{"id":302216,"date":"2023-12-12T20:25:42","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T20:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302216"},"modified":"2023-12-12T20:25:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T20:25:42","slug":"the-greatest-champions-league-group-stage-moments-as-format-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/the-greatest-champions-league-group-stage-moments-as-format-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"The greatest Champions League group stage moments as format changes"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1> Man United&#8217;s Treble season epics with Barcelona, an Arsenal &#8216;Invincibles&#8217; masterclass in the San Siro, Gareth Bale destroying Inter &#8211; and an iconic Steven Gerrard goal&#8230; The greatest Champions League group stage moments as the format changes<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>This week sees the final group stage games under the current format<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Next season sees the Swiss Model come in with one huge 36-team group<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Back off Erik ten Hag! Insipid Man United performances are on the players \u2013 not the manager &#8211; Listen to why on It&#8217;s All Kicking Off\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It&#8217;s the end of the Champions League as we know it.<\/p>\n<p>Farewell to the four-team groups which have been a feature of Europe&#8217;s top club competition for over three decades and between 1999 and 2003 were apparently so popular they had two phases.<\/p>\n<p>Hello to the Swiss Model and one giant group consisting of 36 teams from next season, with the number of group games increasing for everyone from six to eight.<\/p>\n<p>This week, therefore, will see the final round of Champions League matches in the group stage as we currently recognise it.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, we celebrate some of the greatest matches and moments from recent years.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864597-12854411-image-a-30_1702382021864.jpg\" height=\"472\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>David Beckham celebrates after scoring a trademark free-kick against Barcelona in 1998<\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><span>Man United&#8217;s Treble season thrillers with Barcelona<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Alex Ferguson&#8217;s Manchester United were desperate to crack Europe after their nineties dominance in English football.<\/p>\n<p>But when they were paired with Barcelona and Bayern Munich in a 1998-99 &#8216;group of death&#8217;, they needed to perform at their very highest levels to progress.<\/p>\n<p>They served up two classic 3-3 draws with Barcelona which were the Champions League at its ding-dong best.<\/p>\n<p>At Old Trafford on the first matchnight, early goals by Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, plus a trademark David Beckham free-kick, were cancelled out by a second-half Barca fightback.<\/p>\n<p>If anything, the rematch in the Nou Camp two months later was even better.<\/p>\n<p>Trailing inside the first minute to Sonny Anderson, United would lead 2-1 and 3-2 before twice being pegged back by Brazilian star Rivaldo.<\/p>\n<p>The abiding memory for many was the super-slick passing between Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke for one of the goals.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, United would finish above Barcelona and a point behind group winners Bayern, making the quarter-finals as one of two best runners-up alongside Real Madrid.<\/p>\n<p>And that wouldn&#8217;t even be their most dramatic game in the Nou Camp that season\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864623-12854411-image-a-31_1702382093655.jpg\" height=\"421\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Dwight Yorke in action against Michael Reizinger during the epic 3-3 draw in the Nou Camp<\/p>\n<p><span>San Siro masterclass by Arsenal&#8217;s &#8216;Invincibles&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In 2003-04, Arsenal were simply unbeatable in the Premier League but in Europe it was a different matter.<\/p>\n<p>Their group campaign began with Inter Milan handing them a 3-0 pasting at Highbury, before a goalless draw away to Lokomotiv Moscow and a 2-1 loss at Dynamo Kyiv left them propping up their group.<\/p>\n<p>Arsene Wenger&#8217;s team were clearly far better than this but they needed a late Ashley Cole winner to beat the Ukrainians at home.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the San Siro return with Inter, they still faced a mountain to climb to make the knockouts. But they produced a majestic performance that was arguably the peak of the &#8216;Invincibles&#8217; team.<\/p>\n<p>Two for Thierry Henry, plus goals by Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires, saw the Gunners win 5-1.