Source: Daily_Mail
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL SPECIAL: A trip down memory lane with Manchester United and Barcelona
Sometimes, especially as one gets older, the never-ending pace of sport can leave you lagging behind.
Matches, tournaments and cups never stop coming: from the extravaganzas provided by the Olympics and World Cup every four years, through the annual joys of Wimbledon, the Open and Six Nations to those many other treats like the Ashes and Ryder Cups.
Even for sports obsessives like myself it is more and more difficult to keep up.
And then along comes something that is so magnificent, so intriguing and exciting, that you just know sports lovers everywhere will put down everything and make sure they are near a television to watch.
Manchester United against Barcelona in the European Cup final falls into that category.
Has there ever been a more glamorous final match in Europe's premier competition?
I know other clubs have won more European Cups (indeed a combined total of five, soon to be six, between these two power-houses of the game is a poor return indeed) but the word glamour isn't just about that.
For the sheer size of support and worldwide appeal, a proud tradition of exciting and attacking football, not to mention the many great players that have graced the clubs, this is truly a tantalising showdown.
United's first triumph in the competition came in the black and white days, when Sir Bobby Charlton cried into Sir Matt Busby's arms on a night of great emotion at Wembley in 1968, where Benfica were beaten after extra-time.
But then came a long, long wait for a second triumph, which came 10 years ago on a fabled night in Barcelona, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer broke Bayern Munich hearts and sealed a treble for United.
The next wait was shorter, but nine years had still elapsed when John Terry slipped in the Moscow rain and United took advantage to win a memorable final last May.
Barcelona had already lost a number of finals, and were literally desperate for their first European Cup when Ronald Koeman wrote his name in Catalan folklore with the winner against Sampdoria at Wembley in 1992.
And a second win for Barca came three years ago, with their late comeback to beat Arsenal in Paris.
For those of us that have enjoyed a long love affair with the European Cup there really is nothing like the final.
Thoughts for me come flooding back of that unlikely win for Hamburg against Juventus (the first final I can recall), Bruce Grobbelaar's shaking legs in Rome, that saddest of nights at the Heysel Stadium, pain for El Tel's Barcelona in Seville, the great AC Milan teams.
There was that defeat for Chris Waddle's Marseille, a Dortmund shock for Juventus, Zinedine Zidane's fantastic winner at Hampden, and so on.
And now the story rolls into the Eternal City, and what should be a fabulous match on Wednesday night. It would be remiss of me to let the occasion pass without a trip down that road we all know so well .... memory lane.
1984 EUROPEAN CUP-WINNERS CUP QUARTER-FINAL: UNITED STUN BARCA ON UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT
Many mature folk, including Sir Bobby Charlton if memory serves, have sworn that Old Trafford has never sounded louder than this night.
Bryan Robson has certainly said it was the greatest atmosphere he can remember at the old place (see the clip below).
Barcelona had won the first leg of this quarter-final tie courtesy of an own goal from Graeme Hogg and a brilliant late strike from Rojo.
Few pundits gave Ron Atkinson's United hope of turning the tie round, but backed by a wildly excitable crowd they were inspired.
Bryan Robson's diving header in the first half gave United hope, and then after the break the midfield war horse took advantage of a spill from Barcelona goalkeeper Javier Urruti to double the lead and level the tie.
And within a couple of minutes, with Old Trafford at fever pitch, Robson headed across goal for Frank Stapleton to head home.
Robson was chaired off the pitch - you can always tell a night is extra special when players are carried shoulder high by supporters (think David Beckham at Villa Park and Sir Alex at the Nou Camp in 1999).
With United generally starved of success at this time, it was a famous night which will be long remembered, and something I will always associate with my footballing infancy - and who can believe a quarter of a century has passed since?
United were ravaged by injuries in their semi-final against Juventus, particularly in the first leg when Alan Davies scored in a 1-1 draw, and the Italian side won 2-1 in the second leg in Turin to reach the final.
1991 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP FINAL: UNITED WIN IN THE ROTTERDAM RAIN
The ban on English clubs imposed after the Heysel disaster lasted five years, but it might as well have been an eternity. It seemed fitting that United were the first club back in continental competition.
Even the staunchest United fan would have to admit however that they didn't have the toughest of runs to the final, with Wrexham, Montpellier (not without a scare mind) and Legia Warsaw seen off to book a showdown with Barcelona in Rotterdam.
United hadn't been in a final since that Wembley night in 1968, and were second favourites for this one.
A powering Steve Bruce header from a free-kick, helped in by Mark Hughes on the line, put United in front.
