As we sit here on the day of the Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich, I decided to take a look back down memory lane at the great European Cup finals of all time. There have been some classic finals in the past decades and we can hope tonight’s showpiece in Munich proves to be another one of those occasions.

Manchester United 4 Benfica 1 (1968)

The Red Devils became the first English side to win the European cup, and what made it sweeter was the fact it was won at Wembley (perhaps a good omen for SAF tomorrow). The game is remembered for European footballer of the year and football writer’s Footballer of the Year, George Best’s ‘wonder’ goal, but it could have been so different for United if goalkeeper Alex Stepney hadn’t saved from Eusebio, when the score was 1-1, when the Benfica forward broke through in the final moments. United sealed an emphatic win in extra time, with ‘that’ goal from Best, another from 19 year old Brian Kidd and another from Bobby Charlton.

Celtic 2 Inter Milan 1 (1967)

Celtic broke Britain’s European duck, in a remarkable game of attack versus defence, with the Scottish club managing 42 attempts on goal, with the Italians only achieving a measly five. Inter Milan took the lead on seven minutes via a Sandro Mazzola penalty, but that is as good as it got for the Italians, with Celtic unleashing wave after wave after attack, which eventually paid dividends with Tommy Gemmell and a deflected Bobby Murdoch shot, sealing the win.

Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1 (2000)

Everyone related with the German giants started to celebrate when the clock ticked over the 90 minute mark but 36 seconds later, the party was abruptly halted thanks to a Teddy Sheringham equaliser. Everybody began readying themselves for extra time but somebody forgot to tell Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored a dramatic winner on 92 minutes and 17 seconds to clinch the Treble for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Liverpool 3 AC Milan 3 (Liverpool win 3-2 on pens) (2005)

AC Milan fans are still recovering from this historic night in Istanbul, where Liverpool achieved, what was deemed impossible at half time. 3-0 down against a stereotypical Italian defence, the game basically over, but in a mad seven minute spell Liverpool showed us all why we love the beautiful game with Gerrard, Smicer and Alonso completing a sensational come back, to take the game to extra time and eventually penalties, which of course the Merseyside outfit won.

Real Madrid 7 Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (1960)

This cup final is viewed by many as the greatest European final ever, and it is hard to argue against with ten goals, two hat tricks (Ferenc Puskas 4 and Alfredo di Stefano 3) and world record number of fans at Hampden Park (127,261). This victory was Real Madrid’s fifth consecutive European Cup final victory in a row.

Benfica 5 Real Madrid 3 (1962)

Real Madrid were looking to reclaim their European dominance after Benfica had taken the trophy the year before, and with two early goals from Puskas it looked like Madrid would do just that. However within ten minutes Benfica were level again, only for Puskas to complete his hat trick before half time. Benfica managed to draw level in the second half and eventually went on to retain their crown with two goals in four minutes from Eusebio.

Nottingham Forest 1 Malmo 0 (1979)

Just two seasons earlier Forest were playing in the old second division, something of a fairytale football story. If that wasn’t enough of a story for you, UEFA rules meant that Trevor Francis Britain’s first £1 million signing couldn’t play in European matches for three months, which meant the Cup final was the former Birmingham City man’s Euro debut, a huge gamble by Old Big ‘Ead but one that paid off with Francis netting the winner.

Milan 4 Ajax 1 (1969)

This Milan performance destroyed the cliché of Italian football being negative and defensive, with Pierino Prati scoring the last hat trick in a European final to date. This Ajax side would eventually go on to be European Champions three years in a row in the early 1970s.

Real Madrid 2 Bayer Leverkusen 1 (2002)

A very close encounter with Raul opening the scoring after eight minutes for Madrid but Leverkusen’s Lucio levelled the score only five minutes later. It is what happened in the 45th minute that gets this game onto such lists, arguably one of the greatest UEFA Champions League goals was scored by Zinedine Zidane who volleyed a high arcing cross from Roberto Carlos into the top corner from the edge of the area, a goal worthy to win any match, especially a cup final.

Borussia Dortmund 3 Juventus 1 (1997)

Everyone loves an underdog and the German’s duly obliged in giving us a victorious one. The German’s went 2-0 up before Del Piero (who else) pulled a goal back but Dortmund sealed the win with a Lars Ricksen goal, 16 seconds after he came on as a substitute, which was and still is the faster goal by a substitute in the Champions League ever.

The Sweden international is believed to be slightly frustrated with the Rossoneri’s surrender of the Scudetto to Juventus this term, and wants assurances from Massimiliano Allegri’s men after the likes of Alessandro Nesta, Mark van Bommel and Rino Gattuso were allowed to leave the club.

