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The Champions League final is once again upon us, with Real Madrid playing Liverpool for the crown on Saturday night. This season's final will take place in Paris at the Stade de France.
Below we look at three finals from the last 20 years, which were nerve-racking for the supporters involved and brilliant for the neutrals. High on emotion and unpredictability, these games had the best players involved and some of the best goals seen in the history of the competition.
#3 Champions League heritage - Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid (2014)
The 2014 Champions League final was a Madrid derby as Real Madrid played Atletico Madrid in Lisbon. Real Madrid beat Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich on road to the final; a trio of German clubs.
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Meanwhile, Atletico beat AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea to reach the final. Both teams went through the toughest teams to reach Lisbon.
Diego Godin gave Atletico the lead in the 36th minute of the game. Diego Simeone prides himself on defensive solidity, and Atletico made him proud. Real Madrid tried their best, but they couldn't break down their neighbors' defense. The victory was very close, but in typical Real Madrid fashion, Sergio Ramos scored in the 93rd minute to send the game into extra time.
Atletico had given it their all over regular time and Real Madrid put the game to bed in extra time. Gareth Bale scored the winner in the 110th minute while Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo added two more to win the game 4-1. Real Madrid beat their local rivals to win their coveted La Decima, which sparked an era of European dominance for the historic club.
#2 Against all odds - Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea (2012)
Bayern Munich were at their best and were considered by many to be the favorites to win Champions League in 2012. The final was at the Allianz Arena in Munich, and it was essentially a home game. Bayern had beaten FC Basel, Marseille, and Real Madrid to reach the final. Chelsea had beaten Napoli, Benfica and Barcelona to reach the final.
Chelsea went to the Camp Nou and beat Pep Guardiola's Barcelona to reach the final. It was a game that Chelsea had no right to win, but they managed to do it through sheer determination and luck. Against Bayern, it was the same story. Chelsea defended very well and Bayern struggled to break the deadlock.
Thomas Muller finally gave Bayern the lead in the 83rd minute, and for many, the game was over. Football, though, is a funny sport, and Juan Mata delivered a corner in the 88th minute, which Didier Drogba headed in to take the game into extra time. Drogba conceded a penalty which Arjen Robben failed to convert, and Chelsea won the game on penalties. Against all odds, Chelsea were the champions.
#1 That night in Istanbul - AC Milan vs. Liverpool (2005)
Time and again it has been proven that in the Champions League, a team doesn't win the game until the final whistle has been blown. The 2005 final took place in Istanbul as AC Milan faced Liverpool for the trophy. Milan had beaten Manchester United, Inter, and PSV Eindhoven en route to the final. Liverpool had beaten Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, and Chelsea to reach the title clash.
AC Milan took a quick 3-0 lead in the first half thanks to a goal from Paolo Maldini and a double from Hernan Crespo. What followed was one of the greatest comebacks in a Champions League final. Steven Gerrard managed to pull a goal back in the 54th minute. Vladimir Šmicer made it two for Liverpool in the 56th minute and Xabi Alonso equalized in the 60th minute.
Over six minutes, the comeback was complete, and the game headed into extra time with neither team able to find the winner. Liverpool won the game on penalties, and Istanbul managed to occupy a special place in the hearts of their fans. Liverpool didn't give in, and they were rewarded in the end.
