5 most memorable UEFA Champions League finals of the modern era

Liverpool after the ‘Istanbul Miracle’

Arguably the greatest sporting competition following the world cup, the UEFA Champions League is a tournament that requires more than just tactics or managerial inputs. It is a paradigm of sweat, tears, sacrifices, and brotherhood that the European giants put forward and fight for.

With 32 top-class teams, bringing top quality football from all over the continent for almost 63 years, this tournament is considered as the real test of a football player, be it a dominating club like Real Madrid, to the very recent and uprising Liverpool, who have shown that they can win the title as well.

With records broken every single season of this wonderful tournament, we are always in for a huge surprise, be it the individual credentials earned by the football players themselves, or the hard work that they put forward in order to win the famous trophy.

After a hectic group stage schedule, and a much conflicting yet entertaining round of 19, only two of these European giants clash against each other to be crowned as the ‘best in the continent’. Since it’s rebranding in 1992, the competition has given us more than what the football fans have ever dreamed of; With the modern era kickstarting and giving birth to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, it is more than just a delight to see these teams rising above all the odds.

With 2018 almost at its brink and a new season kicking off, we have picked out our 5 favourites and the most memorable UEFA Champions League finals of the modern era, right from the early 2000s to the present time.

---

#5 Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan – 2010 (0-2)

The much underrated Italian giants grabbed their first European silverware in 45 years.

Often referred to as Inter’s ‘breakthrough’ season, 2010’s Champions league finals sealed the treble for Jose Mourinho’s side. With Bayern being the favourites for winning the competition, the Italian giants made sure that they were the superior ones.

With the possession being in their hand in the early periods of the first half, the German side looked more and more confident and seemed to be a threat to all of us, however, it all came down when the ‘dark horse’ Diego Milito dribbled past the likes of Van Bommel and Martin Demichelis, Milito surely was able to make it through the net and score his ultimate goal.

But he wasn’t done, as his second goal sealed the deal for Inter that very night, and after a brief period of 45 years, they were able to grab the good ole’ trophy with their head held high.

Topics you might be interested in: