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Two of European football’s most distinguished and celebrated clubs are set to clash again in Group H of the UEFA Champions League and in anticipation, In The Stands looks back at three classic matches between the pair.
Barcelona 0-4 AC Milan, UEFA Champions League Final, 1994
If talking about classic matches between Barcelona and AC Milan, it is quite simply impossible to ignore the 1994 UEFA Champions League final.
In footballing terms it was the most complete performance by a side in a major final the exception being Brazil during their 4-1 demolition of Italy in the 1970 World Cup final.
Fabio Capello’s Milan side boasting the likes of Marcel Desailly, Daniele Massaro, Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini absolutely tore in Johann Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’.
That they emerged with a stunning 4-0 victory was one thing; the performance itself shook the world. Think Usian Bolt in 2009 when the big Jamaican ran 9.58 in the 100m dash.
So bad was the pounding that Barca did not contest a Champions League final again for 12 whole years! Even now they can only look back and think ouch!
Barcelona 2-1 AC Milan, Champions League Group Stage, 2004
The score is 1-1 in a thrilling, edge-of-seat tussle between two teams vying for top spot in Group B.
The clock ticks into injury-time and Ronaldinho gets the ball 25 yards out, checks inside the Milan defence before rifling a shot into the rook of Dida’s net! One word, unforgettable!
AC Milan 0-1 Barcelona, Champions League Semi-Final, 1st Leg, 2006
The two best teams in club football at the time pitted off against each other in the 2006 Champions League semi-finals.
In what proved to be another classic tie, a classic piece of genius was to settle it as Ronaldinho (yes him again) worked magic to dink a high-through ball over six Milan defenders onto the path of Ludovic Giuly who volleyed home emphatically to send Barcelona to their first European Cup final in 12 years. Magical stuff.
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