And then, magnificently, Mark Hughes produced a moment which summed up his whole brilliant career perfectly, taking the ball round the keeper and when it looked like he was too far from goal smashing a marvellous low shot into the bottom corner.
Ronald Koeman pulled a late goal back for Barcelona and United were forced to hold on desperately in the closing stages to seal victory.
Alex Ferguson (pre-knighthood days) was making a habit of celebrating in the rain. His previous European success with Aberdeen had come in pouring rain in Gothenburg eight years earlier.
United fans sang 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' and the club were winners on the continent again.
Barcelona would bounce back to win the grandest prize of all at Wembley 12 months later.
1994 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BARCELONA HAND OUT LESSON TO UNITED IN NOU CAMP
When I hear that blessed Champions League music, that amazingly some foolish folk choose to criticise, I think firstly of the autumn of 1994.
This is when the competition was new, truly exciting, and very much a learning process still for United.
United had drawn with Barcelona 2-2 in a splendid affair at Old Trafford before they took a real beating in the Nou Camp.
True, the foreigners rule didn't help United on the night, with United boss Alex Ferguson (still pre-knighting) choosing to play Gary Walsh instead of Peter Schmeichel, but you could only sit back and admire the brilliant skills of the hosts.
Hristo Stoichkov scored early to open the floodgates, and Romario doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Stoichkov scored again after the break and Albert Ferrer put the gloss on a thumping win late on.
Barcelona were at the top of their game on the night, at times passing around and through a bemused United at will, and were a true joy to watch.
United were outplayed, but the lessons learnt by the manager would prove invaluable in future campaigns.
Worse was still to come for United that autumn however, when a shoddy performance and 3-1 defeat in Gothenburg saw them make an early exit from the competition.
1998 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL: MEMORABLE THRILLER AT NOU CAMP LEAVES EUROPE BREATHLESS
Much had changed in the four years since United's last visit to the grand cathedral of the Nou Camp.
Fergie's men were now considered one of the favourites to win the competition, and after a wonderfully exciting 3-3 draw at Old Trafford hopes were high for a match to remember in Barcelona.
What we saw that night bordered on fantasy football, with sublime goals and skills illuminating the huge crowd and millions watching on television.
Sonny Anderson blasted Barcelona in front inside a minute as the visitors made a shaky start, but Dwight Yorke fired United level and soon after the break the Trinidad and Tobago striker magically combined with Andy Cole, with the latter coolly putting United in front.
Rivaldo's deflected free-kick made it 2-2, but Yorke headed in David Beckham's superb cross to give United the lead again.
Rivaldo's brilliant overhead gave Barca hope of qualifying, but the same player struck the bar late on and the hosts were also denied victory at the last by a typically superb Schmeichel.
The entertainment was breathless and the match must remain one of the most enjoyable ever seen in Europe's premier competiton.
Few people seem to recall that Barcelona were knocked out that night, and painfully so with the final to be staged at the Nou Camp.
United of course would return six months later for one of the most unforgettable nights in the history of the game.
2008 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL: UNITED EDGE OUT BARCELONA TO REACH MOSCOW FINAL
United were desperate to add to their European Cup wins of 1968 and 1999, but faced the stiffest of tests against Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed an early penalty in the first leg at the Nou Camp, but United's priority in that game was quite clearly defence.
Barcelona could consider themselves a touch unfortunate not to take a lead to Old Trafford, while Sir Alex Ferguson was hailing United's professionalism (to be fair it wasn't too different to Chelsea's performance in the semi-final first leg this season, and I think the London club were unfairly criticised after that match).
The second leg was a tense affair, with the atmosphere at Old Trafford crackling. In fact Sir Alex said it was the greatest atmosphere at the ground in his time as manager, and probably the loudest (and most emotional) since that match with Barcelona in 1984.
Paul Scholes, who may have been on something of a personal mission after missing the 1999 final through suspension, blasted a simply marvellous goal to put United in front.
The second half seemed to last an age for United supporters, with Barcelona enjoying the majority of possession and sniffing their chance to equalise.
But in a climax that didn't do any favours for the old ticker, United survived.
Sir Alex danced with delight on the touchline and United had reached their third European Cup final.
I can count the number of times I've burst into tears while watching sport on the fingers of one hand - this was one of them.
If being moved by the power of sport becomes a crime, I'll be happy to appear in court.
Barcelona will no doubt keep close the memories of last year when they play United in the Rome final. It should be another match to savour between two of world football's giants.
