Your memories of past European Cup finals (not limited to ours)

[Bob]

As a mild distraction from waiting for this one, I thought I’d start a slightly different type of thread and get some stories going or at least people bringing up old memories.

 

I’ve watched the various clips on the offal for our previous wins and it’s been lovely to watch it all (especially as 4 of the 5 were before I was 4 years old).

 

But generally, the European cup final is an ace event, and there are various memories I’ve got of some of them.

 

Obviously I can remember what I was doing in 99 and how I felt up until the last bloody minute and it all getting ruined but one of my other memories is from Dortmund winning it in 97.

 

I can’t remember much about the match, including even who they beat, but I remember where I was, I remember that ace bright yellow kit with Riedle up front, and a few other bits.

 

Mainly I remember not watching it, as I was at a house party, aged 16, round at a mates who had a “free house”.

 

I remember a bunch of the lads gathered there communally watching a porno on vhs in the lounge and me telling them to turn it off as the European cup final was on, and that we could watch the bluey after it had finished.

 

I was outvoted (however many were there - to one) and quite possibly had my sexuality challenged, though I have to say I’ve never really seen the appeal of watching porn with other lads, even when I was 16.

 

What do you lot remember?

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

I remember:

 

- being amazed by the Zidane goal for Madrid against Leverkusen at Hampden Park

 

- not watching the United win against Bayern in Barcelona as I was playing football myself. We heard it was 1-0 Bayern and not long left, so were buzzing. Then, got in my mates car to drive back, radio on just as they got their winner. Twats.

 

- the 2003 final between Milan and Juventus at Old Trafford being a total borefest

 

- almost breaking my phone in a mini-rage during the 2014 final. I had previous winnings in my betting account, so banked some and bet a decent amount on the final. I won money off Godin anytime scorer - £20 at 12/1. But, I also had £40 on Godin first goal and 1-0 Atleti at 100/1. That's how it was at the 90 minute mark. Then the board goes up. 5 minutes added on. I'm getting nervy. There was no cash out option on my bet. Then, in the 3rd minute of time added on, Sergio Ramos powers in an equaliser. Being TWO minutes away from winning £4,000, I was a bit peeved, lashed my phone on the couch cushion in frustration, but it was bouncier than expected and my phone went in a totally unexpected direction and just missed hitting my cup on the floor. That would've been a double whammy and caused me to fume even more than I already was.

[Total Longo]

Being astounded as a little kid that they taped over the Umbro logo in 81.

 

Thinking the penalty shootout was the greatest thing ever in 84.

 

Not quite grasping the enormity of the situation in 85 and actually being annoyed that the kick off had been delayed, on my return from teh chippy with my auld fella. 

 

Milan absolutely hammering an over confident Barca side in 94

 

That lad from Dortmund (yes i cant recall his name) scoring an absolute pearler against Juve in 97

 

Mcmanaman volleying in for Madrid in 2000.

 

After that it gets a bit hazy, or its just too familiar.

[dockers_strike]

Bayerns first win when they were packed with German internationals. Or rather the first final Atletico were winning then in literally the last minute Bayerns big centre back Schwartzenbeck I think he was called had a hit and hope from outside the box and it flew in the net. Game went to a replay a few days later. I think was the last ever time a UEFA game went to a replay. Bayern strolled it and Atletico had missed their chance.

[Trumo]

The first one I can remember watching live was Red Star v Marseille in 1991. From memory, Marseille did all the attacking and Red Star kept trying to kill the game, and it finished 0-0 and went to penalties. I later found out that in the Yugoslav league at that time, matches that finished in a draw were followed by a penalty shoot-out, so the Red Star players were familiar with the pressures involved.

 

I also remember wanting Sampdoria to win a year later. They had a balding winger called Lombardo and an afroed centre forward called Vialli.

[Trumo]

Bayerns first win when they were packed with German internationals. Or rather the first final Atletico were winning then in literally the last minute Bayerns big centre back Schwartzenbeck I think he was called had a hit and hope from outside the box and it flew in the net. Game went to a replay a few days later. I think was the last ever time a UEFA game went to a replay. Bayern strolled it and Atletico had missed their chance.

 

That Atletico side featured Pepe Reina's dad in goal. Both father and son know what it's like to lose in the final.

[Bjornebye]

I think the first European Cup final I remember is Milan destroying Barcelona 4 nil in 93. Barca had dropped M Laudrup because of some UEFA rule about only allowing 3 foreign players. That Barca side had players like Guardiola, Romario, Stoichkov, Koeman…. Milan had the likes of Albertini, Maldini, Boban, Savicevic…. Right about the time I started falling in love with footy. That might well have been the game that did it.

After that I remember Dortmund beating Juve. Big shocker that one. Was made up for Dortmund. Lambert signed for Celtic that summer too so I instantly thought Celtic would win everything. Young naivety. Although he did play a big part in future titles etc.

99. Had a double graphic design lesson on the Wednesday afternoon. We all made Bayern Munich badges. I was arguably as happy as I have ever been in my life until the 90th minute of that cunting shitfest.

Zidanes volley when they beat Leverkusen.

The bore fest at Old Trafford between Milan and Juve. Milan winning on pens. I always had a soft spot for Milan so was made up.

Istanbul.

I pretty much remember every single one since that. Actually I didn’t watch last years live.

[suzy]

King Kenny scoring At Wembley, that was my first ‘live’ Liverpool match I saw as only finals were shown live then.

[sir roger]

Other than LFC ones the best one was watching the Barca v Utd in Mojacar and celebrating most of the night with the Barca fans.

[grazywalker]

I watched the Barca - Utd one in the Spanish area of Manchester. Boy did manchester empty quickly that night

[El Rojo]

First final memory is a great back heeled goal for Porto (I think) in 1987.

 

Most traumatic memories were Athens in 2007, Barcelona in 1999 and that gee-bag Terry gifting it to the Mancs.

[s(k)aturation]

The first one I remember was Bayern Munich-Leeds in 1975.

 

Then I remember Bayern completing 3 in a row over a team I'd never heard of before, St Etienne, in 1976 - never thinking in a million years that Les Vertes would soon be etched in my Liverpool memories, forever.

 

In those days, we never got the final live in Hobart.

 

The first Final I saw live on TV was Roma in 1984.  And I remember going straight to school after the game, as it was already 8am or so by the time Barney slotted the winning spot kick.

 

Walking on air.

 

Istanbul - I was pissed as a parrot and I actually passed out before the game, waking up on the couch when it was already 3-2.

 

Ended up possibly the happiest morning of my life to that point in time.

[Joe Strummer]

Born in 82, first one I properly remember watching is Barcelona v Samp and Koemans free kick.

 

[Grinch]

Was so excited about signing Riedle, pretty much on that 97 final tbh.  Like Morientes it never worked out for one reason or another.  

[VladimirIlyich]

Being astounded as a little kid that they taped over the Umbro logo in 81.

 

Thinking the penalty shootout was the greatest thing ever in 84.

 

Not quite grasping the enormity of the situation in 85 and actually being annoyed that the kick off had been delayed, on my return from teh chippy with my auld fella.

 

Milan absolutely hammering an over confident Barca side in 94

 

That lad from Dortmund (yes i cant recall his name) scoring an absolute pearler against Juve in 97

 

Mcmanaman volleying in for Madrid in 2000.

 

After that it gets a bit hazy, or its just too familiar.

Lars Ricken,the Dortmund fella.