technically the Champions League has never been won by two teams in subsequent years Only 4 clubs have come close AC Milan Ajax Juventus Manchester United The European cup however....
I'll go one further. The rebranding of the European Cup into the Champions League for the 1992-93 campaign merely changed the tournament format from a straight up knockout competition into a group stage followed by a couple of KO rounds. But clubs still had to win their domestic league in order to qualify for the tournament. For me, the "Champions League era" began with the 1997-98 tournament when runners-up of the top eight leagues (aka non-domestic league champions) were allowed entry into the tournament. It was expanded to the current access list for the 1999-2000 competition. So Manchester United is the only one I would place on the list of defending champions that lost the final the following year. This further enhances the notion that it's tough to successfully defend the trophy. The flip side of this is that under the original European Cup format LPB would not have even qualified for seven of the last eight tournaments. Indeed, since expanded entry was allowed there have been 19 tournaments. (2016-17 is the 20th.) Of the 38 finalists only 14 had won their domestic league the previous season. The remaining 24 finalists would not have even qualified under the original format. 1997-98 : Real Madrid 1–0 Juventus 1998-99 : Manchester United 2–1 Bayern Munich 1999-00 : Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia 2000-01 : Bayern Munich 1–1 a.e.t. (5-4 pen) Valencia 2001-02 : Real Madrid 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen 2002-03 : Milan 0–0 a.e.t. (3-2 pen) Juventus 2003-04 : FC Porto 3–0 Monaco 2004-05 : Liverpool 3–3 a.e.t. (3-2 pen) Milan 2005-06 : FC Barcelona 2–1 Arsenal 2006-07 : Milan 2–1 Liverpool 2007-08 : Manchester United 1–1 a.e.t. (6-5 pen) Chelsea 2008-09 : FC Barcelona 2–0 Manchester United 2009-10 : Internazionale 2–0 Bayern Munich 2010-11 : FC Barcelona 3–1 Manchester United 2011-12 : Chelsea 1–1 a.e.t. (4-3 pen) Bayern Munich 2012-13 : Bayern Munich 2–1 Borussia Dortmund 2013-14 : Real Madrid 4–1 a.e.t. Atlético Madrid 2014-15 : FC Barcelona 3–1 Juventus 2015-16 : Real Madrid 1–1 a.e.t. (5-3 pen) Atlético Madrid
Think it says anything about the state of European football that only 2 clubs (Dortmund and Juve) in the past 5 finals have made it as defending champs of their domestic league?
Oh god yes! LPB winning the CL, CR lifting another undeserved Ballon catching Messi when he's been shit entire year is a huge factor. Juve look like to win 6 years in a row. Bayern 5th and I can't see any other team coming close in the coming years unless something extraordinary happens. Juve sold their best player and bought a fat forward and still retain the title and go to another CL final. What do you think would happen if Barca sold Messi? Anyways I'm just praying to god that LPB lose the CL and then that the board focuses a bit and doesn't flopp immensely when it comes to reinforcing the problem areas. Remember the issues in defense year after year after year? Imagine if you had bought someone sooner than Mathieu, Veermalen Umtiti. They were scared of buying Thiago Silva who back then was perfect fit. Instead Masch was remodeled to be a CB for good and for worse. Imagine someone who could head the ball in now and then? It's these things that are/were so obvious to everyone around the world but not to Barca board and mentality. I'm 100% sure if those small issues were fixed that Barça would without a doubt have won 9 years in a row and even CL another, perhaps two. (Ibra doesn't count, he's not a good header).
