The UEFA Champions League is arguably regarded as the best football tournament among the round leather game enthusiasts who can be find in different occupations and social strata.
The league by its makeup traditionally begins from preliminary stage to finals of the tournament.
Manchester City managed by Pep Guardiola played their first-ever appearance in a UCL final against Chelsea in Porto last night, thanks to Kai Havertz’s 42nd-minute goal that gave the London side the victory.
Chelsea, in 2009, played their first final appearance against a fierce rival in the English league, Manchester United where the game ended in favour of the latter after a penalty shootout.
Chelsea returned in 2011/2012 season to defeat Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena with a top-notch header from a legend, Didier Drogba. The game ended in a penalty shootout as Chelsea went head-to-head with Bayern.
Within a space of 15 years, first time finalists have lost to teams who have played in the finals on three or four occasions combined with the managers’ experience and players involved.
Here are teams who have appeared in the final once and lost with exception to Atletico Madrid, Remis, and Valencia with 3 times, 2 times, and 2 times respectively:
· Leeds United lost to Bayern Munich in 1974-75 in final
· Borussia Mönchengladbach lost to Liverpool in 1976-77 in final
· Club Brugge lost to Liverpool in 1977-78 final
· Malmö FF lost to Nottingham Forest in 1978-79 final
· Roma lost Liverpool in 1983-84 final
· Barcelona defeated Sampdoria in 1991-92 final
· Real Madrid edge Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in 2001-02 final
· Porto thrash Monaco 3-0 in 2003-04 final
· Barcelona vs Arsenal (2005-06)
· Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid in 2013-14
· Tottenham Hotspur bow to Liverpool 2018-19
· Last season runner-up PSG lost to Bayern Munich
Source: The Nation