<\/p>\n<p>A home win over Lokomotiv saw them through remarkably as group winners. An astonishing reversal of fortunes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864687-12854411-image-a-32_1702382187641.jpg\" height=\"441\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Thierry Henry delivered a masterclass as Arsenal thrashed Inter Milan 5-1 in the San Siro<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864693-12854411-image-a-33_1702382221121.jpg\" height=\"383\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The French star netted twice as Arsenal turned around their Champions League fortunes<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=czFBu4n06kQ%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Gerrard&#8217;s stunner sets Liverpool on course for glory<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Defeats to Olympiacos and Monaco left Liverpool with a fair bit of work to do ahead of their final group game in 2004-05.<\/p>\n<p>They needed to beat the Greeks by two clear goals at Anfield to pip them into the last-16 on better head-to-head record, but a first-half goal by the ageing Rivaldo made their task trickier.<\/p>\n<p>But Florent Sinama Pongolle equalised just after half-time to offer hope and when Neil Mellor netted with nine minutes left, Anfield sensed something special.<\/p>\n<p>Step forward captain fantastic Steven Gerrard, on a one-man mission to take his team through, to lash home a stunning 25-yard goal with just a few minutes remaining.<\/p>\n<p>They didn&#8217;t know it at the time but that goal catapulted Liverpool on to Champions League glory, with an even greater comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864723-12854411-Steven_Gerrard_lets_fly_with_a_dramatic_late_thunderbolt_against-a-37_1702382342714.jpg\" height=\"398\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Steven Gerrard lets fly with a dramatic late thunderbolt against Olympiacos at Anfield in 2004<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864707-12854411-image-a-38_1702382346220.jpg\" height=\"440\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The stunning goal took Liverpool through and they would go on to win the competition<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=BBy29Tp3riQ%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>&#8216;Taxi for Maicon!&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Gareth Bale was simply unstoppable at his best, as reigning European champions Inter Milan discovered in the 2010-11 group stage.<\/p>\n<p>The Welshman had scored a hat-trick in the San Siro on matchday three but Tottenham were four goals down at the time and they ended up being consolation goals.<\/p>\n<p>Still, Inter might have known what to expect ahead of the White Hart Lane return three weeks later. Maicon certainly didn&#8217;t get the memo as Bale tore him to shreds time after time.<\/p>\n<p>He didn&#8217;t get on the scoresheet but Bale&#8217;s devastating running and crossing announced him as the world class player who&#8217;d later join Real Madrid.<\/p>\n<p>Goals by Rafael van der Vaart, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko set Spurs on course to finish top of the group on one of their best European nights ever.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/11\/78864747-12854411-image-a-39_1702382387576.jpg\" height=\"417\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Gareth Bale destroyed Maicon when Tottenham played Inter Milan in the 2010-11 group stage<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78864877-12854411-image-a-40_1702382517647.jpg\" height=\"451\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The Welshman celebrates with Peter Crouch after setting him up in the White Hart Lane win<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=MdNaXdJfYSA%3Frel%3D0<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=Cw-2QKJ_U8E%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Dortmund and Legia serve up a 12-goal thriller<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Champions League has never seen more goals scored in a single match than the dozen scored by Borussia Dortmund and Legia Warsaw in the 2016-17 group stage.<\/p>\n<p>A bonkers game saw the German club win 8-4, with six scored inside the opening half-hour after Legia took the lead.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe at 6-3 or 7-4, Legia might have launched a fightback but Dortmund always had another goal in them as the defences took a night off.<\/p>\n<p>Dortmund ended up topping the group ahead of Dortmund, while Legia finished third with an unenviable goal difference of minus 15!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78864921-12854411-image-a-45_1702382661114.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Borussia Dortmund and Legia Warsaw served up a 12-goal classic in the 2016-17 season<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=hAK_c8jzLBA%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Drogba earns Chelsea a Nou Camp draw<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Chelsea and Barcelona have played out some famous and infamous knockout games but their 2006-07 group meeting in the Nou Camp offered pure entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>Drogba&#8217;s goal had split the teams at Stamford Bridge on the previous matchday and he&#8217;d deny Barcelona two points right at the death in a stormy game of 10 yellow cards.