The journey of the UEFA Champions League 2006/07 is one filled with intense football, amazing comebacks, and memorable displays. It’s a tournament that the top clubs in Europe and last year played for one of world soccer’s most coveted trophies. In the end, it was AC Milan who went on to capture the title, relieving much of their heartbreak from 2005. Here, we examine the matches and moments that define a truly memorable season.
Group Phase: The Fight Begins
This much-vaunted group stage of the UEFA Champions League 2006/07 got underway with all four teams vying for qualification; So the likes of Barça, Chelsea, Madrid, and Milan were pushed into one group or another that included several genuine contenders right from the start.
The defending champions FC Barcelona were drawn in Group A together with Chelsea, Werder Bremen, and Levski Sofia. Barcelona shone in flashes but had to settle for second behind Chelsea, who were far more efficient and tougher over the piece.
Then, Lyon and Dynamo Kyiv’s relatives fell behind in Group E led by Real Madrid. With the likes of Raúl, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Fabio Cannavaro amid that Real Madrid team, they were one of the favorites to go all the way.
AC MilanThe pre-tournament favorites easily negotiated their way past Group H, illustrating how good they were with some brilliant Kaka performances, and the Italian giants looked like real title contenders from an early period.
Knockouts: UEFA Champions League 2006/07
The competitive stage strengthened as the tournament proceeded to knockout rounds. Round of 16: A mix of fortune and brilliance saw familiar European grades face off in crunch contests through the Round of 16.
Barcelona vs Liverpool
Barcelona drew a pool giant that can defend ably. Liverpool made it on away goals despite every best effort from Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, as they won 2-1 in the Camp Nou but lost 1-0 at Anfield. This was a lesson in tactics from Rafael Benitez and Liverpool’s battling spirit.
Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich:In one of the other heavyweight clashes, away goals were enough to send Bayern through after a 4-4 aggregate draw with Real Madrid. Though Real went on to win 2-0, a goal after just ten seconds from Roy Makaay set the tone for a Bayern victory.
AC Milan vs. Celtic
AC Milan found its round of 16 meeting with Celtic to be a tough test, as neither team was able to score in regulation time. Milan squeezed through: they were taken to extra time but Magnul Molins’ goal was enough for Bologna to suddenly as useful as ever this season.
Quarterfinals – Flexing Muscle
The Quarterfinals forces were strong, with teams as good as they have been all year. AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all made it to the semis on behalf of England.
Manchester United 7-1 AS Roma:Manchester United overcame a first-leg deficit, destroying the Italian side in this performance that will probably go down in history as one of the most dominant in Champions League finals history. Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Ryan Giggs were all rampant as the English side tore apart their Italian opposition.
Chelsea defeated a spirited Valencia 3-2 on aggregate. A late strike from Michael Essien confirmed Chelsea’s victory in the second leg in the Mestalla, with their courage and desire to win on full display.
Liverpool vs PSV Eindhoven: Liverpool coasted through with a 4-0 aggregate win after a dominant display in both ties. Under Benítez, the defensively resolute Reds seemed set for another sustained assault.
Semi-Final: Clash of the English Giants
The semifinals brought a tasty all-Premier League clash between Liverpool and Chelsea, while Manchester United took on AC Milan, in one of the more memorable semi-final rounds in recent history.
Liverpool vs Chelsea:
Constantin Loocks/Anadia/Getty Only a Joe Cole goal separated these two at Stamford Bridge. At Anfield, Liverpool changed the game in the second leg, winning 1-0 to push it to penalties. Liverpool won in a tense shootout but Pepe Reina saved twice during Penalties competition and Liverpool sent his team to the UEFA Champions League 2006/07 final.
AC Milan vs Manchester United were proud winners of the first leg (3-2) at Old Trafford with another Cristiano Ronaldo masterclass. Milan hit back in the return at San Siro however, triumphing 3-0. Kaka, in the form of his life during that season, got one back with one of those goals Ronaldinho would be proud of and Milan went through 5-3 on aggregate.
The Final: Milan’s Redemption
A rematch of the ill-famous 2005 final, where Liverpool had made history on their way to defeating AC Milan in one of football’s greatest comebacks took place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens on May 23, 2007. Milan was not going to allow a similar sight this time around.
AC Milan sprung into life and Kaka again orchestrated the first-half braces. Filippo Inzaghi made it controversial 2-0 when he capitalized after Andrea Pirlo’s fork took a deflection in the 45th minute. Inzaghi completed his brace in the 82nd with another assist from Kaka.
Liverpool did grab one goal back late on when Dirk Kuyt fired in the 89th of the match but it was too little too late. They managed to hold on for a 2-1 win — their seventh European Cup/Champions League title.
He won the Golden Boot as top scorer for the tournament and was also named player of the tournament, establishing himself as a true world-class player. Milan took sweet revenge for their defeat in 2005 and they became a news story which was simply the finishing touch to the managerial career of Carlo Ancelotti.
Conclusion
The UEFA Champions League 2006/07 season was one of the most exciting in the recent history of world football, as tens of influential players graced the UEFA Champions League. For any football fan, the season showcased in a nutshell what makes European Football so magical — 32 powerhouse clubs from all corners of Europe coming up against one another for Glory. While we reminisce over AC Milan’s road to recovery and how great Kaka was, this is one of the most exciting seasons in Champions League history.
