Man City's Historic Treble Triumph: Record Breaking Achievement in Champions League Final
Man City's triumph in the Champions League final against Inter Milan secured them a treble, joining an elite group of European clubs such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSV, Ajax, Celtic, and Inter Notably, five of the nine trebles in history have been won since 2009, highlighting the increasing competitiveness in European football
By defeating Inter Milan, Man City has joined an elite group of only eight European clubs to achieve a continental treble. This puts them in the same league as powerhouses such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich, who have also accomplished this feat in recent years. In fact, five of the nine clean sweeps across the continent have occurred since 2009, demonstrating the increasing dominance of these top-tier teams.
Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary Manchester United team from 1999 was the last to achieve the feat of winning all three trophies in the same season, following in the footsteps of Guus Hiddink's PSV 11 years prior. Manchester City has now joined this elite group of teams.
2012/13 and 2019/20 - Bayern Munich
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A truncated Champions League in 2020, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, saw Bayern win the trophy in Lisbon
When Hansi Flick assumed the role of Bayern Munich coach in November 2019, he inherited a team that had not lived up to expectations under his predecessor, Niko Kovac. However, in less than a year, Flick had transformed the team into champions. Their remarkable run of domestic form saw them win 19 of their final 20 Bundesliga matches, clinching the league title with ease. They also dominated in Europe, winning all 11 of their Champions League games en route to the trophy. While Robert Lewandowski's 55 goals were impressive, it was Kingsley Coman's winning goal in the final against PSG that secured the coveted treble for Bayern Munich.
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Bayern Munich's triumph in 2013 was sealed by none other than Arjen Robben, who scored a crucial goal in the dying moments of the game against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. This victory marked the club's first treble and mirrored the achievement of Jupp Heynckes' legendary side from seven years prior, which was the first in German football history. The team boasted some of Bayern's most iconic players of recent times, such as Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos and Franck Ribery.
Heynckes' team dominated the Bundesliga throughout the season and it was no surprise considering their impressive tally of 91 points, which still holds the record in the German top-flight. However, their European campaign was not as straightforward, only managing to top their group on goal difference from Valencia and requiring away goals to eliminate Arsenal in the round of 16. Nevertheless, they sailed past Juventus with a 4-0 aggregate victory and stunned Barcelona with a resounding 7-0 triumph over two legs. Ultimately, they clinched the Champions League title in the first ever all-German final against Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund at Wembley.
2009/10 - Inter Milan
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Inter, under the leadership of Jose Mourinho, clinched their second Champions League title in 2010 and became the only team in Italy's footballing history to achieve a treble. This remarkable feat was partly attributed to the significant transfer made from Pep Guardiola's triumphant Barcelona the previous summer.
Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito formed a lethal strike partnership that propelled Inter to European glory after Eto'o was traded for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. As expected of a Mourinho-led team, Inter's defence was rock-solid thanks to the Brazilian duo of Julio Cesar in goal and Lucio at centre-back. The semi-finals proved to be a crucial moment for Inter's championship run, with Mourinho's men defeating Pep Guardiola's Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate before securing a 2-0 victory over Bayern in the final.
2008/09 and 2014/15 - Barcelona
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Pep Guardiola became one of two managers to lead his side to a treble in his first season as a first-team coach in 2009
Guardiola made an impressive debut in the world of football management by securing two trebles. He took charge of Barcelona's B team for just one year before ascending to the top position. With the emergence of midfield maestros Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets, along with Lionel Messi's peak performance, they dominated LaLiga and Europe. They remained unbeaten in the knockout rounds of the Champions League and secured a victory in the 2008/09 final against Man Utd in Italy, thanks to goals from Samuel Eto'o and Messi.
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Lionel Messi's last victory in the Champions League was in 2015 and it appears that it will remain so, as he prepares to depart for Inter Miami. Despite not having the same level of excitement as Guardiola's team, Luis Enrique's MSN trio consisting of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were still impressive, scoring a total of 122 goals in all competitions during the 2014/15 season.
1998/99 - Manchester United
Following their successful takeover of the top spot in LaLiga from Real Madrid in February, the team displayed an impressive performance by winning 12 out of their last 14 games, which ultimately led to their victory in the league by a margin of two points. Their remarkable achievement in Europe was highlighted by a stunning 5-3 aggregate win over Guardiola's Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, followed by a relatively easy win over Juventus in the Berlin final.
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In a historic moment, Manchester United secured the Champions League title with a remarkable injury-time goal by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This victory marked a significant achievement for Ferguson's team, who had previously become the only English side to have won all three trophies in a single season. Despite facing a difficult challenge against Bayern Munich in the final game of the season, Manchester United persevered through the efforts of Teddy Sheringham and Solskjaer, ultimately securing their place in football history.
1987/88 - PSV
Other memorable moments from the season include United's impressive comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, as well as their hard-fought victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup, which was almost thwarted by Dennis Bergkamp's missed penalty in the dying moments of the match. These moments, along with Solskjaer's iconic winner, have cemented United's place in football folklore.
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PSV's victory in the 1988 European Cup final, with goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen maintaining a clean sheet in a penalty shootout against Benfica, was a significant achievement. However, it was not a stroke of luck. Under the leadership of a young Hiddink, the team consisted of talented players, many of whom would later go on to win the European Championship with the Netherlands that same summer.
Their league performance saw them score an impressive 117 goals, however, their success in Europe was rooted in a strong defensive strategy. Despite making it to the second round, they were unable to secure a win within 90 minutes. While Ronald Koeman was a well-known figure, goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen and captain Eric Gerets were equally crucial in the team's defensive efforts. Additionally, the team also relied on the experience of Willy van der Kerkhof, who continued to play intermittently even a decade after his contribution to the Netherlands' 'total football' team in the 1978 World Cup final.
1971/72 - Ajax
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Ajax saw off Inter in 1972 on home soil at De Kuip in Rotterdam
The Dutch once dominated European football, with both PSV and Ajax achieving treble victories. Under the leadership of Rinus Michels, Ajax dominated in 1972, and Stefan Kovacs continued their success the following year. Kovacs inherited a team that had already become European champions after defeating Panathinaikos in the 1971 final, thanks to the foundation laid by Michels' total football philosophy.
Ajax's dominant form continued as they secured victory in 26 out of their 27 final league games. Despite requiring extra time to defeat Den Haag in the KNVB Cup final, Ajax faced no such difficulties in the European Cup final where they triumphed 2-0 over Inter. Johan Cruyff, the star player of the team, scored both goals to complete what is undoubtedly their most impressive campaign to date.
1966/67 - Celtic
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Jock Stein is a true legend in the world of football, thanks to his remarkable achievements with the Celtic team of 1967. They not only won the continental treble but also secured the Scottish League Cup, making it a historic quadruple victory for the club. One cannot help but marvel at the incredible leadership and tactical brilliance that Stein brought to the game.
During the season, they only suffered two losses in the league and managed to secure an Old Firm victory over Rangers in the League Cup final. However, it was their triumph in the European Cup final in Portugal against Inter, where the 'Lisbon Lions' etched their names into Celtic's history forever. With Stevie Chalmers' goal, they secured a 2-1 victory at the Estadio Nacional and became the only Scottish team to ever win the European Cup, while also dominating in all other competitions.
