Final Bayern against Manchester 1999: From dream to trauma in 102 seconds

At around 10:35 pm on this mild evening on May 26, 1999, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson will be giving his most famous short interview in Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium. "You are the champion of Europe," says ITV reporter Gary Newborn, "a dream must come true for you!"

"Ah, I can not believe it," replies a visibly taken Ferguson. "I can not believe it, football, bloody hell!"

What, dammit, just happened here?

Almost three hours ago, Mario Basler, an offensive player from Bayern Munich, is sitting on a toilet in the cubicle and sucking on a cigarette. With his goal in the semi-final second leg against Dynamo Kiev he has shot the Munich only in this final. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" then wrote: "The whole fine-spinning strategy has torn Mario with a single idea." The finalists from Manchester Bayern were served twice already in the group stage, both duels ended in a draw. Who has the decisive idea today?

Gazing Britons

Michael Henke, Assistant to Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, emphasized in the closing discussion, "The Englishmen understand Eckbälle as a chance to score." Outside the Bayern curve the Spider Murphy Gang smashes its taunt from the "scandal in the Sperrbezirk": "Under thirty-six sixteen eight / the economy prevails all night ..." Even the English sway with.

Kickoff. British TV commentator Clive Tyldesley whispers with great emotion, "One of these two big clubs can make history here today." Bayern start with Kahn, Matthäus, Babbel, Left, Kuffour, Tarnat, Effenberg, Jeremies, Basler, Jancker and Zickler. For United on the court: Flatter, Gary Neville, Johnsen, Stam, Irwin, Giggs, Beckham, Butt, Blomqvist, Yorke and Andy Cole.

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In the fourth minute, Carsten Jancker gets a free kick out. The ball is in a half-left position, about 19 meters from the gate. "Bayern now have really good opportunities," says Tyldesley, "one of them is called Mario Basler." In the English Wall Markus Babbel tears a gap through which Basler cheats the ball into the bottom right. 1: 0 after just five minutes! "Super Mario," Tyldesley shouts, "this moody blend of talent and temperament has given Bayern the perfect start."

With the result, both teams go into halftime. The Bayern had previously rolled up the league with hochtourigem dream football. And Manchester, champions in the Premier League with a goal difference of 80:37, does not have a notable scene until the break.

Even after the page change changes little. Only the Munichers are really dangerous. In the 71th minute Stefan Effenberg almost managed a wonderful goal, but Schmeichel can just defuse his lift.

The winner caps distributed too early

After a header banter in the center circle David Beckham Lothar Matthäus rudely over the pile, the world champion of 1990 remains lying with a pain-distorted face. Matthew is now 38 and has been a national player for 19 years. He's been kicked a thousand times, but he's not 25 anymore. Ten minutes before the end, Thorsten Fink comes for him.

United also changes. Ferguson has sent Teddy Sheringham down in the 67th minute, and now Ole Gunnar Solskjær is coming. The son of a former Norwegian wrestling champion has 17 goals on the clock this season and a special nickname: "The baby-faced assassin" - the killer with the Babyface.

After 26 seconds brings Solskjær per flight header for the first time in this game Oliver Kahn in distress. Shortly thereafter, a Jancker-fallback sails only to the crossbar, a Lupfer of Mehmet Scholl bounces on the post. Supervisors already distribute baseball caps with the inscription "Champions League winner 1999 - FC Bayern Munich" on the Bavarian substitute bench.

United are now stronger, also because the Bayern defensive acts more disorderly. As if someone had pulled a stone from a Jenga tower in the wrong place. Ottmar Hitzfeld brings Hasan Salihamidžzic for Basler shortly before the end of regular time. The shooter of the single hit grabs one of the baseball caps.

At exactly 10.30pm local time Effenberg clears a Neville cross to the corner. United's attachment roars, Michael Henke gets goose bumps.

The milk-faced hitman hits

"Can Manchester United score?" Asks Clive Tyldesley. "They always score." They always meet otherwise. Beckham hits the corner and the ball hits Dwight Yorke, who scores just a quick header, right in front of Thorsten Fink. He only has to push the ball out of the danger zone. But just now Fink slips the ball off the instep and lands 18 yards from goal with Ryan Giggs, who beats him blind forward. And Sheringham is dusting off.

1: 1. After exactly 90 minutes and 36 seconds. "That may not be true," calls RTL commentator Marcel Reif. As the Camp Nou explodes, a Uefa employee hastily removes the newly-installed Bayern Munich ribbons from the trophy.

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With the last strength Kuffour clears the next United attack to the corner. Why is nobody at Sheringham, Beckham wonders, nailing the ball right where Sheringham will jump right away. The extends the flank with the head in front of the feet of Solskjær. The milk-faced contract killer leaves Kahn no chance. In the 93rd minute, it is actually 2: 1 for Manchester.

"And Solskjær has done it!", Tyldesley yells - while the scorer slips on his knees into the bliss of Barcelona, ​​causing a meniscal injury that will ultimately end his career. Mercilessly the camera shows Michael Tarnat in close-up. This is what a man looks like who has just lost everything. Peter Schmeichel runs to the spare benches and beats a wheel. And Clive Tyldesley says the most famous sentence of his reporter career: "Manchester United have reached the promised land!"

A knighthood for the gnarled coach

The game is not over yet. Kuffour whines and screams and throws the upper body back and forth because it's just unfair. As in a trance Effenberg beats the ball forward again, but Babbel does not get the ball, United can clear. That's the bitter end.

Bayern has lost. Manchester United are Champions League winners in 1999, scoring two goals in added time, within 102 seconds. Bayern crashes into the valley of tears, Manchester celebrate the most spectacular resurrection of recent club history (here the highlights on YouTube, with English commentary).

With the European Cup success in 1968, ten years after the plane crash of Munich with the tragic death of the "Busby Babes", the club had ever succeeded such a feat. And that's exactly what Alex Ferguson must think of as he shields his eyes against the floodlight with one hand and waves to the other hero in a hurry, Sir Bobby Charlton.

As he stands there, blissfully smiling, the otherwise gnarled Scotsman looks like a schoolboy who has just told Papa that he will be the best footballer of all times. Now Ferguson is the best coach in the world.

After the last Reserve Player with the Silverpot was allowed to celebrate before the turn, Ferguson rushes into the cabin to shake each of his men's hand. Roy Keane, suspended in the final, splashes the first champagne shower, Dwight Yorke dances, Beckham does not want to let go of the cup, a supervisor lands in the relaxation pool. The party can begin. Manchester United has reached the Promised Land. At the end of the British anniversary, Queen Alex Ferguson knights on July 20th.

For Bayern, this incredible night of Barcelona remains a trauma, "the worst thing that can happen," as coach Hitzfeld says today. And Sir Alex Ferguson remembered for a long time, "How we won this game, even now I have no idea, it was fate, just fate."

You have to be eleven ruffians: cruel stabs, handles into the realm and manners from another star - the kick troupe of football. Click on the face or name of the footballer below to learn more.