<\/p>\n<p>Deco gave Barca a third-minute lead, only for Frank Lampard to level after the break with a delightful chipped finish from near the byline.<\/p>\n<p>Eidur Gudjohnsen restored the hosts&#8217; lead against his former club and Barcelona were seconds from victory when Drogba scored.<\/p>\n<p>The Blues would go on to top the group ahead of Barcelona but would lose to Liverpool in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865297-12854411-image-a-46_1702382934857.jpg\" height=\"479\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Didier Drogba celebrates scoring Chelsea&#8217;s last-gasp equaliser in the Nou Camp in 2006<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865309-12854411-image-a-47_1702382973393.jpg\" height=\"440\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>It came after Frank Lampard scored from this seemingly-impossible angle earlier in the game<\/p>\n<p><span>Hamburg and Juventus serve up eight-goal epic<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Hamburg&#8217;s first Champions League game was, fittingly, a rematch of the 1983 European Cup final when they beat Juventus in the high point of the club&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p>The September 2000 encounter at the Volksparkstadion was just brilliant, the first 4-4 draw in Champions League history.<\/p>\n<p>A madcap night features Leeds icon Tony Yeboah scoring, goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt making it 3-3 with a penalty and Juve&#8217;s Filippo Inzaghi bagging a hat-trick.<\/p>\n<p>The group phase didn&#8217;t get a lot better for the Italian giants, who finished bottom, below Hamburg, with Deportivo La Coruna and Panathinaikos making it through.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865325-12854411-image-a-48_1702383020644.jpg\" height=\"442\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Nico Kovac puts Hamburg 4-3 ahead during their epic against Juventus in 2000-2001<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=VT9lb9COf_M%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Asprilla&#8217;s hat-trick just perfect for Newcastle<\/span><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s remarkable to think the hat-trick Tino Asprilla scored in Newcastle&#8217;s legendary 3-2 win over Barcelona in 1997 would be his last for the club.<\/p>\n<p>On an evening never to be forgotten on Tyneside &#8211; even if they have many more Champions League adventures ahead &#8211; the Colombian put one of Europe&#8217;s best teams to the sword.<\/p>\n<p>Barcelona may have boasted Rivaldo and Luis Figo, but they were blown away as Asprilla&#8217;s hat-trick put Newcastle three-up inside a raucous St James&#8217; Park.<\/p>\n<p>Although Luis Enrique and Figo goals threatened a late fightback, Newcastle clung on. Asprilla, though, would be sold back to Parma just a few months later after the Toon finished third in their group.<\/p>\n<p>Another noteworthy result in that group was a Dynamo Kyiv side inspired by 21-year-old Andriy Shevchenko recording a 4-0 win in the Nou Camp en route to topping the pool.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865339-12854411-image-a-51_1702383088945.jpg\" height=\"551\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Tino Asprilla leaps above the Barcelona defence to head Newcastle&#8217;s second goal back in 1997<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865335-12854411-image-a-52_1702383104144.jpg\" height=\"444\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The Colombian&#8217;s brilliant hat-trick made for an unforgettable European night on Tyneside<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=qVE316eqqXE%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Ten Hag-ball as it&#8217;s meant to be<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Erik ten Hag is enduring a difficult time as Man United manager with a lack of identity just one criticism levelled at the beleaguered Dutch boss.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s probably because United fans expected their team to play just like his superb Ajax side of a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019, they were within seconds of beating Tottenham to make a final against Liverpool before having their hearts broken.<\/p>\n<p>Later that year, despite losing stars Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, they remained pretty handy, as shown by a vintage 4-4 draw away to Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p>It featured Ajax surging into a 4-1 lead before red cards for Daley Blind and Joel Veltman allowed Frank Lampard&#8217;s Chelsea scope to mount a comeback to draw, with Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho and Reece James scoring.