A look back at five memorable European Cup title showdowns over the years
2005: Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (Liverpool Win 3-2 On Penalties)
Most probably the greatest comeback in a Champions League final came in Istanbul.u00a0Liverpool looked down and out at half-time, trailing 3-0 following a Paolo Maldini strike and a brace from Hernan Crespo.
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However, captain Steven Gerrard started the fightback before Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso somehow dragged the Reds back on level terms and forced extra-time.u00a0Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek then proved the hero in the penalty shoot-out as he saved from Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko to give Liverpool their fifth European Cup.
1999: Man United 2-1 Bayern Munich
A few years earlier, United pulled off a stunning fightback against Bayern Munich in the Nou Camp. The Germans were comfortable after Mario Basler put them ahead against the EPL club, who were missing Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.
However, after Carsten Janker chipped against the crossbar, United secured a remarkable victory with goals in stoppage-time from first substitute Teddy Sheringham and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
1967: Celtic 2-1 Inter
Jock Stein’s ‘Lisbon Lions’ became the first British club to win the European Cup on a balmy night at the Estadio Nacional. Inter took an early lead through Sandro Mazzola. However, Celtic got back on level terms through Tommy Gemmell. The Scottish champions then secured their place in football folklore as Stevie Chalmers grabbed a winner five minutes from time to spark wild scenes of celebration in Portugal and Glasgow.
1968: Man United 4-1 Benfica
Bobby Charlton fired the English side ahead in the second half, but Jaime Graca levelled. It needed a brilliant save from United goalkeeper Alex Stepney from the legendary Eusebio to send the tie into extra-time. George Best broke clear on the half-way line before he rounded Benfica’s Enrique to set United on their way, with Brian Kidd and Charlton also scoring in the first period as the Red Devils went on to run out comfortable winners.
1960: Read Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
Arguably the finest European Cup final of all time saw Read Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt share 10 goals at Hampden Park. Strikers Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas took centrestage in an astonishing contest that Eintracht led early on through Richard Kress.
Di Stefano’s brace put the Spanish side ahead at the break. He completed his hat-trick in the second half. Incredibly, Di Stefano was not the top scorer on the night, with Puskas’ four goals forever carving the Hungarian great into European Cup folklore.
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