Bayern Munich 1-2 Manchester United
Champions League Final 26th May 1999, Nou Camp
The best final ever?
Bayern Munich and Man Utd were drawn together in the group stage of the competition along with Barcelona and Brondby.
They both qualified from the group and beat all before them to meet again in the final.
Bayern Munich on for treble
Bayern Munich were a fine team and were on target to win an impressive three trophies that season. They had already won their domestic league and were in the final of the German cup as well as the Champions League.
Champions League final 1999
Bayern take the lead
Bayern strike the woodwork
Last minute drama
More classic matches
Their manager was the legendary Ottmar Hitzfeld. The German had already won the Champions League two years earlier with Borussia Dortmund, when they knocked out Man Utd in the semi-finals.
The team was full of experienced German internationals. The only starter for the final that wasn’t German was Ghanaian defender Samuel Kuffour.
Oliver Kahn, Lothar Matthaus, Mehmet Scholl, Jens Jeremies and Carsten Jancker were all key members of the German national team.
Before the final in 1999, Man Utd hadn’t won the European Cup since 1968 and Bayern hadn’t since 1976.
This made Bayern a very efficient side. The fact that nearly all the players got picked on a regular basis for the national team as well as their club meant they knew each other’s game and worked very well together.
Man Utd on for treble
Man Utd had just won the Premier League back after losing it the previous year to Arsenal. They added the FA Cup by beating Newcastle in the final and now were just 90 minutes away from an unprecedented treble.
If they could beat Bayern Munich and lift the Champions League trophy then they make history.
Alex Ferguson was the man leading the team. He was highly respected and had won every domestic trophy available in England since taking charge of United.
The Champions League was the trophy his teams had always failed to deliver. This season though, they had a great chance to take the step up and be crowned the Kings of Europe.
The United team was full of quality. Peter Schmeichel was a colossus in goal. The midfield had brilliant players in every position and they had four top quality strikers to pick from.
Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole had formed a formidable partnership and scored freely throughout the season.
With creative forces Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs setting up chances at will, even back up forwards Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had scored over 20 goals between them.
Their captain was Roy Keane who was a true warrior and drove the team to always improve and try harder. Bayern take the lead -Read more
Champions League final 1999
Bayern take the lead
Bayern strike the woodwork
Last minute drama
More classic matches