Regarding success, It's a challenge to find the right formula to stay on top but with a proper planning and seizing opportunities, a team can stay on top for as long as they want with a clear vision and execution. After all, success breeds success but the current board and management didn't continue with the formula that made Barcelona so successful, instead, they destroyed most of the work that was done by the previous management and didn't offer a better formula or vision/plan. It's important to re-invent and continually find a different approach to the successful vision NOT to destroy it and have poor or no alternative plan. Regarding casual vs. passionate fans, watching the games for the past decade is not enough to make you a passionate hardcore team supporter. I know for the fact that so many casual fans just follow the team and watch football every Sunday as part of social entertainment habit with their buddies. The same habit will take many to the gym for 4-5 times a week but not all are that fit or a bodybuilders.
Well, I know but its just a fluke that it happened like that. If you look at the past 20 years there have only been 9 different CL winners. And one of those was a Cinderella story. The trophy is basically being passed around between 8 clubs. And within those 8 clubs there are 3 or 4 with an better chance of winning each season than the other 4-5. That's why we will see many repeat champions in our lifetime. Also Bayern 2012-13.
If you hate Lucho (as Barca's coach) then you probably don't want to see Unzue as his successor, this says that's very unlikely, esp. after he got into it with Neymar: http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...ue-neymar-which-angered-the-brazilian-6025613
I hope he is not Barca's next coach but he isn't wrong about Neymar. Tuchel might be available and if this board half smart they should approach him now.
Well, its not just watching the games every weekend. Its also posting on here regularly and doing other Barca-related stuff. So your fitness analogy doesn't really "fit".
His attitude in games has cost us some points and his priorities should be with Barcelona not elsewhere. For example, his insistence on attending his stupid sister party every year has cost Barcelona 3 important points by losing to Deportivo. I can go on and on, so Unzue is right to question his attitude.
why do you think I meant you when I said "casual fans"? why do you think my comment was directed to you? Did I hint that? Unless you feel that you are that casual fan then no need to be insecure about it.
I think you're assuming what the fight was about. You really don't know his attitude in training. His attitude in games ? How so ? He is a hot head and that is known. But that has nothing to do with priorities nor how Ronaldinho was. He didn't go to Brazil to his sister's party this year. He stayed in Barcelona.
I didn't think you were responding to me, I assumed you were responding to Celito since he is the one that said he watched pretty much every Barca game since 2006. He's a regular poster here, hence my added remark. Not to mention, there's the strong implication over the past couple of pages of this thread that if you make strong, negative, angry posts then you're a bigger Barca supporter. lol @ that theory.
I guess that last remark is point towards me and depending on how you see things I could be a bigger Barca supporter than anyone here since I'm hating and bitching all the time. But I could also be the biggest supporter since you don't know my weight. Take it ez with those remarks, you might offend someone [emoji23]
Nah they don't count cause they lost the first final so the second successive final did not mean they could go back to back as champs
I agree. Winning or losing a final can dictate how a team approaches the tournament the following year. Winning the 2012 final on home soil would have brought about much satisfaction for Bayern. By losing, they were probably more determined to win it in 2013. Along similar lines, during the 2010 Liga celebrations Pep told the crowd that he knew everyone was let down by not reaching the Bernabeu final and he promised everyone that the Champions would be won the following year. As it turned out, the 2010-11 squad has been described by many as amongst the best of all-time in the sport's history (not just Barca history). If Barca had reached and won the 2010 Bernabeu final it would have been the defining moment in the club's history and I question whether the team would have had the determination to put out the performances they eventually had in 2010-11.
I thought champions league was a crapshoot and not always the best team winning? Now it's attitude, motivation and determination? We can't have it both ways guys!
Sure you can. You don't think Barca wanted to lift the trophy at the Bernabeu? Of course they did. That's attitude, motivation and determination. "¡Sí, sí, sí... Nos vamos a Madrid!" But sometimes that isn't enough. You need luck as well. Bojan's late goal should have stood. The ref blew the call on Yaya's supposed handball. The best team didn't win in 2010. Not imo, anyway. Likewise Bayern at the Allianz in 2013. Yes, the best team doesn't always win a knockout tournament. But that's doesn't equate to 'the best team never wins it'. Sometimes they do. 2011, for example.