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The UEFA Champions League, or as it is simply known as the Champions League, is a continental football club competition that is organized by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) every year. Since its inception in 1955, top division clubs from all over Europe have contested in it with Real Madrid emerging to be the most successful of the lot (10 titles).The tournament was rebranded in 1992 as the UEFA Champions League, before which, it was known as Europe Champion Clubs' Cup or simply, European Cup. The officials also added a group stage to the competition and also allowed numerous entrants from certain countries.Here are five lesser known facts about the UEFA Champions League.
#1 Spain - Most successful country
Barcelona at the end of their 2014-15 season
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The 2010 World Cup champions, Spain is the most successful country in the sixty-year-old history of the competition. The two Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona have a total of 15 Champions League titles amongst themselves with Madrid winning the tournament ten times.
The Italian sides have also been quite successful in the competition with AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan emerging victorious on 12 occasions in total.
The English teams have also won the Champions League for a total of 12 times as the island country has produced five winners, namely, Liverpool (5 times), Manchester United (3 times), Nottingham Forrest (2 times), Chelsea (1 time) and Aston Villa (1 time).
| Country | Winners | Runners-Up | Number of teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 15 | 10 | 2 |
| Italy | 12 | 15 | 3 |
| England | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| Germany | 7 | 9 | 3 |
#2 Real Madrid - Most consecutive participations
Real Madrid have taken part in 19 consecutive season so far
Los Blancos are the most successful Spanish club in the history of the competition, having won the Champions League on 10 occasions. In fact, they have won the trophy more times than any other European club. They also hold the record of the most number of consecutive participations in the Champions League for a record 19 times from 1997-98 to 2015-16.
Manchester United are the second in line with 16 consecutive Champions League campaigns from 1996-97 to 2012-13 while Arsenal has done the same on 15 occasions.
The Red Devils also have the record of winning the coveted trophy with the fewest games won in 1998-99. They had won just five games on their quest to glory.
#3 Juventus - Most unfortunate team
Juventus have lost six finals
The old lady of Turin is undoubtedly the most unfortunate team in the history of UEFA Champions League. Though Juventus had dominated Europen football throughout the 1970s and 1980s, much to the downheartedness of their supporters, they have won the European Cup just twice in 1984-85 and 1995-96.
And the victory in 1984-85 too, was more bitter than sweet, due to the Heysel stadium disaster tragedy, which witnessed the death of 39 Juventus supporters due to fan-hooliganism, mostly because of Liverpool supporters, famously known as the Kopites.
The club holds the record of being runner's up the most number of times. They came second in the competition in 1972-73, 1982-83, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2002-03 and most recently in 2014-15.
#4 Barcelona - Most consecutive semi-finals
Barcelona have won four titles in the last decade
The men from the Camp Nou have won the Champions League a record five times. Barca is the second most successful Spanish club in the history of the tournament after Real Madrid. The defending champions have won the first leg of their round of 16 match against Arsenal at the Emirates and have a two-goal cushion before the start of the second leg at Camp Nou.
Luis Enrique's men will look forward to creating another record by winning the tournament back-to-back, a feat which hasn't yet been accomplished since it was rebranded as UEFA Champions League in the 1991-92 season.
However, Barcelona holds a really interesting record in the Champions League. It is the only team which has qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament for a record six consecutive times from 2007-08 to 2012-13.
#5 Nottingham Forest - More European Cups than domestic league titles
Clough with European Cup during his tenure at Nottingham Forrest
Nottingham Forest has a really unique and a quite intriguing feat of having won more UEFA Champions League (erstwhile known as European Cup) than they have won their domestic league title. They won their only league title in 1977-78 under their legendary manager, Brian Howard Clough. The club won both their European Clubs under him as well.
Clough is undoubtedly the most successful manager in the history of Nottingham Forest FC having won one league title, two European Cups and two League Cups.
The club currently competes in the Sky Bet Championship, which is the second tier league in England after the Premier League.
