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Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan
Champions League Final - 2005
The final was a thriller between AC Milan and Liverpool. It only took AC Milan one minute to take the advantage as their veteran defender; Paolo Maldini gave them the lead. With five minutes remaining, Hernan Crespo scored two goals in the space of two minutes as AC Milan were now leading 3-0 and victory was looking certain. How wrong they were proved to be, Gerrard inspired the fight back ten minutes into the second half with a 25 yard strike. Two minutes later Liverpool were right back in it as Vladimir Smicer scored as the reds were now only one goal behind. On the hour mark, the comeback was complete as Xabi Alonso equalized for the Reds and with the score line at 3-3 the game was now anybody’s. Both sides created chances to win the tie; however with Dudek in great form in goal for Liverpool they now looked safe. Extra time was fascinating; it was arguably Jerzy Dudek’s finest period in goal during his career at Liverpool. He made an incredible double save to prevent Andriy Shevchenko from scoring a certain goal. The match was forced into penalties; Dudek continued his brilliant display by saving two of Milan’s penalties and Liverpool were the winners of the 2005 Champions League. 

FC Porto 3-0 Monaco
Champions League Final - 2004
The 2004 champions league final was a one sided affair between Porto and Monaco.
After dominating the vast majority of the first half, Carlos Alberto Gomes gave Porto the lead in the 39th minute with a well taken goal. Porto continued to press forward during the second half and it came to no surprise when Deco scored with twenty minutes remaining. Porto sealed victory with 15 minutes to spare as substitute, Dmitri Alenichev scored the winning goal for Porto as they were winners of the champions league and everyone hailed their manager, Jose Mourinho a hero.

 

AC Milan 4-0 Barcelona
Champions League Final - 1994
The 1994 champions league final was the dream tie that everybody wanted, Barcelona against Milan. Everybody anticipated a thrilling match between two evenly matched sides, and the spectators duly received a feast of football. What the crowd did not anticipate was a 4-0 humiliation of Johaan Cruyffs multi million pound Barcelona. The match was more or less over after the first half interval after Daniele Massaro gave Milan a comfortable 2-0 cushion. His partner upfront, Dejan Savicevic ran the Barcelona defence ragged and two minutes after the first half interval he audaciously lobbed the back-pedalling Zubizarreta from outside the penalty area. Marcel Desailley added to Barcelona’s misery on the hour mark.
The Spanish press hailed Milan’s victory as a historic defeat for Barcelona, who had been taught a lesson as Milan’s hegemony was confirmed. The Barcelona squad began to become dismantled as Michael Laudrup went to Real Madrid and Julio Salinas joined Deportivo La Coruna.
Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich
Champions League Final 1999
The final between Manchester united and Bayern Munich was a nail biting encounter. Munich took the early advantage as Mario Basler gave Bayern the lead after only five minutes, however Manchester united kept pressing forward and chances went begging. Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunner Solskjaer came on in the second half and they made all the difference, a Beckham corner in injury time was met by Teddy Sheringham’s head and Manchester united levelled. Only a minute later the unthinkable happened, as once again Beckham swung a corner in, another United forward met the ball to smash it into the back of the net, that player being the super substitute himself, Ole Gunner Solskjaer.
Manchester United were now the champions of the 1999 champion’s league.

 

© 2006 Premiership Football Years Ltd.