<\/p>\n<p>Of note was Donny van de Beek&#8217;s goal for Ajax, before his career took a dramatic downturn after signing for Man United.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865365-12854411-image-a-53_1702383160119.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Donny van de Beek scored Ajax&#8217;s fourth goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865379-12854411-image-a-54_1702383189597.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Reece James and his Chelsea team-mates celebrate after pulling the game back to 4-4<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=eD3DIeCGHsk%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Messi magic shows Man City how far they have to go<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lionel Messi could have a number of entries here but he delivered an absolute masterclass by scoring a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Man City 4-0 in the 2016-17 group stage.<\/p>\n<p>Pep Guardiola&#8217;s return to his former club was thoroughly miserable but even he had to acknowledge that the Argentine wizard is just unstoppable in this kind of form.<\/p>\n<p>City didn&#8217;t help themselves, with Fernandinho slipping over to present Messi with his first, then Kevin De Bruyne losing the ball for his second.<\/p>\n<p>Keeper Claudio Bravo was sent off for handling outside the box and Messi duly completed his treble before Neymar rounded things off.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks later, however, and City won the return fixture at the Etihad 3-1 and have since overtaken Barcelona in European stature, lifting the trophy for the first time last season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865395-12854411-image-a-55_1702383233724.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Lionel Messi&#8217;s hat-trick put Manchester City to the sword in the Nou Camp back in 2016<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865411-12854411-image-a-57_1702383283613.jpg\" height=\"396\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The Argentine star was just too hot for City to handle as Barcelona ran riot in the Nou Camp<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=2gXYX3Iwl9E%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Rooney announces himself on the European stage<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Everyone knew the teenager was a bit special and here was the proof.<\/p>\n<p>Wayne Rooney, who&#8217;d just completed a \u00a327million move to Man United from Everton, enjoyed the kind of debut every players dreams of by smashing a Champions League hat-trick against Fenerbahce in 2004.<\/p>\n<p>Ryan Giggs opened the scoring and then Rooney merrily took over, getting off the mark following Ruud van Nistelrooy&#8217;s pass and then rifling home a second from 20 yards.<\/p>\n<p>While United&#8217;s slightly lax defending would have annoyed Fergie, they had so much firepower, with Rooney completing his hat-trick after the break and Van Nistelrooy and David Bellion rounding off a 6-2 romp.<\/p>\n<p>United would end up finishing second to Lyon in the group and duly went out to AC Milan in the next round.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865465-12854411-image-a-58_1702383344799.jpg\" height=\"476\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Wayne Rooney announced himself on the Champions League stage with a hat-trick in 2004<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865477-12854411-image-a-59_1702383376191.jpg\" height=\"436\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The 18-year-old had just moved from Everton for \u00a327m and destroyed Fenerbahce in a 6-2 win<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=aiYioCRuSRM%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Leeds&#8217; magical Champions League adventure<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you were to cherry-pick a European tour, it might look something like Leeds United in 2000-01.<\/p>\n<p>In the two Champions League group stages, David O&#8217;Leary&#8217;s exciting young team played in the Nou Camp, San Siro, Bernabeu and Stadio Olimpico, before going on to reach the semi-finals.<\/p>\n<p>Following the inauspicious start of a 4-0 thrashing away to Barcelona, Leeds beat AC Milan at Elland Road thanks to Lee Bowyer&#8217;s dramatic late goal.<\/p>\n<p>They were moments away from beating Barcelona at home, too, before Rivaldo (him again) equalised, but Dominic Matteo&#8217;s goal in the San Siro put them through.<\/p>\n<p>In the final two games of the second group phase, they went down 3-2 to Real Madrid in the Bernabeu before drawing 3-3 at home to Lazio.<\/p>\n<p>Just brilliant, thrill-a-minute stuff.