Man United, Barca fate at Wembley
New Delhi: The Wembley has provided for many a classic encounter for World football and when Barcelona and Manchester United collide on the 28th May, the New Wembley will another exhibition to its long list of European showpieces.Although Manchester United have played far more matches than Barcelona due to its superiority in the domestic competition, the FA Cup where the semi-finals and finals are played, Barcelona's first European triumph came at the iconic stadium. Here is a look back at a few hand picked ties which have put the Wembley on the European Map.
BARCELONA
1992 European cup Final, Barcelona v Sampdoria
The Catalans first tasted European success at the Wembley in 1992 when the Catalans faced a formidable Sampdoria side. The Italian champions boasted attacking talent such as Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Attilio Lombardo, Toninho Cerezo and goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca. FC Barcelona was led by Dane Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman and now-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola. With such talent on display, it promised to be a vibrant and exciting final. And it was. Sampdoria had a handful of chances but it ended 0-0, shockingly after 90 minutes.
Koeman blasted it low to the right of Pagliuca, who had absolutely no chance. 1-0 to FC Barcelona, and on their way to their first European Cup, and the torture of years past had finally ended for the Blaugranas.
In about three weeks, it will be back to the future for FC Barcelona. Win or lose, Wembley will always hold a special place in the heart of a FC Barcelona fan.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils have been a part of many a tale at the holy turf of Wembley, new and old. Whether be it the recently concluded Manchester derby in the FA Cup semi-final where the old foes Manchester City shattered their dream of a treble or atleast an English double or classic encounters against arch-rivals Liverpool which also involved them both in the domestic competition where the Merseysiders were beaten in the 3rd round by the Mancunians.
Manchester United 3 Crystal Palace 3 (1990)
Palace had won through to this final, the first in an all-seater Wembley, after beating Liverpool in the semi-final (more of that later in our List) and United had to overcome Second Division Oldham in a replay.
Appearing in their first FA Cup Final, Steve Coppell's side came within 17 minutes of lifting the famous old trophy in a classic against a Manchester United team which had cost £13 million to assemble – a fortune in those days.
Hughes scored his second with just eight minutes left to force a replay which United won in a much less memorable game, 1-0.
Manchester United 4 Blackpool 2 (1948)
The two Lancashire giants met each other in this FA Cup final at Wembley which pitted Matt Busby’s Babes against Blackpool's Stans - Mortensen and Matthews.
The final lived up to its billing, Blackpool opened the scoring with a disputed penalty and Jack Rowley's equalizer for United was cancelled out when Mortensen restored the Seasiders' advantage right on half-time.
The second half was all United's - Rowley doubled his tally to level the game and Stan Pearson made it 3-2 before John Anderson's strike, eight minutes from time sealed Busby’s first trophy with the club.
Manchester United 2 Arsenal 3 (1979)
Two goals in three minutes from Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy brought the game level and heading for extra-time, but straight from the restart, Liam Brady and Graham Rix combined down the left wing and crossed to the far post where Alan Sunderland slid in the winner to cap the most remarkable finish ever seen in an FA Cup final.
Manchester United 4 Benfica 1 (1968 European Cup)
Matt Busby, Bobby Charlton, George Best and co clinched England's first European Cup on the 10th anniversary of the Munich air crash. Ten years after the disastrous crash on 3rd Feb 1958 which took away with it the cream of the crop at Old Trafford did not overawe the legendary Sir Matt Busby, who remade the Busby Babes legacy and guided them to a thumping 4-1 win over legendary side Benfica led by the inspirational Eusebio.
United took the lead through a rare headed goal from Legendary midfielder Sir Bobby Charlton 8 minutes into the second-half, only for Jaime Graca to equalise 22 minutes later for the Portuguese Champion.
Both teams looked tired at the full-time whistle, but it was Busby’s men who showed their desire to win through the pain barrier as George Best dribbled his way around the Benfica keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net just 3 minutes later into extra-time a minute later it was 3-1 as birthday boy Brian Kidd celebrated his 19th with a goal, before Charlton grabbed his second of the game on the 100th minute to make it 4-1 and help United become the first English club to conquer Europe.