressure...a few quality passes later, and Zidane is charging through the centre...after Figo's lovely chip hits the bar, the ball ends up near United's left hand corner flag...Madrid play it in like a beautiful half circle over to the right, before a brilliant Zizou pass finds Roberto Carlos who slides it across for the main man...perfect.

Football just seemed more special back then.

Criminal from BT, they missed the part when he got a standing ovation despite knocking us out.

 

[Riou]

this was literally the one time these two played in that era and it wasn't a dull match

I actually loved all their matches against each other...l like watching games were you can tell both sets of managers/players/fans really hated each other!

The 2008 game at the Bridge was very good too...Chelsea's central midfield back then was amazing.

 

[A_G]

Yeah ,Rafa vs Mourinho,what a boring match-up.

They played 3 times in CL ? Chelsea won once and Liverpool twice,as i can rememeber.

Liverpool won in 04/05 with the ghost goal, then again in 06/07 on penalties. Chelsea beat them in 07/08 under Avram Grant and then under Guus Hiddink in that tie I posted.

 

[Notorious Big]

Liverpool won in 04/05 with the ghost goal, then again in 06/07 on penalties. Chelsea beat them in 07/08 under Avram Grant and then under Guus Hiddink in that tie I posted.

Yeah,i forgot 07-08 ,****ing Avram Grant got Chelsea to final and almost win Champions League

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

Was pre beard you at the game?

Sadly no, I was only 6 when this happened but I've always had fond memories of this era.

 

[Notorious Big]

Really,how Utd didn't win more Champions League under Sir Alex ? They knew to play defensive football and to get result in some big matches.Not saying that winning two times is not good,but if you compare how were they dominant in EPL,they could done little bit more.

 

[Juan Matas Beard]

 

[A_G]

Really,how Utd didn't win more Champions League under Sir Alex ? They knew to play defensive football and to get result in some big matches.Not saying that winning two times is not good,but if you compare how were they dominant in EPL,they could done little bit more.

They were unlucky that towards the end of his time they had to come up against Pep's Barca. They played some great stuff though:

 

[GDeep™]

Really,how Utd didn't win more Champions League under Sir Alex ? They knew to play defensive football and to get result in some big matches.Not saying that winning two times is not good,but if you compare how were they dominant in EPL,they could done little bit more.

Champions League is hard to win, Barcelona went 30 years without winning it until the early 90’s.
You can even argue until the mid 2000’s, Spain and Italy were the top leagues.

 

[Notorious Big]

They were unlucky that towards the end of his time they had to come up against Pep's Barca. They played some great stuff though:

You're right.Think that they could do more in CL final 2009 when they had great team and they could compete with Barcelona.In 2011 Barcelona was just too good.

But they had some bad moments.Remember when they knocked out in group stage in 2005 and 2011.Or losing to Porto in 2004.That defeat against Bayern in 2010 was also strange one.

 

[Notorious Big]

Champions League is hard to win, Barcelona went 30 years without winning it until the early 90’s.
You can even argue until the mid 2000’s, Spain and Italy were the top leagues.

I know it's hard to win it,but they were quite dominant in EPL and had top manager.

Can't remember how strong was Barcelona in those times to compete in Europe.

 

[Riou]

...fun fact about this game...in the film Goal 2, they used this game as the Champions League final, except Madrid beat us...cheeky bastards!


...our most impressive win in our 2006 run, imo...Bobby slide tackling Paddy for the opener will always be funny

 

[A_G]

That defeat against Bayern in 2010 was also strange one.

Yeah, they conceded two late goals in the 1st leg after scoring first and then Robben scored that great goal at OT. Rafael lost his head and got sent off too iirc.