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Starting from the qualifying rounds to the group stage and knockout rounds, the UEFA Champions League is one of the most keenly contested competitions in world football. This is because only the best teams from all over Europe play in the competition.
Quality is usually on show in every round of the competition, and only the very best emerge with the trophy. One of the hardest pills to swallow is being a beaten finalist, but some have suffered this heartbreak more than others.
Without further ado, here is a list of five clubs with the most defeats in the Champions League finals.
#5 Manchester United (2 defeats)
Manchester United are one of the most successful English sides in the UEFA Champions League. In 2000s and early 2010s, they managed to consistently reach the latter stages of the competition, culminating in two final defeats for the club.
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Manchester United lost both finals to the same club and manager, Pep Guardiola. When it mattered most, Sir Alex Ferguson and his side could not defeat Guardiola's side.
The first defeat came in the 2008-09 final when Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored for the Spanish side in a 2-0 win. Their second defeat came two years later at Wembley when Messi inspired his side to a 3-1 win. David Villa and Pedro were also on the scoresheet in the game.
The Red Devils have won the competition three times, more than every English club bar Liverpool. They have not tasted recent success in the competition, with their last title coming in 2008.
#4 Liverpool (3 defeats)
Losing to Real Madrid in the final days ago would have been very hurtful for Liverpool after they dominated the game. A Champions League final is always a game of fine margins. Their defeat to Real Madrid was their third such defeat in the competition, the most by any English team.
Liverpool were under the tutelage of Rafael Benitez when they lost their first final to AC Milan in 2007 by a 2-1 scoreline. The defeat came two years after Liverpool defeated the same opponents in the final in a game aptly known as the Miracle of Istanbul.
Their second and third defeats came at the hands of the same opponents, Real Madrid, in 2018 and 2022. The matches ended 3-1 and 1-0, respectively. For both matches, Jurgen Klopp was in charge of the team.
Despite having lost more finals than any English club, Liverpool have won the competition more times than any English club. In fact, the Reds have won double the number (6) of their nearest rivals' titles in the competition.
#3 AC Milan (3 defeats)
AC Milan are guilty of one of the greatest capitulations seen in the Champions League in that unforgettable final in 2005. This was one of three defeats the Rossoneri have faced in the finals of the competition, a number rivalled by only a few in Europe.
AC Milan first tasted defeat in a Champions League final in 1993 when they were defeated 1-0 by French side Olympique Marseille. Their next final defeat came two years later at the hands of Dutch giants Ajax by the same scoreline. Their third final defeat came in 2005 when Liverpool came from three goals down to tie the game against the Rossoneri and eventually won on penalties.
AC Milan have won the competition seven times, only behind Real Madrid for the most number of wins in the competition. Their last title came in 2007 as they went through a very lean period in the 2010s. They won their first Scudetto since 2011 in the 2021-22 season.
#2 Bayern Munich (3 defeats)
Despite being one of the competition's most successful sides, Bayern Munich have tasted anguish in the Champions League, too. The German giants have lost three finals in the competition, with English sides being their biggest problem.
Bayern Munich first lost a Champions League final in 1999. It was when a late Ole Gunnar Solskjaer goal gave Manchester United a 2-1 win in the game as the Red Devils won the treble.
Their second defeat was against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, with the Italian team also completing their treble after a Diego Milito brace gave them a 2-0 win. Their third defeat came on home soil in 2012 as Chelsea defeated them on penalties.
Bayern Munich have won the competition twice since their last final defeat. They have won the competition a total of six times in their history.
#1 Juventus (5 defeats)
Juventus are the kings of losing Champions League finals and the only team to have lost consecutive finals. They have lost five finals in the history of the tournament, more than any other team.
Juventus first tasted defeat in the 1997 final when they lost 3-1 to Borussia Dortmund. The following season, they reached the final and lost 1-0 against Real Madrid. Their third defeat came on penalties at the hands of fellow Italian side AC Milan in 2003.
Their fourth and fifth defeats were against Spanish sides, with Barcelona defeating them 3-1 in 2015 and Real Madrid claiming a 4-1 win in 2017.
Juventus have only managed to win the Champions League twice in their history. They are one of the most successful Italian clubs domestically but their form on the continent has been unusually disappointing.
