More Obscure facts - Round II (fight!)

Again, simple stuff really with a few tricky ones thrown in.

There was an unlikely winner of Ligue 1 in 1998. What was more remarkable was that this team was inspired by an unlikely duo who did not feature in that summer's World Cup. The first would have gone but The Czech Republic team missed out. The latter was dropped from the Yugoslavia squad days before the final squad was announced. Name the team and both players.

Name the big Welsh striker sold by Arsene Wenger in his first season. Yes, he used to play for Arsenal.

Name the team that the above player was sold to and name his fellow strike partner, who followed him there a year later.

Milan finished 11th and 10th in 2 turbulent, confused seasons in the mid-late nineties. Right after winning the Scudetto in 1996 they hired a lesser known Uruguayan Manager who lasted barely a month before Sacchi was brought back. Name the unlucky chap.

We all know Patrick Vieira used to play for Milan before being 'rescued' and brought to North London by Arsene Wenger. Which other famous midfield warrior, a contemporary of Vieira's, also languished at Milan around the same time, before going on to flourish elsewhere ?

Staying at Milan, in typical fashion, after 2 barren years, they signed a Manager and 2 players from fellow Serie A team Udinese in 1998. All 3 were crucial as Milan romped to the Scudetto in 1999. Name all three.

Champions' League final 1998, Real beat Juventus by a solitary goal. Who scores it ? Now for extra credit, the same player would miss a crucial, late penalty in the subsequent World Cup in a knockout game with the scores tied 1-1. Name the opposing team.

We all know Arsenal won the Premiership title going unbeaten in 2003-04. But they came very close to achieving that same record when they won the title once before. What year was this and how many games did they lose then ?

Lazio, won the Italian League and Cup double in 2000, but who were the last team before that to win both in the same year in Italy ? Name the team and year.

Staying in Italy, name the unlikely winner of the Copa Italia in 1997.

Juventus won the Champions' League in 1996, Borussia Dortmund won it in 1997. Intriguingly, there were was one player who started both games, and won both. Name him.

Inter came within a whisker of winning the Serie A title in 2001-2002 before losing a tense, tight game on the last day of the season that allowed Juventus, who else, to pip them to the title. Whom did they lose that game to ?

Finally, Basketball player Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers is a fan of a Serie A team, having grown up there. Name the team. For extra credit, name the position he claims he grew up playing in football.

In defence of Inter.

So apparently now Italian fans are claiming that Serie A is too weak. Evidentally the ONLY reason why Inter is dominating is because they are surrounded by overachieving mediocrity (Empoli, Palermo, Catania) and underachieving pedigree (Milan, Roma, Fiorentina). Inter are actually garbage, they are the evil incarnate who need to be put in their place by the return of erstwhile hero, ex-public enemy number one and conquering usurper Juventus. (sic)

This thought pattern can surely be attributed to the notoriously fickle Italian psyche - or is it a deeper malaise ? Was it not Juventus who were recently excommunicated from Serie A with relegation to the second division, roundly abused by everyone for being on the favourable end of decisions and all-round puppetry engineered by that modern day machiavellian devil in chief - Luciano Moggi ? Was Juventus not the same team that were stripped of their ill-gotten gains, one of which, the 2006 Serie A title, was then awarded to Inter. Was not Inter, riding on the crest of a wave of positive public opinion and support, coupled with an all conquering team displaying mindboggling consistency supposed to herald in a new era of transparency and competitiveness in Serie A ?

Why this sudden change in opinion ?

If anything, Inter should be lauded for keeping their heads, moulding together so many talents and superstars into one cohesive unit that has refused to blink when put in the spotlight, and blazed a trail of glory while running away with the Scudetto. If ever there was an example of all round domestic excellence - this year's imperious display by Inter is surely the best case. Why the need to compromise and discount such an achievement ?

