Who came with the idea of a European Cup for national clubs? You might be surprised, but the correct answer is not UEFA. Indeed, the European Cup was imagined and...
I won my first Champions League in 1989, and I won my last one 18 years later.
Paolo Maldini
Champions League highlights from 1989 until today
I discovered Champions League, or “The main event” back in 1997, the same year I’ve started to follow football: Steaua Bucuresti won by 3 goals the 1st leg against PSG. I was about to discover the magic behind the UEFA Champions League:
- Manchester United dramatic comeback in 1999
- Real Madrid early 2000s domination
- AC Milan ultimate defense line
- Liverpool magical comeback
- Porto and Monaco surprises
- Barcelona’s resurgence: Rijkaard, Ronaldinho and Guardiola, Messi
- Just to name a few wonderful moments that marked the Champions League as my favorite football competition.
Now, I’m gathering Champions League highlights from 2019, going back to its European Cup era. My goal is to get as many matches as I can. I will add some facts and anecdotes for each highlight: stories about players, coaches, stadiums and many more. It’s a work in progress and hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.