Champions League results spark possible 97 and 99 repeats (video)
Should pre-tournament favourites Barcelona and Real Madrid be unable to overturn their Champions League second round first leg results, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund will be the most likely to contest this season’s competition, sparking memories of the finals of 1997 and 1999.
1999 finalists United and Bayern picked up fantastic away results at the Bernabeu and the Emirates Stadium respectively and look to have given themselves an excellent opportunity to progress to the quarter final stage of the tournament.
Following the 1-1 draw in Madrid, Real will visit Old Trafford needing to score at least 2 goals to avoid knockout however will believe they can do so on Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester given that they will arrive with a ‘nothing-to-lose’ attitude and in consideration of Jose Mourinho’s record against United.
Sir Alex Ferguson and his team will be confident of completing the job on their own soil, however given United’s performance in Spain and their recent form having only dropped 4 Premier League points since their defeat to Norwich in mid-November.
United’s opponents of the 1999 final Bayern look certainties to earn a quarter final spot after the Germans swept aside a limp Arsenal in a comprehensive 3-1 victory in London – only a miracle will see the Gunners progress in Munich.
At present, Bayern arguably look the strongest side in the Champions League. They knocked United out on away goals in the 2010 semi-final courtesy of an Arjen Robben-inspired comeback at Old Trafford however should both teams meet in the final this season, revenge for United’s famous 1999 victory will certainly be on the minds of the Germans.
Fellow compatriots Borussia Dortmund picked up a hard-fought and valuable 2-2 draw against Shaktar Donetsk in a tricky second round tie in Ukraine after defender Mats Hummels scored a crucial late header. Dortmund appear to be everyone’s second favourite team and this year’s dark horses in the competition as a result of fine group stage performances against Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax.
Borussia do have history in the Champions League. In 1997 they upset the odds in Munich to deny highly fancied Juventus of their second successive European Cup victory.
The paths of Dortmund and Juve could cross once more after the Italian giants left Glasgow having dispatched Celtic in a 3-0 smash and grab win.
Both 97 finalists share similarities in their recent fortunes as they have risen from adversity in the early part of the new millenium – as a result of respective bankruptcy and a match-fixing scandal – to ascendancy in their domestic leagues. Borussia won the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012, whereas Juventus won the Serie A title in 2012 – their first since Calciopoli.
Unless Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid spoil the party by mounting a comeback in their second leg ties, nostalgia may fall across European football as the Champions League harbours the possibility of re-kindling two classic finals of the 1990’s.
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