Okay so Juventus was not there - big deal. Juventus did not deserve to be there to begin with. In any case, the same reason why they were thrown out, is probably why they seemed to beat Inter in the past - they cheated. End of story. So if anything, these remarks basically mean "Inter are rubbish, they haven't beaten a Juventus team that cheated over them in the past".

So Inter have to beat Juventus while the latter own the referees and replays. Don't make me laugh.

What of Milan, their crosstown rivals and fellow chequebook cowboys ? Milan's response has been effete, inconsistent and jaded. That's not Inter's fault. When the two teams met, Inter raced to a 4 - 1 lead before Milan made the margin respectable (Milan still lost 4 - 3 ). Inter dominated the better part of that match. Even without the points deduction (for that same reason - cheating), Milan are counties behind Inter.

What of Roma, whom Inter have beaten and left behind in their dust ?

So, Valencia held Inter. Big deal. Valencia play in a tougher league and are actually not too bad themselves. Plus, they took their chances off plucky set-pieces. On another day Valencia could have played the same and lost 2 - 0 (or 4 - 0 for that matter). Inter mostly dominated that match. Inter's opponents have the advantage of playing slightly tougher opponents week in, week out. Despite this, they were second best to a clearly superior Inter side. Valencia are made to cause teams like Inter problems with their dogged, reactive approach. Celta beat Valencia, does that make them better than Inter ? Absolutely not. I had written before how Valencia may be Inter's toughest opponents so far - and that match proved it. Yet it does not take anything away from the Nerrazzuri.

There's an oddly Byzantine hypocrisy that pervades the mentality of the average fan, that seems to despise Inter and put them down. Barely a year after lauding the coup that deposed Juventus, they are grumbling about the successor. Serie A fans should sit back and enjoy Inter's games - they've never had it so good. Let Juventus come up next year, the arrival of the likes of Zdenek Grygera and Hasan Salihamdzic shouldn't trouble this Inter side.

2003 - Milan 0 - 0 Juventus (Milan win on penalties)

I had a hangover from the night before as I settled into my buddy's leather sofa to watch this. The Milan Inter semi-final had been tense and the evil empire of Juve loomed large in the final.

My first thoughts as the game kicked off - wow the pitch at Old Trafford looks beautiful, flat, smooth and well manicured. Juve looked less so - seemingly more intent on keeping Sheva and Rui Costa underwraps and stifling Milan than going out and actually trying to win the match. Shevchenko DID score and I will always maintain that it was a goal - but strangely it was ruled offside - rubbish. In retrospect I can try and attribute some of it to Moggipoli but I doubt his influence reached that far into the game. Gattuso was his usual bulldog self, bulldozing everything that moved in a jailhouse shirt. One shot from him from within his own half had to be palmed away by Buffon. Trezequet hung around in the box and off the backline waiting just waiting for a scrap. He got none. At the other end Inzaghi ran and ran and ran some more but did nothing. Once Ambrosini came on for Rui Costa I knew it was going to be penalties.

That livened things up and fittingly Sheva stroked home the winning spot kick. Everyone celebrated, I was finally fully awake - albeit in a warm fuzzy way. At this point hilarity ensured. Christian Brocchi, who hadn't played the final and had done precious little the whole tournament, grabbed the trophy and paraded it around Old Trafford as if he had singlehandedly won the damn thing. The bemused looks on Maldini and Inzaghi's faces were priceless - not to mention the one of pure joy on little Christian's face. I laughed so hard. I'm still laughing right now.

2004 - Porto 3 - 0 Monaco

First Arsenal somehow managed to lose 3-2 to Chelsea in the QF. Then Milan had let Depor wallop 4 past them to lose 5-4 in their QF. My dream Arsenal - Milan final was off. So, needless to say, I was more than a little disenchanted at watching Porto take on Monaco. I was still pining and had little interest in watching either. But watch I did and I was glad for it afterwards.

