Manchester United face the daunting proposition of taking on reigning European champions Bayern Munich at Old Trafford tonight.
Bayern, under the guidance of two-time Champions League winning coach Pep Guardiola, have wrapped up the Bundesliga in record time.
They are bidding to be the first team to ever successfully defend the Champions League and their previous meetings with United in the competition have produced some enthralling games.
The German giants have the better of the head-to-head record over the nine meetings between the teams.
Manchester United record v Bayern Munich:
|
|
Win |
Draw |
Loss |
For |
Against |
|
Man Utd |
2 |
4 |
3 |
11 |
12 |
MM looks back at the best games between United and FC Bayern.
1. Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich, 1999 Champions League final, Nou Camp
Quite simply one of the greatest football matches ever played.
United headed into the final in Barcelona, seeking to complete the third part of their historic treble, having already clinched the Premier League and FA Cup.
Suspension to talismanic leader Roy Keane and influential midfielder Paul Scholes meant that Alex Ferguson’s team headed into the final as underdogs.
Mario Basler’s free kick after just six minutes gave Bayern the early lead and United a mountain to climb.
Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side continued to dominate but were twice denied by the woodwork, increasing the feeling that United were destined to win the trophy.
With the game slipping away, Ferguson sent on Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the rest is history.
In added time, with goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel up for a corner, Sheringham swept home a Ryan Giggs strike to pull United level.
Incredibly, United weren’t finished there and notched their second goal in as many minutes as Sheringham flicked on a David Beckham corner and Solskjaer prodded the winner at the far post.
It was one of the most incredible turnarounds in the history of football and completed an unprecedented treble.
2. Bayern Munich 2-1 Manchester United (first leg), Manchester United 3-2 Bayern Munich (second leg), 2010 Champions League quarter-final
United had reached the two previous Champions League finals, beating Chelsea in Moscow and losing to Barcelona in Rome.
Having lost Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez the summer before, this was a United side in transition and Bayern would prove a test too far.
United started brilliantly in the away leg at the Allianz Arena, as Wayne Rooney scored a crucial away goal after just 64 seconds.
Bayern hit back late in the game, equalising through a deflected Franck Ribery free kick before Ivica Olic grabbed a winner deep into injury time – giving Bayern a 2-1 lead to take to Old Trafford.
United started like a train in the home leg and raced into a 3-0 lead after 41 minutes through Darron Gibson and two from Nani.
Olic pulled one back just before the break and the tie turned as Rafael was sent off after half time.
An Arjen Robben volley brought the score to 4-4 on aggregate and sent Bayern through on away goals.
3. Bayern Munich 2-2 Manchester United, 1998 Champions League group stage
This was the first meeting between the two teams and it proved to be a cracker.
Drawn in the so-called group of death, alongside Barcelona and Brondby, United were seeking their first win having drawn 3-3 with Barcelona at Old Trafford on matchday one.
Giovane Elber struck early to put Bayern 1-0 up before goals either side of the break from Dwight Yorke and Paul Scholes gave Ferguson’s travelling team the lead.
An uncharacteristic error from United keeper Peter Schmeichel gifted Elber an equaliser with just one minute of normal time remaining and ensured Bayern snatched a point from the game.
4. Manchester United 0-1 Bayern Munich (first leg), Bayern Munich 2-1 Manchester United (second leg), Champions League quarter-final 2001
Revenge was the mission for Bayern as they came face to face with United for the first time since their heart-breaking Champions League final loss in 1999.
Paulo Sergio grabbed the only goal in an even first leg at Old Trafford to leave United facing an uphill battle in the away leg to turn the tie around.
The second leg started badly for United as Elber scored after five minutes and Mehmet Scholl effectively ended the tie before half time.
Despite Ryan Giggs scoring a consolation, Bayern had the revenge they were seeking.
5. Bayern Munich 1-1 Manchester United, Champions League group stage 2001
Less than a year later, the two European giants were draw together in the group stages once again.
Given the history that had built between the two teams over the previous three seasons, this was a much-anticipated tie and proved to be a fiercely contested match.
United’s prolific Dutch marksman Ruud van Nistelrooy gave the Red Devils the lead and looked to have clinched victory with just 16 minutes remaining.
Sergio however once again hurt United with an 88th minute equaliser and both sides would go on to progress from the group stage.
Main image courtesy of UEFA via YouTube, with thanks.
