Champions League winners: Every edition's winner since 1992/93

1995/96 – Juventus

Juventus lifted the Champions League in 1995/96 after a penalty shoot-out

Like the previous season, the holders made it all the way to the final in 1995/96, but like Milan before them Ajax were unable to successfully retain their title, as they were beaten by Italian champions Juventus in the final. The game ended 1-1, and Marcello Lippi’s side triumphed after a penalty shoot-out that saw Edgar Davids and Sonny Silooy miss for Ajax.

The victory was the Old Lady’s first European title since the 1984/85 season – where they defeated Liverpool in a final overshadowed by the infamous Heysel Stadium Disaster. 1995/96 though was Juventus – and Italian football in general – at the peak of their 1990s powers, fuelled by the attacking talents of Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluca Vialli, and Fabrizio Ravanelli, who scored Juve’s goal in the final.

1996/97 – Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund stunned everyone with their win in 1996/97

1996/97 saw a surprising winner in the form of Borussia Dortmund, who became the first German side to win the Champions League since Germany’s reunification in 1990. The victory remains Dortmund’s only Champions League triumph to date, too. They overcame holders Juventus 3-1 in the final, marking the third season in a row that the reigning champions fell at the final hurdle.

Dortmund’s run in the tournament was driven by their goalscoring exploits, as Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side scored 23 goals across their 11 games, more than any other side entered into the competition. Strikers Lars Ricken and Karl-Heinz Riedle scored 4 each throughout, including the 3 goals in the final that led Dortmund to victory.

1997/98 – Real Madrid

A controversial goal won the trophy for Real Madrid in 1997/98

Spanish giants Real Madrid won their first European title for 32 years in 1997/98, beating Juventus 1-0 in the final thanks to a goal from striker Predrag Mijatovic. The winning goal remains one of the Champions League’s most controversial, as Mijatovic appeared to be offside when the ball fell to him to fire home midway through the second half.

The tournament as a whole was a precursor to the bloated Champions League we know and love today, as for the first time, it was opened up to include the runners-up from 7 leagues – England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. This meant a slight change to the format – 6 groups instead of the usual 4, with only the 2 best runners-up qualifying for the knockout stages.