It was a good final. Porto manhandled Monaco. Their forward pressing, defensive coverage and all round organisation too much for Monaco. And they had Deco. One moment I remember was, Maniche of all people, dekeing out both Ludovic Giuly and Jerome Rothen in the middle of the park before passing the ball off to Deco who proceeded to dazzle and deke some more. From start to finish Porto were all over Monaco. From start to finish I kept thinking of Arsenal and Wayne 'blooming' Bridge. Watching Chelsea now it's hard to believe that a Mourinho coached team can actually play like this. I knew Deco would be off (he went to Barcelona); I didn't expect Giuly to join him.

This final was special in that it is the only final we'll ever see again that featured 2 teams from outside the established group of 14 big clubs. And for that, it should be remembered.

2005 - Liverpool 3 - 3 Milan (Liverpool win on penalties)

Wow - what a final. Arguably the best Champions' League final in terms of sheer excitement and goals. Once Maldini scored I had this creepy feeling that the game would taper off and die an effete death. Then Crespo scored. And scored again. 2 swift finishes from some sweet midfield passing. I had this warm feeling inside and decided to go back to work after halftime - having taken a late lunch

Halftime ended, I thought, 'you know what? 10 more minutes'. Then Gerrard scored. I thought 'you know what? let's just wait till the end'. Then Smicer scored and I got this sinking feeling. How that ball went in I'll never know. And then Gerrard crumpled easily in the box and I knew Milan were fooked. Alonso muffed the shot but Milan were static on the rebound and he rushed to convert. Thereafter I could not believe how Dudek kept out Milan and especially Sheva's shot at the end of extra time. There has never been such all round defensive ineptitude in a final and never will be again.

Penalties were nerve wracking and once Smicer converted his kick, I knew the comeback was complete. As circular as things are in football - 2 years after scoring the winning penalty, Shevchenko missed the decisive one this time.

2006 - Barcelona 2 - 1 Arsenal

The trick to English clubs winning the Champions' League final is to spot the opposition a goal or three and then mount a comeback. Arsenal obviously missed that class because instead of handing them a goal advantage they let Barcelona go a man up and then actually took the lead.

After having waited my whole life to see the Gunners reach the final I was determined not to let Lehmann's sending off spoil my mood. Playing 1-0 down with 11 men seemed a lot worse than leading 1-0 with 10 once Campbell got his head onto the end of Henry's free kick and scored. I was ecstatic. But I will admit it was a dive by Eboue. Still Rooney's dive cost us our unbeaten run and Barca dive plenty so I wasn't unduly morally shocked.

Beating the best team in the world with 11 men is hard enough - beating them with 10 is nigh impossible. Atleast we held out for 75 minutes. Arsenal were better in losing than many teams are in winning and we battled and fought right to the end. If Henry had taken his chance when he turned in Eboue's cross things would have been over much earlier.

I actually thought the opening goal would be enough but once Larsson came on he changed things. First, Samuel Eto'o scored a good goal at the far post. I felt Almunia should have gotten something onto it as he was in position but hey it's Eto'o. Belletti's goal though was a shocker - it went off the inside of Almunia' leg. What the bloody hell. Perhaps it would have been better if Lehmann had stayed on.

Still I couldn't complain - Barcelona had beaten us fair and square and it was a good final I guess. I was proud of Arsenal. I knew they'd be back.

1995 - Ajax 1 - 0 Milan

Frustrating. Not only were Milan never in top gear the whole season, losing out to Juventus domestically, they were always a little off the pace in Europe - and they still reached the final. Patrick Kluivert had been the difference between the sides in the group stage and was the only player Milan could not really shackle.

Inevitably, it was Kluivert who scored in the final as a young vibrant Ajax beat a rather limp Milan. My favorite, Savicevic didn't play, Boban was off colour and Baresi was a yard too slow all night. Louis Van Gaal had unleashed his brood on Europe and in retrospect it was a very good Ajax team that beat Milan that night. They passed around very well and their movement off the ball was too much for Albertini and Donadoni to handle. It would be another 9 years before Milan made it back to the final.

