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Champions League: Champions League Final

Ozren Podnar

Minimal score brings luck: 1-0 in semifinals decided outcome once again

Do you plan to win the Champions League or the UEFA Cup? We suggest that you win by 1-0 on aggregate in the semifinals. This score was lucky for Manchester United but also to Barcelona, Liverpool, Sevilla, Porto and Valencia.

In the past seasons many clubs fulfilled their dream of lifting a European trophy after minimum wins in the semis. It worked for Liverpool no less than twice: after the aggregate 1-0 against Barcelona they beat Alaves in the 2001 UEFA Cup finals and four years later the story repeated itself against Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals and Milan in the final.

The magical 1-0 against Deportivo did the trick for Porto in 2004 Champions League as they went on to defeat Monaco in the finals.

In the same season, Valencia took the UEFA Cup after nailing Villarreal by a mere 1-0.

That was not the end, because a 1-0 against Milan sufficed for Barcelona to reach the 2006 Champions League finals and subsequently lift the trophy at the expense of Arsenal. The Gunners, incidentally, also reached the finals thanks to a 1-0 over Villarreal.

Amazingly, even Sevilla collected their first UEFA Cup after a 1-0 aggregate against Schalke, and the only goal was scored by now late Antonio Puerta.

The mystique of the minimal win continued this season, as Manchester United defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the semis.

It is no doubt curious that every final saw many more goals after the single goal in the 180 or 210 minutes, ranging from two in Valencia vs Marseille (2004) and Manchester vs Chelsea (2008) in Moscow to nine in Liverpool vs Alavés (2001).

Imagine that! Liverpool reached their last two winning finals with a total of two goals in 360 minutes only to score eight goals (plus penalties) in the finals themselves.

Lucky, lucky 1-0

2001. UEFA Cup: Liverpool vs Barcelona 0-0 1-0
2004. Champions League: Porto - Deportivo 0-0 1-0
2004. UEFA Cup: Valencia - Villarreal 0-0 1-0
2005. Champions League: Liverpool – Chelsea 0-0 1-0
2006. Champions League: Barcelona - Milan 1-0 0-0
2006. UEFA Cup: Sevilla - Schalke 0-0 1-0
2008. Champions League: Man. Utd. - Barcelona 0-0 1-0

Path to finals

Manchester United

Group stage
Sporting 1-0 2-1, Roma 1-0 1-1, Dinamo Kiev 4-2 4-0
Round of 16 Lyon 1-1 1-0
Quarterfinals Roma 2-0 1-0
Semifinals Barcelona 0-0 1-0

Chelsea

Group stage
Rosenborg 1-1 4-0, Valencia 2-1 0-0, Schalke 2-0 0-0
Round of 16 Olympiacos 0-0 3-0
Quarterfinals Fenerbahce 1-2 2-0
Semifinals Liverpool 1-1 3-2

Ozren Podnar

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