The newly-crowned Premier League champions are set to take advantage of Milan’s transitional period, and will make Ibrahimovic the highest-paid player in the country should be decide to move to the Etihad Stadium.

Roberto Mancini’s men are rumoured to be ready to offer the Scandinavian marksman £300,000 a week to tempt him to move to England.

The Italian trainer is thought to be a huge admirer of Ibrahimovic, and signed the Swede for Inter back in 2006.

By Gareth McKnight

Whilst Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have already acted swiftly to prize away Xherdan Shaqiri and Marco Reus for the 2012/13 campaign, clubs in this country are still toiling away behind the scenes, drawing up lists of potential summer bargains to be had.

We thought we would make their selections a little easier by drawing up a list of the transfer bargains that can be picked up from the continent this summer.

Click on Jefferson Farfan to unveil the top 15 bargains to be had

The South American attacker has had a rollercoaster season; firstly he refused to enter the field of play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, then went AWOL for three months, only to return to City’s line-up and help them to the Premier League title.

Despite all this, Tevez’s future is unclear as yet and the Italian side are eager to bring him to the San Siro after seeing attempts thwarted in January.

The Rossoneri lost their Serie A title to Juventus this term, and as such as having a revamp of their squad in the summer, with older heads Alessandro Nesta, Rino Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, Gianluca Zambrotta, Mark van Bommel and Clarence Seedorf all on their way out.

Robinho, who has been on the fringes of the Milan starting line-up, may also make way in the summer clearout.

By Gareth McKnight

The latest player to be linked with a move abroad is Tottenham’s Gareth Bale, who is believed to be attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and AC Milan, after his comments regarding Spurs’ Champions league hopes.

The Welshman may well turn out to be hit if he swaps the British Isles for the Continent, yet he may want to look at a few examples of home-grown players who have failed to adapt to a new footballing culture.

This list runs through 15 British players who have failed to adapt to the footballing culture of other nations:

Click on Woodgate below to unveil the failed brits abroad

Any I missed? Let me know on Twitter @Alex_Hams

Chelsea’s recent transformation on the pitch looks under threat with an upcoming fixture pile up that looks more intimidating than the current congestion at your local petrol station. The recent heroics in Portugal have installed the Blues as firm favourites to overcome Benfica and book their place in the last four of the Champions League. However, should they achieve this they will be forced to play either Barcelona or AC Milan just three days after an FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Roberto Di Matteo had pleaded with the FA to move their match with Spurs to the Friday night to allow his team ample opportunity to recover for what would be their biggest game of the season. Unfortunately, the FA has insisted that the fixture will not be rearranged under any circumstances sparking an angry retort from the Chelsea interim manager.

“We have tried to communicate with the FA and co-operate, so it’s disappointing, I would say, that common sense hasn’t prevailed,’ he said.

‘I probably would have been happy with a Friday night kick-off. We have tried to co-operate with the authorities and given our point of view but it seems it hasn’t been taken into consideration.’

Under normal circumstances the two semi-finals would simply have been swapped over to allow Chelsea to play on the Saturday. However, Sunday April 15 marks the 23rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster with Liverpool understandably refusing to play on that day.

The general consensus amongst supporters appears to be that the FA would not allow the game to take place on Friday night because of policing and safety concerns. Would they still harbour the same view if Chelsea and Tottenham didn’t share a local rivalry? It’s fair to say that neither club would consider each other their ‘fiercest’ adversaries but it would appear that the FA will take every precaution to avoid any disturbances in what will prove to be a feisty affair on the pitch.

To make matters worse for Chelsea, ITV have announced that the tie will take place at 6pm in order to fit snuggly within a prime time viewing slot. The late kick off will also ensure that it doesn’t clash with Manchester United‘s Premier League match against Aston Villa, which is being screened on Sky at 4pm. Is this another example of TV companies exerting their detrimental influence on modern football or are they perfectly within their right to make such changes, considering the vast amounts of money that pay in broadcasting rights?

Perhaps there wouldn’t be such a backlash against the FA if other governing bodies around the world employed the same resilient stance against their respective clubs. In the previous round of the Champions League both Benfica and Napoli were given compensation to play their league games on the Friday to allow for extra days rest ahead of their midweek ties.  This is however nothing compared to the extreme lengths the French football association have gone to, moving Marseille’s game against Montpellier back an entire week to help them recuperate properly between the clashes with German giants Bayern Munich. Outrageous I hear you cry, but it’s worth pointing out that their UEFA coefficient, which is currently below Portugal, will mean they will likely lose a Champions League place if Marseille do not progress beyond the quarter-final stages.