When it rains it pours: this time I got to see the Cup Winners' Cup final and this time Arsenal proceeded to lose in rather farcical circumstances. David Seaman would go on to get get lobbed and beaten from distance several times in his career - this was arguably the most high profile. if 1994 was my zenith as a football fan, 1995 was definitely the nadir.


1996 - Juventus 1 - 1 Ajax (Juventus win on penalties)

When the white feather, Fabrizio Ravanelli, scores, his inevitable celebration is a 'I told you so' run towards the coach with his finger pointed. He didn't do that here despite scoring from the spot as Juventus surged to a lead.

Ajax however, were better in this game and looked sharper with smooth passing and movement - hallmarks of the Louis Van Gaal style. Litmanen's leveller was the least they deserved but some smart tactical substitutions by Lippi ensured the balance slowly titled in Juventus's favour. Ajax attacked but Juve, featuring ex-Milan youth player Gianluca Pessotto, held firm and inevitably penalties were the order of the day.

Keeping in theme with Yugoslav players making a telling contribution to Champions' League finals, Vladimir Jugovic slotted home the winning penalty and Juventus won. Ajax has not made the final since. Kluivert went to Milan while most of the rest of the golden Ajax team slowly reunited at Barcelona under Louis Van Gaal.


1997 - Borussia Dortmund 3 - 1 Juventus

Quite simply Dortmund outclassed Juventus.

2 goals from an irrepressible Karl-Heinze Reidle who seemed to be about to score every time he got the ball and a late marker from Lars Ricken ensured Dortmund won the final with plenty to spare. Paulo Sousa turned out for the Germans against his old team who never really got going. The commentator was awful, reminding us time and again how Dortmund were lucky to have beaten Manchester United in the semi-finals - but there was nothing lucky about this. They pressed on the attack and defended deep. The only Juventus player who seemed up for it was Del Piero who, fittingly, scored a consolation to briefly revive the tie after Dortmund had shot to a 2-0 lead. Stefan Reuter made some telling tackles on Alen Boksic while Jurgen Kohler held the backline together with an efficient performance. A certain Angelo Di Livio played - I don't recall him doing one thing of note the entire game.

A very good game lots of playmaking, a fair smattering of goals. A new champion of Europe.

Oh btw, a year after helping Bordeaux beat Milan in the UEFA Cup, a certain Zinedine Zidane played this final - although I scarcely recognized him from the year before. Needless to say he was largely anonymous.


1998 - Real Madrid 1 - 0 Juventus

There was a strange media circus leading to this game. Everyone was constantly reminded about how this was to be the Spanish team's year - getting back the trophy that they owned early on in the century - way back when. Personally I couldn't care less who won. I wanted to see Zidane (Juventus), Roberto Carlos, Davor Suker and Pedrag Mijatovic(All Real) play.

The game was a tactical masterpiece, Raul and Mijatovic going wide whenever they got the ball, dragging Iuliano and Montero with them, out of position; Redondo pulling the strings in the midfield while Zidane danced all over the place looking to play either Del Piero or Inzaghi in, with French team mate Christian Karembeu in tow. Seedorf battled national team colleague Davids in a midfield scrapfest while Di Livio did .. well nothing. He never does anything anyway - his making way for Tacchinardi refreshingly welcome.

The small disappointment was not seeing Davor Suker start, but Mijatovic scored a clinical goal, getting behind Peruzzi (see Yugoslav players, Champions' League finals) and slotting home before he came off for the Croat marksman.

The media circus reached an apoplectic frenzy after the win - Real finally being crowned champions' of Europe after several decades, etc, etc. You should have seen Hierro's face.

Postscript:
Arsenal made 1998 super special - that's right, the double in spectacular fashion ! Wenger had truly arrived. You know I had to put this in.