Five of the Best Champions League Matches

1. AC MILAN 3-3 LIVERPOOL - Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties (2005 Final)

Behind 3-0 at half-time to goals from Paolo Maldini (in the first minute) and a brace from Hernan Crespo, it seemed only a question of how many a Kaka-inspired Milan would eventually score. But a breathless six-minute spell and goals from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso brought Liverpool level and stunned the watching world. Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek excelled, not only in the shootout, but also with a remarkable double save from Andriy Shevchenko in extra time, and he'll be forever remembered for reanacting Bruce Grobbelaar's spaghetti legs stance that helped Liverpool to a 5th European Cup.

2. JUVENTUS 2-3 MAN UNITED (1999 semi-final second leg)

United went into the fortress Stadio deli Alpi against Marcelo Lippi's Juventus on the back of a 1-1 first leg draw at Old Trafford, and even before kick-off the 'Treble' dream looked to be fading fast. After 11 minutes, it had all but gone with Juve 2-0 up thanks to a brace from Pippo Inzaghi. But Roy Keane delivered the most stirring and memorable performance of his United career, single-handedly hauling his side back into the game with a near-post header before Dwight Yorke converted David Beckham's cross to make it 2-2. Despite Keane picking up a booking that would rule him out of the final, he continued to drive United forward and after hitting the post twice, Andy Cole wrapped up matters to seal a sensational comeback and set United on course to complete the Treble.

3. CHELSEA 4-2 BARCELONA (2005 last 16, second leg)

After a 2-1 defeat at the Nou Camp in a game marred by controversy surrounding referee Anders Frisk, Chelsea and Barcelona restored faith in the beautiful game with a end-to-end footballing fiesta that ultimately saw Jose Mourinho's side turn the tie on its head and dump the Catalans out of the competition. The Blues were in dreamland after 20 minutes, 3-0 up on the night and 4-2 ahead on aggregate thanks to a rip-roaring start and goals from Gudjohnsen, Lampard and Duff. But Ronaldinho dragged Barca back into it, showing the kind of form that had just earned him the first of two World Player of the Year awards, by converting a penalty and then silencing the Bridge with a superb 20-yard swerver that left Petr Cech with no chance. Barca had chances for a third that would have settled the tie - Iniesta and Eto'o both came close - but Chelsea hung on and John Terry powered home a late header to put the Blues back in front on aggregate and that's where they stayed.

4. DEPORTIVO 4-0 AC MILAN (2004 quarter-final, second leg)

Deportivo La Coruna were 4-1 down from the first leg in Milan and needed at least a 3-0 home win to go through against the reigning champions. In short, nobody really gave them a prayer, facing such experienced stalwarts of Stam, Nesta, Maldini, Pirlo, Seedorf and Gattuso to name just a few. But the Spanish underdogs came flying out of the traps with two strikers who went on to fail in English football ironically causing most of the damage. Walter Pandiani, ahead of his spell at Birmingham, set the ball rolling after five minutes and Albert Luque, who had an expensive and ill-fated spell with Newcastle, blasted in just before half-time with Juan Carlos Valeron scoring in between. 3-0 at the break, Milan were shell-shocked - they knew they now needed to score but just couldn't stem the blue and white tide flowing towards them and Fran added a fourth for the home side to wrap up an epic fightback. Deportivo are still the only side to turn around a three-goal first-leg deficit in the European Cup.

5. AC MILAN 4-0 BARCELONA (1994 Final)

Having included a couple of heart-breaking Milanese defeats above, this should appease the fans of the Rossoneri somewhat. Barca, the 1992 champions, went into this final in Athens as favourites, especially as Milan were without Baresi, Costacurta, Papin and Brian Laudrup, but the Italians put on a performance widely renowned as one of the best ever in a European club final. Fabio Capello's side simply blew Johan Cruyff's Barca away, with Danielle Massaro scoring twice before half-time and Dejan Savicevic adding a third with a sumptuous lob. On the hour mark, Marcel Desailly burst through the Barca rearguard and curled in the fourth, becoming the first player to win successive European Cups with different teams having claimed the title with Marseille in 1993.

Alert an adminstrator about this content
Guidelines to User Generated Content on Carling.com

Click here for five-of-the-best archive.