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865517-12854411-image-a-62_1702383480495.jpg\" height=\"519\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Lee Bowyer scores for Leeds against Barcelona during their 2000-01 European adventure<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865481-12854411-image-a-61_1702383439164.jpg\" height=\"490\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Dominic Matteo scores for Leeds United to earn a draw with AC Milan in the San Siro in 2000<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=7sqxEXDcWmo%3Frel%3D0<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=u8N5RXOzFuo%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Brutal Bayern clobber Spurs<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Bayern Munich simply don&#8217;t make mistakes in the group stage. They&#8217;re unbeaten in 39 matches dating back six years, which doesn&#8217;t augur well for Man United on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p>One of those came in October 2019 against a Mauricio Pochettino Spurs side who&#8217;d lost in the final just a few months earlier.<\/p>\n<p>Bayern smashed them 7-2, with Serge Gnabry almost unplayable as he netted four times, with Robert Lewandowski getting two and Joshua Kimmich the other in an absolute exhibition.<\/p>\n<p>That had come after Son Heung-min put Spurs ahead. Harry Kane, who scored a penalty consolation, could only look on in awe as Bayern steamrollered his team.<\/p>\n<p>Pochettino was sacked shortly afterwards, unable to rekindle the previous season&#8217;s magic.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865533-12854411-image-a-64_1702383526888.jpg\" height=\"425\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Brutal Bayern Munich smashed Tottenham 7-2 during the 2019-2020 group stages<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865535-12854411-image-a-65_1702383558556.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Serge Gnabry was Spurs&#8217; tormentor-in-chief as he scored four times during the rout<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=xFTtxKevOrY%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<p><span>Moldovan minnows stun the Bernabeu<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sheriff Tiraspol, from the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria, made their Champions League group stage debuts in 2021-22 and would have been thrilled to draw Real Madrid and Inter Milan.<\/p>\n<p>Few gave them much hope when they headed to the Bernabeu on matchday two but Jasurbek Yakhshiboev opened the scoring.<\/p>\n<p>After Karim Benzema levelled from the penalty spot, Sheriff would have been more than satisfied with a draw. But then something magical happened.<\/p>\n<p>Sebastien Thill raced onto a loose ball and leathered a 25-yard stunner past Thibaut Courtois into the top corner. It was a once-in-a-lifetime strike that silenced this famous ground.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, Real recovered to top the group and Sheriff finished third.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/12\/12\/12\/78865643-12854411-image-a-66_1702383604728.jpg\" height=\"406\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Minnows Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova celebrate their famous 2021 win over Real Madrid<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=2GZSOA9eSV4%3Frel%3D0<\/p>\n<h3>IT&#8217;S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p><span><span>It&#8217;s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span>It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><span>Bressan gets on his bike<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Not only was Fiorentina&#8217;s 3-3 draw with Barcelona in the 1999-2000 first group stage a classic, it featured arguably the greatest-ever Champions League goal.<\/p>\n<p>Midfielder Mauro Bressan did what most players wouldn&#8217;t think to do and attempted an audacious bicycle kick from fully 30 yards out.<\/p>\n<p>Amazingly it went in, an instant highlight in what was a journeyman career.<\/p>\n<p>It was voted No 2 in an ITV list of the greatest-ever Champions League goals behind Zinedine Zidane&#8217;s famous volley to win the 2002 final.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/08\/02\/636x90_facebook_ad_sport.png\" width=\"636\" height=\"90\"><br \/>\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/article-12854411\/Man-United-Treble-epic-Barcelona-Arsenal-Invincibles-San-Siro-Gareth-Bale-Inter-greatest-Champions-League-group-stage-moments.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Man United&#8217;s Treble season epics with Barcelona, an Arsenal &#8216;Invincibles&#8217; masterclass in the San Siro, Gareth Bale destroying Inter &#8211; <span class=\"more-text\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302215,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The greatest Champions League group stage moments as format changes - Sportstons<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/the-greatest-champions-league-group-stage-moments-as-format-changes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The greatest Champions League group stage moments as format changes - Sportstons\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Man United&#8217;s Treble season epics with Barcelona, an Arsenal &#8216;Invincibles&#8217; 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