Arsenal
Juventus 0-0 Milan (2-3 pens) 2003 Champions League remaining
The attacking abilities on present for each Italian sides had been scary. Juventus partnered David Trezeguet in assault with Alessandro Del Piero, whereas Milan opted for Pippo Inzaghi and Andriy Shevchenko in entrance of the creativity of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and Rui Costa. Such was the embarrassment of riches obtainable to Carlo Ancelotti, Rivaldo was an unused sub for Milan. But after 120 minutes, the ultimate remained goalless. Marcello Lippi, who had succeeded Ancelotti as Juve supervisor in 2001, was significantly culpable, having introduced on the defensively minded Antonio Conte as a makeshift No 10 at half-time. How they missed the suspended Pavel Nedved. Milan prevailed within the shootout, with Paolo Maldini lifting the trophy at Outdated Trafford, however the remaining did nothing to dispel the idea that Italian soccer is a defensive recreation.
Porto 1-0 Braga 2011 Europa League remaining
A aim of beautiful magnificence punctuated an in any other case drab affair as Radamel Falcao earned victory for André Villas-Boas’s aspect, a triumph that might contribute to the Portuguese supervisor transferring to Chelsea that summer season. Falcao’s looping header from an excellent Fredy Guarín cross was the one spotlight, with Braga wanting solely to frustrate their neighbours earlier than conceding and unable to muster any type of response as soon as they fell behind. Even Villas-Boas conceded his disappointment that the ultimate had “not been the spectacle” he had envisaged, whereas the Guardian’s Paul Doyle, on liveblogging duties that evening, was a bit extra forthright in his abstract of the match: “Nicely that was lethargic. Good sufficient aim to win it, although.”
Tottenham 1-0 Man Utd 2025 Europa League remaining
It’s usually the way in which that finals contested by groups from the identical nation will be tight, cagey affairs – simply take a look at this checklist – which is often as a result of finalists figuring out one another effectively and infrequently worrying about dropping to a long-established rival. On this case, it was way more to do with the truth that Spurs and Manchester United had been lurching from dreadful home seasons, wherein either side lurked simply above the Premier League relegation zone. The carrot of Champions League qualification and the stick of derision or probably somebody dropping their job in all probability didn’t assist in opening up the competition, which was fittingly determined by a dismal Brennan Johnson deflection. Spurs followers received’t care about that, or Ange Postecoglou’s gameplan, which the Australian admitted afterwards was about “minimising moments by having a powerful basis” – manager-speak for placing 10 males behind the ball for nearly your complete second half.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Malmö 1979 European Cup remaining
The fairytale of Nottingham Forest successful their first European Cup underneath Brian Clough usually appears to omit how the ultimate in opposition to the Swedish membership was a colorless affair. In an age when back-passes to the keeper had been widespread, particularly in tight and necessary matches determined by the odd aim, it was a recreation heavy on offsides and stoppages. Forest had thrilled many en path to the ultimate, together with in a 4-1 win over Grasshoppers within the first leg of their quarter-final, and a 3-3 draw with Cologne within the first leg of their semi-final, however a tall, bodily Malmö nullified Forest within the remaining, earlier than Trevor Francis’s headed winner, in his first European look for the membership, mercifully prevented the ultimate from going into further time. As ever, although, it was Clough who had the final phrase: “It wasn’t an incredible recreation however they had been a boring workforce, Malmö. Actually the Swedes are fairly a boring nation. However we nonetheless received, so who cares?”
Bayern 1-1 Valencia (5-4 pens) 2001 Champions League remaining
“Two groups with their minds extra clearly on correcting the perceived injustices of the previous than on successful a match by way of the type of expressive soccer that earned the European Cup its fame fought one another just about to a standstill in Milan,” started Richard Williams’ match report from San Siro. This was each a disappointing match – a penalty every for Bayern and Valencia sending the sport in direction of, you guessed it, extra penalties in a shootout – but in addition two disappointing performances, significantly for that Valencia aspect. The La Liga workforce had been showing of their second successive remaining, having been thrashed by Actual Madrid within the 2000 showpiece a 12 months earlier. Owen Hargreaves did such a great job of negating Pablo Aimar that the Valencia supervisor, Héctor Cúper, withdrew the Argentinian playmaker at half-time. Finally, the Spanish aspect couldn’t conquer the person of the match, Oliver Kahn. The goalkeeper saved Mauricio Pellegrino’s spot-kick within the shootout to offer Bayern their fourth European crown.
