5 clubs you won't believe have a winning record against Barcelona

FC Barcelona is known as one of the biggest clubs in football history. The Catalan giants have won four Champions League titles this century and one European Cup in 1992.

But even great clubs have had a bad night. There are few teams Barcelona have faced only once and lost like Slovan Bratislava and Sao Paulo. Then there are bigger clubs like Bayern Munich and Liverpool to whom Barcelona has more losses than wins. In fact, the Catalan club has a negative record against their arch-rivals Real Madrid.

But there are sides with a winning record against Barcelona that will raise some eyebrows.

---

#5 CSKA Moscow (2 games – 1 draw, 1 win for CSKA)

CSKA Moscow won the promotion to the Soviet Union's first division in 1989 and after strong improvements, the club won the title and the cup just two years later.

In the 1992 European Cup second round after convincingly beating an Icelandic side, CSKA had to face the title holders Barcelona. The Russian team could've felt a bit optimistic as in the first round European champion's managed only a 1-0 aggregate victory against Norway's side Viking.

However, there were more negatives as CSKA suffered many squad problems. Because of the Soviet Union falling few of the clubs leaders had left Russia. But CSKA’s issues extended far beyond a transfer exodus – their first team goalkeeper died in a car crash. So the Russian fans didn't expect a fairytale against Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona.

The Spanish giant arrived in Moscow with a star-filled team with the likes of Michael Laudrup, Ronald Koeman, Hristo Stoichkov, Aitor Begiristain and Josep Guardiola. Even though CSKA lined up an with an unknown side, they were the ones to take the lead in the first half after Guardiola's mistake. On the 59th minute, the Catalans scored an equalizer and went home with a draw.

That at the time seemed enough - who could've imagined CSKA getting even a draw at Camp Nou with its intimidating atmosphere.

The second leg started as Barcelona hoped it would and by the 31st minute, the score was 2-0 and it all looked to be over. But CSKA got a crucial goal just before the halftime and the game was turned on its head. The Russians needed just one more goal to win the tie.

CSKA controlled the game in the second half and made the score level in the 57th minute. Just four minutes later 19-year-old Dmitri Karsakov made a beautiful back-heel finish on an amazing counter-attack. All of a sudden Barcelona needed two more goals but CSKA had completely shut down the game.

Interesting to think that this result went largely unnoticed as CSKA couldn't afford the broadcasting rights in Barcelona and only a few newspapers were able to send their reporters to the match. To make it worse, CSKA couldn't impress in the group stages and finished with only two points from six games.

#4 Nottingham Forest (2 games, 1 draw, 1 win for Forest)

Nottingham Forest captain John McGovern lifts the European Cup 1979

As unbelievable as it could sound today, Nottingham Forest once was the strongest side in Europe. The brilliant manager Brian Clough took over the English club in 1975 and in three years time he transformed the side from a struggling second division team to Englands champions.

In 1979 Nottingham made their debut in European Cup and won the whole thing on their first try. In the same year, Barcelona had won the European Cup's Winner Cup. Thus both clubs had to face each other in two matches for the European Super Cup.

The first leg in Nottingham ended in a 1-0 win for the home team. The only goal came on the 9th minute by Charlie George, a forward that played only four games for Forest.

The second game in Barcelona happened in front of almost four times bigger crowd. That didn't work as an advantage for Barcelona - even though they scored first and made it level on the aggregate, Forest secured the Super Cup win with a goal shortly before the halftime.

Nottingham went on to win another European Cup but failed to beat a different Spanish side Valencia for the Super Cup.

#3 Steaua Bucharest (5 games, 2 wins for Barcelona, 2+1 wins for Bucuresti)

Just like with Nottingham Forest it's difficult to imagine that Steaua Bucuresti was once a European powerhouse.

In 1971 Barcelona faced Steaua Bucharest for the first time in the European Cup's Winner Cup's round of 16. Earlier Steaua Bucharest had beaten a Maltese club by just one goal on aggregate but Barcelona recorded two crushing wins against a Northern Ireland team.

So it was hugely unexpected when the Romanian side won both of the games. These matches didn't attract much interest as for the second match at Bucharest only 5,000 people showed up. Steaua went on to lose in the quarterfinals to Bayern Munich because of the away goal rule.

Six years later Barcelona and Steaua Bucuresti had to face each other again in the first round of UEFA Cup. That time the Spanish team took the matchup completely seriously and won both of the games by a significant margin – 5-1 and 3-1. Barcelona reached the semifinals of the competition but got knocked out by the eventual winners PSV.

The fifth and last game between Barca and Steaua was in 1986. Undoubtedly the biggest match they have played and most likely will ever play between them as it was the European Cup final. The game finished goalless but no one will ever forget the penalty shootout.

While Barcelona's goalkeeper was able to stop the first two shots, Steaua man in the goal Helmuth Duckadam was unbeatable, saving every single penalty. He was later dubbed as "The Hero of Seville" (the place of the final venue).

Steaua Bucharest appeared in the final again three years later but lost by four goals to Milan.

#2 Goteborg (4 games, 1 win for Barcelona, 1 draw, 2 wins for Goteborg)

Before Barcelona reached the final in 1986, they had a stunning matchup against Swedish Goteborg in the semifinals. The Spanish side was unable to perform at their best in the Scandinavia and lost by three goals. The second leg game inspired by a reserve player Pichi Alonso ended in a 3-0 win, the Spanish striker scoring all three goals. In the penalty shootout, Barcelona beat Goteborg and reached the European Cup final.

Unfortunately, Alonso would become ''a one-game wonder'' as those are his only three goals in the European Cup / Champions League. Interesting that he didn't even earn a starting position in 1986 final.

Almost ten years later both teams met again. Barcelona and Goteborg were drawn in the same Champions League group in 1994. Swedish side was able to come back after going one goal down in the 10th minute and win at home.

Also in Barcelona Goteborg were the ones that conceded first, this time in the 81st minute. But they were able to salvage a point in the last minutes of the game.

Both teams reached the knock out stage but lost in the quarterfinals.

#1 Dundee United (2 games, 2 wins for Dundee Utd)

European Cup semi-finalists in 1984 Dundee United faced Barcelona for the first and only time in 1987 UEFA Cup quarterfinals.

Barcelona had just lost by four goals after a 20 game win streak and the games against Dundee United seemed like the ideal opportunity to get back on a winning road.

But the Scottish side shocked Barcelona with a 1-0 win at home. The only goal came from 21-year-old Kevin Gallacher on the second minute. Dundee United still were massive underdogs coming into the second game.

Barcelona scored the aggregate equalizing goal on the 40th minute. Until the very end, both teams were quit so the extra-time seemed to be coming. But Dundee United stunned the home crowd and scored after a free kick on the 85th minute. They didn't stop there and got another goal, sensationally winning in Camp Nou.

One of the heroes of the tie Gallacher has since looked back to the famous wins: ''When we scored the white handkerchiefs came out. Then we scored again and all the fans went crazy.''

Dundee United reached the final of UEFA Cup but lost to Goteborg.