5 Greatest Champions League matches in Real Madrid's history

Real Madrid own the Champions League. 12 titles, 3 in the last 4, there are no bigger names in Europe.

Over the 62 years they've been playing at this elite level, Madrid have had their fair share of ups and downs (more ups than anyone else in history, but that's beside the point) and so it's difficult to pick out 5 out-and-out best performances, but we've tried our best.

If your pick doesn't make the cut, do feel free to let us know in the comments below:

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#5. Real Madrid 3 - 0 Valencia, 24/05/2000

It's not often that Real Madrid walk into a match as second favourites, but back in 2000, Hector Cuper's Valencia were on an absolute roll - finishing the league easily above Los Blancos - and entered the match as favourites.

Shambhu Ajith and I had had a chat with Gaizka Mendieta the other day and he'd recounted that day with a whimsical smile: "[In '00] Madrid was better than us, they play so well. During the season we were on fire, we played so well we go to the final, Madrid was 7th or 8th in the table [they ended up 5th], and they had to win to qualify for Europe to save their season – and they absolutely played us [off the park]"

They did play them off the park. Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman, and the ubiquitous Raul Gonzalez all got on the scoresheet, Madrid dominated from beginning to end... and no. 9 was in the bag with a performance of supreme authority.

#4 Bayern Munich 0 - 4 Real Madrid, 29/04/2014

Oh, this one. It had been 11 years since Real Madrid had reached a Champions League final. A century in Madrid-years.

In 2014, Carlo Ancelotti's men waltzed into Bavaria, looked Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich machine in the eye and absolutely smashed it to smithereens. Two Sergio Ramos headers - thumped in with trademark emphatic power - and two Cristiano Ronaldo gems - can you ever keep him out of the spotlight? - made sure Los Blancos' run away from the biggest game in club football would end.

"This was a magnificent performance," said Ramos after the match. Hell yeah, it was.

#3 Real Madrid 4-3 Stade de Reims, 13/06/1956

This was the first - the beginning of the awe-inspiring Real Madrid legend. The first European Championship final... and few have been harder. Within ten minutes they'd gone two down but they soon hit back thanks to goals from Alfredo di Stefano and Hector Rial. All this within the first half

With both clubs trading body blows, Reims restored their lead on the hour mark before Marquitos equalised just after. Then, with, 11 minutes to go, Hector Rial, gave Madrid for the first time - and that was very much that.

"Lifting the European Cup after so many games gave us immense joy," said winger Paco Gento

#2 Real Madrid 7 - 3 Eintracht Frankfurt, 18/05/1960

This, they say, is the greatest display of attacking football ever. Some even suggest it to be the greatest European Cup final of all time. There were 127,000 in attendance at Hampden Park - including a young teenager named Alex Ferguson - and they were treated to some of the most sumptuous football ever played with Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas taking turns to prove why they were the greatest players of the time.

Puskas scored four. Di Stefano three... and the Real Madrid legend was well and truly established.

#1 Real Madrid 4 - 1 Atletico Madrid, 24/05/2014

92.48 reads the tattoo on Sergio Ramos' calf.

With Real Madrid chasing that elusive Decima (10th title), having spent 11 years in relative European wilderness, their 'noisy' neighbours Atletico Madrid for a good hour of football. And with Diego Simeone having bred a tendency of defending 1-0 leads with everything they had, this looked in the bag for Los Rojiblancos.

Then with two minutes and 12 seconds of added on time - added on time - to go, Sergio Ramos rose highest to meet Luka Modric's corner - and the rest, as they say, is history.

Broken, Atletico collapsed in extra time and allowed Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo (via the medium of a penalty) to add sheen to the final score.

In the 90, though, this was arguably Real Madrid's toughest test in a major Champions League game.