Sorry Denis. 1994 was the greatest thing I've ever seen from any one team. Any competition. Any era. International or club. The build-up and hype actually played a part in that; Barcelona weren't disappointing - they were world class, and they were annihilated.
Satchmo - spot-on re those 78 to 93 finals. I remember Porto v Bayern wasn't live on UK telly and I was gutted because both teams scoring in the final, in normal time too, had become a flippin rarity (it was bookended with two goalless finals).
First final I ever remember watching was 1977. I was almost eight years old but it was so full of incident - and FOUR GOALS! - it sustained me through the grim years thereafter. Although I think, honestly, my interest was maintained by supporting the British sides who featured in seven in the next eight finals, as well as the general rarity of live football on telly - and the sheer innate grandeur of a game which decided the Champions of Europe (koool!).
I often think if I'd missed that 77 final - I still remember my dad exclaiming "Jeezus! Tommy Smith!" just as Barry Davies gives it "And what a delighted scorer - it's TOMMY SMI-ITH!" - and the snore-fest of 78 had been my first, I wouldn't love the European Cup/Champions League final as obsessively as I do.
But, do you know, if I'm honest, I reckon it was the years of shit finals which made me so interested in the history of the competition. I got my first kinda reference book/encyclopaedia on the game in 1980; by 1981 I had all the past winners and runners-up memorised. The stories of 7-3 and 5-3 finals, and the black and white pics of those glam-as-hell teams of the formative years were intoxicating: But I would probably never have bothered reading about them if the finals I grew up with hadn't been such grindingly minimalist occasions.
Who am I kidding. I fucking loved watching Kenny Burns and Larry Lloyd just saying NO to opposition goals. And Spink coming on for Rimmer in 82 and then batting away the Bayern onslaught ... what's not to love.
2005! Had to wait til I was 36 years old until I finally got one of those finals I'd read about as a lad. Milan 94 is my fav ever display by any one team. And their 2005 first-half display is my second-fav by any side in this final. What happened thereafter made it easily the best European Cup final (and it deserved that title rather than "Champions League", given its old skool drama) of my lifetime. I think only Benfica v Real in 62 in Amsterdam can rival it for purely gripping entertainment value for the neutral. I've watched "all" of Real 7 - 3 Eintracht and it's gorgeous but ultimately another exhibition.
No, 2003 wasn't a classic (and did you notice that it was held at Old Trafford the year after the final had been staged at Hampden - just as the 2008 UEFA Cup final was at the Etihad the year after it had been at Hampden). It was diluted for the neutral when Nedved kopped his silly booking in the Delle Alpi in the semi. And it was further dampened by Paolo Montero not earning his rightful place in the history of the European Cup/Champions League final ...
Had to wait three years to see the first man ever red-cared in the final. And it was Lehmann? Jens bloody Lehmann??!! Disgrace, Paolo. How could you let that happen ...
Satchmo - spot-on re those 78 to 93 finals. I remember Porto v Bayern wasn't live on UK telly and I was gutted because both teams scoring in the final, in normal time too, had become a flippin rarity (it was bookended with two goalless finals).
First final I ever remember watching was 1977. I was almost eight years old but it was so full of incident - and FOUR GOALS! - it sustained me through the grim years thereafter. Although I think, honestly, my interest was maintained by supporting the British sides who featured in seven in the next eight finals, as well as the general rarity of live football on telly - and the sheer innate grandeur of a game which decided the Champions of Europe (koool!).
I often think if I'd missed that 77 final - I still remember my dad exclaiming "Jeezus! Tommy Smith!" just as Barry Davies gives it "And what a delighted scorer - it's TOMMY SMI-ITH!" - and the snore-fest of 78 had been my first, I wouldn't love the European Cup/Champions League final as obsessively as I do.
But, do you know, if I'm honest, I reckon it was the years of shit finals which made me so interested in the history of the competition. I got my first kinda reference book/encyclopaedia on the game in 1980; by 1981 I had all the past winners and runners-up memorised. The stories of 7-3 and 5-3 finals, and the black and white pics of those glam-as-hell teams of the formative years were intoxicating: But I would probably never have bothered reading about them if the finals I grew up with hadn't been such grindingly minimalist occasions.
Who am I kidding. I fucking loved watching Kenny Burns and Larry Lloyd just saying NO to opposition goals. And Spink coming on for Rimmer in 82 and then batting away the Bayern onslaught ... what's not to love.
2005! Had to wait til I was 36 years old until I finally got one of those finals I'd read about as a lad. Milan 94 is my fav ever display by any one team. And their 2005 first-half display is my second-fav by any side in this final. What happened thereafter made it easily the best European Cup final (and it deserved that title rather than "Champions League", given its old skool drama) of my lifetime. I think only Benfica v Real in 62 in Amsterdam can rival it for purely gripping entertainment value for the neutral. I've watched "all" of Real 7 - 3 Eintracht and it's gorgeous but ultimately another exhibition.
No, 2003 wasn't a classic (and did you notice that it was held at Old Trafford the year after the final had been staged at Hampden - just as the 2008 UEFA Cup final was at the Etihad the year after it had been at Hampden). It was diluted for the neutral when Nedved kopped his silly booking in the Delle Alpi in the semi. And it was further dampened by Paolo Montero not earning his rightful place in the history of the European Cup/Champions League final ...
Had to wait three years to see the first man ever red-cared in the final. And it was Lehmann? Jens bloody Lehmann??!! Disgrace, Paolo. How could you let that happen ...
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