The UEFA Champions League has produced some truly memorable moments since its inception in 1992. From last-minute winners to three-goal comebacks, BT Sport recalls 10 of the biggest stories in the competition's history.
‘Spaghetti legs’ Dudek foils Shevchenko in Miracle of Istanbul - AC Milan v Liverpool, 25th May 2005
A decade has flown by since ‘The Miracle of Istanbul’, but the story of the most extraordinary Champions League final ever will be told for many more to come.
Trailing AC Milan 3-0 at half time, Liverpool somehow scored three in six second-half minutes to force extra-time and eventually prevailed on penalties.
And at the heart of this astonishing script was the unlikeliest of heroes in Jerzy Dudek, who made a string of superb saves to keep Liverpool alive.
Then in the shoot-out, the Polish goalkeeper took a page from Bruce Grobbelaar’s 1984 European Cup final book as he flummoxed the Milan penalty-takers with a ‘spaghetti legs’ routine, saving from Serginho, the normally unflappable Andrea Pirlo and then Shevchenko's weak effort to simultaneously seal Liverpool’s fifth European triumph and his place in the history books.
Zidane's epic volley lights up Hampden Park - Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen, 15th May 2002
Heralded as one of the finest players of his generation, Zinedine Zidane etched his name in Champions League folklore with his Man of the Match performance in the 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen.
The catalyst of Real Madrid’s famous Galácticos side, the French maestro lingered on the edge of the penalty box as Roberto Carlos’ looping cross seemed to hang eternally in the air, before swivelling his hips and striking an unstoppable left-foot volley past the helpless Hans-Jorg Butt.
It was technical perfection and remains arguably the greatest goal in the competition’s decorated history, fittingly earning Real Madrid their ninth European Cup in their centenary season.
Solskjaer's last-gasp winner seals United treble - Manchester United v Bayern Munich, 26th May 1999
“Football, eh? Bloody hell!” Those were the famous words of Sir Alex Ferguson after he helped to mastermind arguably the most dramatic comeback in European football history.
With Manchester United’s treble hopes seemingly coming to an end at the hands of Bayern Munich in the 1999 final in Barcelona, Teddy Sheringham and then fellow super-sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struck within the space of two minutes and 17 seconds in stoppage time to steal victory away from the Germans and send Peter Schmeichel cartwheeling inside his own penalty area.
Super-sub Ricken lives the dream - Borussia Dortmund v Juventus, 28th May 1997
Scoring in a Champions League final for the team you support is a dream shared by millions of young football fans across Europe. For Lars Ricken, that dream became a reality on a balmy May night in Munich in 1997.
With Borussia Dortmund leading Juventus 2-1 and 20 minutes left on the clock, Ottmar Hitzfeld summoned Ricken from the substitutes’ bench. Just 16 seconds later, the 20-year-old found himself charging on to a typically laser-guided through-ball from Andreas Moller before keeping his cool to impudently chip a stunning 25-yarder over Angelo Peruzzi.
Remarkably, the goal – which is still the fastest ever by a substitute in a Champions League final – was Ricken’s first touch of the game. The victory remains Dortmund’s lone European Cup triumph to date – one made even sweeter for their fans by the enduring tale of the local boy done good.
Messi crushes United's dreams with Wembley rasper, Manchester United v Barcelona, 28th May 2011
Lionel Messi took the plaudits as a dominant Barcelona side romped to Champions League success with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the 2011 final.
The little magician, hailed by many as the greatest player of all time, scored the second Barcelona goal of the game and left Sir Alex Ferguson shell-shocked with his Man of the Match performance.
Having inspired Barcelona to victory over fierce rivals Real Madrid in the semi-finals, this capped a memorable season for both Messi and Barcelona, leaving no-one in any doubt that this side were one of the greatest in football history.
Terry slips to miss crucial penalty - Chelsea v Manchester United, 21st May 2008
Presented with the chance to win Chelsea’s first ever European Cup, it was captain John Terry who picked up the ball and placed it on the spot twelve yards out, with only Edwin van der Sar to beat.
The rain pelting down and the jeers of the United supporters echoing around the Luzhniki Stadium, it was Terry, so often the hero, who contrived to slip at the vital moment, sending his penalty crashing agonisingly against the post.
And after Anderson and Ryan Giggs converted for Man United, Chelsea's miserable fate was sealed as Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick was saved by Van der Sar, leaving a devastated Terry sobbing in the Moscow night.
Leeds overcome the odds to reach semi-finals - Leeds United v Deportivo La Coruna, 4th April 2001
Dubbed the competition’s ‘weakest link’, David O’Leary’s side proved they were more than worthy of their place among Europe’s finest with an exhilarating 3-0 quarter-final first-leg victory over Deportivo La Coruna.
Ian Harte, Alan Smith and BT Sport’s very own Rio Ferdinand got on the scoresheet as Leeds made their mark on the Champions League.
Though they were forced to cling on in the second leg, a 2-0 defeat in La Coruna sealed their spot, against all the odds, in the semi-finals of Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 26 years.
Drogba breaks Bayern hearts...twice - Bayern Munich v Chelsea, 19th May 2012
Having been sent off in the 2008 final against Manchester United and then banned for three games by UEFA after Chelsea were controversially eliminated by Barcelona one season later, Didier Drogba finally achieved his Champions League redemption in the 2012 final against Bayern Munich.
After spectacularly overcoming the odds to beat Barcelona in the semi-final, many expected a fragmented Chelsea side to succumb to defeat at the Allianz Arena.
However, Drogba, living up to his bill as a big-game player, headed in an 88th-minute equaliser to send the game to extra-time before coolly converting the winning penalty to earn Chelsea’s first ever European Cup and cement his place as one of the greatest players in the club’s history.
Galácticos gunned down by King Henry - Real Madrid v Arsenal, 21st February 2006
With just one win in their previous five domestic games and a defensive injury crisis, Arsenal were widely expected to struggle when they visited a star-studded Real Madrid side in February 2006.
But after a goalless opening half in the last-16 first-leg clash, it was Arsenal's ownGaláctico, Thierry Henry, who made the difference. The French striker received a pass from Cesc Fabregas in the centre circle, shrugged off Ronaldo, then galloped past Alvaro Mejia, David Beckham and finally Sergio Ramos before firing a precise left-footed finish past Iker Casillas.
It was a truly vintage Henry goal and one which ensured Arsenal became the first English team ever to win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Gunners eventually reached the final and were within 13 minutes of defeating Barcelona – despite Jens Lehmann’s early red card - only for Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti to break their hearts with a late double salvo.
Gerrard stunner saves Liverpool's skin - Liverpool v Olympiakos, 8th December 2004
Liverpool were just four minutes away from crashing out of the Champions League when club captain and legend Steven Gerrard fired home in front of the Kop to steer his side into the knockout stages.
Gerrard’s long-range trademark strike capped a memorable comeback after the Reds trailed at half-time and was the first of many miraculous moments during the 2004/05 Champions League campaign as they later when on to lift the trophy in Istanbul.
