Manchester City beat Inter Milan 1-0 to win their first Champions League in their history. Being the previous champions of the Premier League, they faced many teams, including the Bundesliga champions: Bayern Munich and La Liga champions: Real Madrid, to glory. Considering this is called the Champions League, one would imagine this is an everyday occurrence in the competition. However, The Champions League is not a league nor of only champions. The last editions are becoming a rare occurrence when 2 defending champions of their League face each other in European competition.

Why? European football was drastically changed. In 1992, the “European Cup” was renamed “The Champions League,” with more money coming from TV rights and the number of countries created by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia forced EUFA to experiment with different formats for the competitions to secure the quality of the teams. Moreover, after 1996/97, the Bosman ruling was implemented, meaning the European players were not considered foreign and were free to leave at the end of their contract. Many clubs then begin a battle to sign the best plays. Finally, starting from the 43rd edition of the competition in 1997. UEFA finally yielded to the petitions of the most influential clubs in Europe by adding the runners-up of the 8 leagues with the best coefficient. And Germany became the first nation to be represented by 3 clubs, a common practice nowadays but huge for German football at the time. Little by little, adding more teams to the competition from the most potent leagues of Europe to the point where even 5 teams of the same league could represent a country changed the paradigm and essence of Europe’s most prestigious club competition. 

With this context today, we start a series of blogs that look at how the Champions of the 4 big leagues perform against each other.

La Liga vs Premier League

It took 6 sessions to see a defending La Liga champion take on the Premier League champions. It was during the second group states in the 2002–03 session. The eight group winners and eight group runners-up of the first group states form four groups, and the top two teams in each group advance to the Champions League knockout stage. Both Benitez’s Valencia and Wenger’s Arsenal topped their group to advance to the second phase, where they were drawn into group B. A nil-nil draw was the first contest between the champions on the second matchday. However, Arsenal went to Mestalla in a must-win game for both sides in a crazy last matchday where any team could go through. In the end, it was Valencia who got the better of them. With 2 goals from John Carew, they defeated Arsenal 2-1 as Thierry Henry’s goal was not enough to escape elimination as they finished 3rd. Meanwhile, Valencia once again top the group by one point over Ajax, who draw 1-1 at Roma to secure 2nd place.

It took only 3 seasons to see a London champion face the Spanish champions. Mourinho’s Chelsea took the Premier League by storm and was ready to lift their first Champions League. Their first obstacle in the 2005/06 season was a renewed Barcelona, which Chelsea eliminated in the same phase, the round of 16, the previous season. But history did not repeat itself, as Messi stole the show and caused an early red card for Del Horno. Despite the own goal of Thiago Motta, Chelsea’s 10 men’s defense was broken by an own goal of Terry and a counterattack which finished in goal by Samuel Eto’o. The tension of the second leg was greater than ever to Mourinho’s comments before the game. An early Messi injury was the last straw that broke the camel’s back for Barcelona, as trenchant Chelsea went out to play. Nonetheless, Ronaldinho’s magic appears once again to score a magnificent goal and give the necessary relief to play the rest of the game. A last-minute penalty from Lampard tied the game, but it was too little too late for the Blues.

It did not take long for Chelsea to revenge their exit. Just 7 months after their defeat by Barcelona, they were drawn together in group A in 2006/07 season. Their first encounter was on matchday 3, where Barcelona was willing to secure the first spot. However, a very serious Chelsea take all 3 points with the game’s only goal, courtesy of Didier Drogba. A very open game at Catalonia saw Chelsea steal a point on matchday 4. Despite taking the lead twice with Deco and Gudjohnsen’s goals, they were neutralized by Lampard and Drogba’s last mine goal. This provoked Chelsea to secure the top spot by 2 points of second place Barcelona.

Almost 6 years went by without a match between the champions of the strongest league in the new millennium until the new boy Manchester City faced total European royalty in the form of Real Madrid at the group stages of the 2012/13 season. It was just the second time the Sky Blues played the competition after the Champions League was renamed. Their intention to improve last season’s record was quickly dismissed as they were drawn into what can be considered the group of death alongside Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund and Ajax. On matchday 1, Real Madrid had yet another “noche mágica” at the Bernabéu. Mánchester City took the lead twice with Džeko and Kolarov goals, but Real Madrid pulled it out of honor and came back with Marcelo’s goal and 2 goals in 3 minutes from Benzema at 87 and Ronaldo at 90 to take the first 3 points. Mánchester City confirmed again a group exit with a 1-1 tie at the Etihad Stadium. Kun Agüero’s penalty neutralized Benzema’s goal early in the game.

Klopp was the man who took Liverpool to conquer their first Premier League, meaning The Reds went to the Champions League for their first time as league champions. However, it was not an easy season after being crowned European and England champions for the last 2 years, as reflected by their encounter with Spanish giants Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the 2020/21 season. Vinícius Jr. shone with his own brightness as he scored 2 goals in one of his first big appearances in Europe, and Asensio punished Liverpool’s shaking defense with a goal. Mohamed Salah’s goal was the only consolation for Klopp’s men in the Alfredo Di Stéfano. One week later, Liverpool was more recognized in Anfield and put Thibaut Courtois to work. But in the end, it was mission impossible as Real Madrid took the nil-nil draw secure their spot in the semifinals.

A similar situation was faced by Diego “El Cholo” Simeone’s man. Atletico de Madrid won their second league title by the Argentine under his command 7 years after the first one. A not very common occurrence in modern football. A battle of style as they clash Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the quarter-finals in the 2021/22 season. Kevin De Bruyne’s goal was the only difference in not the most exciting football match. Despite the dynamic change in the game’s last minutes at The Metropolitano, nothing could separate both sides in the second leg as Manchester City went through to the semifinals.

The Spanish champions will face the Premier League champions for the third consecutive season in a row. And once again, it was a Madrid side vs. the city of Manchester. Real Madrid was very interested in repeating the result of the last encounter with Manchester City as they take the final ticket to the previous season’s final. However, the semifinal will have its first episode at the Bernabéu this time. Manchester City took control of the early game, but it was Vinícius Jr. who gave the lead to Real Madrid. Once again, a Kevin De Bruyne goal would stop Real Madrid’s domination and leave the door open to the Etihad game. This time Mánchester City will show his best game as Bernardo Silva’s brace, Militão’s own goal, and Julián Álvarez’s last-minute goal give Real Madrid one of his worst defeats; 4-0, in the competition.

14 meeting in 25 editions.

There is a shifting trend in the most recent encounters, as they had met in the 3 last season, and the English side avoided defeat in the last 5 games.

4 wins for the Spanish side. 7 draws. 3 wins for the English champions.

As the strongest leagues in the 21st century, they will continue to dispute to be the best league in the world as they faced each other in almost all editions of the competition, but not necessarily for only their league champions as it was in the past.