Perhaps it’s amicable that the FA are setting a good example concerning favouritism amongst clubs in Europe but with English clubs suffering a disappointing season in the Champions League, surely the FA should be doing everything in their power to help our last remaining representative in the competition.

Does the FA deserve their current barrage of criticism?

Leave your comments below or on Twitter @theunusedsub

The Scudetto holders beat the Gunners 4-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at the San Siro a fortnight ago, and ahead of the rematch at the Emirates Stadium the Italian coach has told Arsene Wenger to have an active summer recruiting new faces.

“For me it’s impossible to win the title or Champions League without signing big players,” the tactician told The Sun.

“You will never do it without big players. That goes for Arsenal, Milan or any big club. You must buy big.

“I have a strong team but in that I have three big players, bringing experience, character, technical ability and leadership. You need leaders.

“For me in every team there are two leaders. One technical and tactical leader and one with character.

“In Milan our technical leader is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In terms of character, until last year, it was Rino Gattuso. Now Mark Van Bommel or Thiago Silva,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

It’s a momentous day; this is the man who can transform the fortunes of your beloved team. He arrives with a big reputation, he might even bag a debut goal but somewhere down the line the wheels of your shiny new superstar begin to fall off. He’s fallen out with the manager or started using the physio’s room as his new living quarters. Whatever the reason, he hasn’t lived up to expectations and is now likely to wallow in the reserves until being ushered out the back door, the minute that transfer window opens.

It would be easy to include Fernando ‘cow’s arse with a banjo’ Torres or Andy ‘cow’s arse’ Carroll in this list of faltering superstars but at least they are enjoying first team football at present. These ten players find themselves making impressive bottom indentations on the dugout bench or have been hastily shipped out on loan when no one was looking.

Click on Delph below to unveil the top 10 wasted talents in English football

Post your suggestions @theunusedsub and I’ll make sure I lament their ability in a future article. 

In recent years, the Premier League has dominated the Champions League latter stages, from 2007-2009, three of the four semi-finalists were English based clubs, while Manchester United have reached three of the four previous finals, winning one (against Chelsea in 2008).

Despite this, English teams have made up only two of the winners in the past 10 years, (Liverpool in 2005 and Manchester United in 2008), this is less than Italy who have three (AC Milan 2003 and 2007 and Inter Milan in 2010), and Spain who lead the way with four (Real Madrid in 2002 and Barcelona in 2006, 2009 and 2011).

The Premier League is always billed as the greatest league in the world, mainly because it’s not as slow as Italian football, it’s not a two horse race like Spanish football and more people around the world are interested in the Premier League.

All of these are true, but does that make the Premier League the best? Certainly it’s the richest, but the counter-attacking football played by the Italians is certainly easy on the eye, and as Chelsea and Arsenal found out, very difficult to play against and the passing football played by Barcelona is arguably the greatest of all time. La Liga may be a two horse race, but the way television money works means it is virtually impossible for another team to break the strangle hold of Barcelona and Madrid dominance, even Malaga who have a rich owner have hardly threatened to make a title challenge.

But the proof is in the pudding, despite English clubs progressing into the latter stages, they are trailing their Italian and Spanish counter parts in the winner’s category. It’s also worth pointing out that both Italy and Spain have won the World Cup in the last ten years (and European Championship for Spain), while England haven’t even looked like being serious contenders for the crown.

Each of the English teams have their reasons for their poor showing in this years elite competition, Manchester City can claim they are concentrating on winning the Premier-League, with the Champions League coming later on in their plans for football domination. Manchester United has hardly strengthened their squad since the loss of Ronaldo and the retirement of Scholes proved how they missed a midfielder with guile and class.

Chelsea seem to be a club in transition which is taking a bumpy track, with constant reports of player revolts and Arsenal have lost Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas and replaced them with Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benyayoun, so when they was outclassed at the San Siro it was hardly a surprise.

Being the richest league in the world doesn’t necessarily make it the strongest as the list of winners show, and while English clubs may be able to attract big name players the biggest ones are choosing to ply their trade outside of the UK. Sky have been able to take the Premier League to audiences far and wide, but the truth is English football isn’t as strong as Sky would like to think it is.

The San Siro resembled a cemetery on Wednesday night, having been littered with the unfulfilled talent of a deteriorating Arsenal side whilst signalling the revival of a sleeping Italian giant.

