Page 61 - Soccer360 Issue 106

SOCCER360 SUMMER 2024 59
WEMBLEY REVISITED
Ciro Di Brita recounts the last time the Champions League final was held at Wembley, to mark 150 years of the English Football Association.
UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955
The last time European football’s most prestigious game was held in Wembley was an all-German affair between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in 2013. It was the first time in history that two Bundesliga sides had met in the final and was touted as being the most important of all Der Klassikers played between the two old rivals.
Bayern’s path to the final saw them take
on Valencia, Lille, and BATE Borisov in the group stage before squeaking past Arsenal on away goals in the Round of 16. The Bavarians then easily dispatched Juventus in the quarters before completely dismantling Barcelona in the semi-final.
Dortmund, on the other hand, had much tougher opponents in the group stage, topping a group that contained Real
Madrid, Ajax, and Manchester City. In the early knockout rounds, they squeezed
past Shakhtar Donetsk and Malaga before
a Robert Lewandowski four-goal salvo helped them past Real Madrid and into the Wembley showcase.
The final itself was an open game with Dortmund slightly dominating possession in the early stages but were unable to break down Jupp Heynckes’s side. The second
half saw Bayern take the initiative through
a close-range Mario Mandzukic finish on the hour mark. Ilkay Gundogan levelled things
up from the penalty spot after Marco Reus was fouled in the box eight minutes later
to set up a tense end to the game. As the
tie looked to be heading towards extra
time Jurgen Klopp’s side had their hearts broken by Arjen Robben who burst through the Dortmund defence and scuffed in the winner with a minute left of normal time. It secured a treble for Bayern under the iconic Heynckes, who then stepped down to make way for the arrival of Pep Guardiola.
Marie Yasmine Alidou
Aitana Bonmatí of FC Barcelona
The
Emma Hayes
Paris impressed during the Champions League
Lyon ran to the finals
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
UEFA Women’s Champions League
once again proved this year that the best tournaments in world football have a little
bit of everything. Showcasing close matches, high-level performances, and plenty of upsets this year’s competition once again delivered a competition that will be remembered for years to come.
Leading up to the final between Barcelona and Lyon Here are 5 notable moments from this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League:
ALIDOU BREAKS OUT- Canadian supporters certainly now know the name of Marie Yasmine Alidou. The Benfica midfielder had a breakout season in Champions League play this season, scoring five goals in Group Stage play to lift the Portuguese club into the knockout round. Her game-winning goal against Eintracht Frankfurt (1-0) and brace against FC Barcelona (2-2) proved that she is ready to make an impact on the international stage with CANWNT.
PARIS FC TAKES CHARGE- Every good tournament has a great feel-good story and this year’s competition was no different. In addition to Hacken’s brave run into the knockout
round, this season also saw the return of Paris FC to prominence. The former Champions League semifinalist and six-time Division 1 Feminine winners have fallen on hard times
as of late, having not made an appearance in the Champions League since 2012. But they bounced back this season defeating former Champions VFL Wolfsburg in the Qualifying rounds. In Group C, they made life difficult for opponents, earning two victories over Real Madrid.
HAYES BIDS STAMFORD BRIDGE ADIEU-
Emma Hayes’ time as the manager of Chelsea has come to an end. After announcing midseason that she would be leaving for the United States Women’s National Team at the end of the season, it seemed like Chelsea might be a team of destiny with their squad looking to send Hayes off with their first Champions League trophy. Although they made short work of their competitors in Group D and knocked off Ajax in the Quarterfinals, they fell short against FC Barcelona in the semifinals losing the second leg 2-0 on the road to finish 2-1 on aggregate.
BONMATI SETS THE TONE- In difficult matches, teams will often look to their playmakers for inspiration. Throughout her career, Aitana Bonmati has certainly provided the spark that Barcelona has needed in big matches. In their knockout round victories over Brann and Chelsea, Bonmati set the tone by scoring first for Barcelona. Throughout
the competition she provided a consistent attacking option through the midfield scoring six goals while connecting with forward Salma Paralluelo (seven goals).
#1 DO CALL IT A COMEBACK- Lyon’s run to the finals almost never happened. In the semifinals, they ran into an old rival in PSG who were looking to end Les Lyonnaises knockout run. They nearly pulled it off going up 2-0 on the road thanks to a brace from Marie Antoinette Katoto in the first half. But Lyon found their footing in the final ten minutes of the first leg with Diani (80’), Melchie Dumornay (85’), and Amel Majri (86’) scoring three consecutive goals to earn the win. They sealed their spot
in the finals with a 2-1 win on the road with Dumornay earning the game-winner.
ABOVE LEFT:
Patrick Schick’s last- gasp double saw Bayer Leverkusen overcome FK Qarabag