FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.05.2009 22:47

Champions for the third time

Roger Bogunyà

No, you’re not dreaming! This Wednesday evening in Rome FC Barcelona has won the Champions League for the third time in the Club’s history. This puts Barça on the same level as teams such as Manchester United.

1992, 2006 and 2009. London, Paris and Rome. Wembley, Stade du France and Olimpico di Roma. Say it any way you like but it all boils down to the three Champions league titles won by FC Barcelona. All of them won against the very best opposition.

On a par with United

Only six other clubs apart from FC Barcelona have been capable of winning Europe’s top club competition three times. This Wednesday Barça has equalled Manchester United’s tally of three titles and has also become the first team to beat the English giants in a Champions League final.

FC Barcelona also pulls ahead of some legendary European sides that have just the two trophies to their name – such as Benfica, Juventus, Inter, Nottingham Forest and Porto.

36 years, 14 years, 3 years

It took 36 years from the inaugural tournament for Barça to lift the European Cup for the first. During this period, Barça lost two finals, in Berne and in Seville. The second came 14 years later in Paris, but in the meantime there was a third defeat in Athens. Now Barça fans have been able to celebrate another Champions League after just a three-year wait, and with no defeats in between. And winning it now, when the standard of the competition has been boosted by the increased representation of Europe’s strongest leagues, deserves a great deal of credit.