Let’s not pull any punches, Arsenal were simply abysmal. Their apprehension towards a newly rejuvenated Milan was evident from the first whistle, a sea of red and black stripes engulfed their midfield eager to lay siege upon the Arsenal backline. The most upsetting difference between the two sides was not the gulf in quality but the fact that Milan displayed an unmatched hunger and passion, which belittled the weary stereotypes of Italian football.

The match also signalled the finale of Thierry Henry’s loan spell at the club, who once again leaves behind a distinctly uninspiring squad. Besides Wilshere, Van Persie and the rapidly improving Oxlade-Chamberlain the rest strike me as somewhat ‘fragile’. The leading figures of Adams and Vieira are long gone together with Fabregas, the former talisman of Wenger’s ‘new era’. Perhaps this is what prompted former Gunners favourite Emmanuel Petit to propose a drastic overhaul at the club.

“We shouldn’t hesitate to talk about the end of the cycle. Regardless of age, we have to look seriously at certain players. Right now.” (Daily Mail)

The likes of Rosicky and Arshavin are mere ‘passengers’ in the team, incapable of establishing a foothold in the match as they aimlessly drift around the pitch struggling to make an impact. Their individual contributions to the club are unquestionable, but their performances in recent times have failed to convey a sense of maturity considering their vast experience.

It’s no secret that the departures of Fabregas and Nasri left a gaping wound at the core of the club and the search for their predecessors was never going to be straightforward. However, the growing unrest from the loyal supporters, tired of watching a team fall short of their potential, forced Arsene into a last minute dash round the transfer market. The move struck a chord of desperation and his purchases suggest one of few acts of careless judgement Wenger has committed during his time at Arsenal.

The arrival of Per Mertesacker was expected to signal a new strong presence in the heart of the defence. Sadly anyone who has had the misfortune of playing as former club Werder Bremen on FIFA, will have been well aware of his barely discernible pace and inadequate positioning skills. His performance at Carrow Road earlier in the year gave the impression of a baby giraffe trying to adapt to life in a pair of roller skates.

Andre Santos appears to possess none of the positive stereotypes associated with a Brazilian full back and all of the negative ones. Mikel Arteta was the showcase signing of Wenger’s late flurry, at the very least he will no longer be a thorn in Arsenal’s side whenever they face Everton. However, you get the impression he’s counting down the minutes until his next injury and has failed to stamp his authority in the absence of key players in the midfield. It also occurs to me that he relished being that ‘big fish in a small pond’, which has perhaps hampered his initial performances. The less said about the acquisition of Benayoun the better.

In the darkest of times, some lights shine brightest and there’s evidence of this with a few individuals within Wenger’s squad. Laurent Koscielny has grown in stature this season in amongst the tentative performances of defensive pairing Johan Djourou and young Carl Jenkinson. Emmanuel Frimpong looks extremely capable of putting that bite back into the midfield, whilst Wenger will hope Henri Lansbury and Ryo Miyaichi will enjoy similar progress out on loan as Jack Wilshere did at Bolton.

Arsenal fans have long been crying out for a world class signing and perhaps Wenger will seek to please in the summer, regardless of the new Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. He will need to act quick if he is to secure the signing of Lille starlet Eden Hazard, with the playmaker seemingly favouring a move to Spurs as it represents the best opportunity of a regular playing spot and Champions League football. Other names frantically circled on Arsene’s shortlist supposedly include French midfielder (surprise, surprise) Yann M’Villa and Dortmund danger man Mario Gotze. The 19-year old German’s raw technical ability and inspired creativity means his list of admirers is growing by the day.

Perhaps Arsene could replicate Manchester City’s transfer exploits by seeking out unsettled superstars at rival clubs. Would Arsenal fans approve of a move for want away striker Carlos Tevez, the main obstacle would surround his vast wage bill but he would undoubtedly favour relocating to London from Manchester. Without seeking to inflict the wrath of The Reds, could a move for Luis Suarez be a potential alternative, if rumours of unrest at Liverpool hold any legitimacy.

It’s evident that a transformation needs to take place at Arsenal to lift the club out from their downward spiral, but should it also include the manager? An exit in the FA Cup against high flyers Sunderland could spell the end for the Frenchman. Subscribers to the ‘In Wenger we trust’ faction appear to be dwindling, could free flowing, attacking football bring success under Frank Rijkaard or maybe Fabio Capello, whose achievements at club level are unrivalled.

If Highbury was known as the library then the Emirates is danger of becoming a museum, serving only to house Arsenal’s past glories. One thing’s for sure, Arsenal need something to cheer about and fast.

Come find me on Twitter @theunusedsub where we can collectively reminisce over the goals of Ian Wright.