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European rivalries
Football club rivalries are traditionally the result of local bragging rights or sustained competition in the domestic game, but the rise of several European superclubs in the Champions League era has led to the creation of feuds which go beyond borders.
In this slideshow, we pick out seven of the fiercest continental club rivalries to be created since 1992/93.
7. Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
While Real Madrid have the marginally better record overall, the most famous win belongs to Borussia Dortmund after Robert Lewandowski scored four goals as part of a 4-1 trouncing in the first leg of the 2013 semi-finals.
Madrid took revenge a year later on their way to lifting the trophy, and won twice in the 2017-18 group stage, but that defeat still hurts. Whether Dortmund will ever return to the heights they reached under Jurgen Klopp is uncertain - they're not quite a top-tier European power right now - but these were wonderful games.
6. Barcelona vs PSG
The Parisians' dream of winning the Champions League was buried by Barcelona no less than three times in the last five seasons, and they’re unlikely to forget the amazing events of March 2017 any time soon.
PSG dramatically lost on away goals in 2013 when Pedro Rodriguez scored the crucial equaliser at Camp Nou. Then were soundly beaten 5-1 on aggregate in 2015, but in 2017 they made sure of progressing by thrashing their illustrious opponents 4-0 at Parc des Princes. Or so they thought...
An incredible comeback, inspired by Neymar and finished off by Sergi Roberto, resulted in Barcelona’s 6-1 triumph in the return leg. Now that Neymar has controversially left for Paris, the next meeting promises to be red-hot.
5. Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid
The most famous clubs in Germany and Spain share a similar mentality, and their history in the Champions League is equally rich. Since the beginning of the millennium, Real and Bayern faced each other 16 times in the knockouts; the advantage belongs to Madrid so far, with five aggregate wins to three. The affairs have always been tight, apart from a 4-0 Real win at Allianz Arena in the semi-finals in 2014.
Their quarter-final clash in 2016-17 was probably the most controversial of all. Bayern won't forget Arturo Vidal's scandalous sending-off at the Bernabeu, nor the overlooked handball which eventually allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to settle the tie in Madrid’s favour.
4. Barcelona vs Inter
They haven't met since that fateful evening at Camp Nou in April 2010, but a rivalry sparked by Jose Mourinho is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon.
Deeply hurt by the Catalans' refusal to make him the coach in 2008, Mourinho had a golden opportunity to beat the club he used to dream about. The fact Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved from Inter to Barcelona that summer, with Samuel Eto'o moving in the opposite direction, only added further layers to an already curious script.
The rivals met four times that season, Barça taking four points while finishing ahead of the Nerazzurri in the group stage. In the semi-finals, though, it was a different story: Inter attacked their vaunted rivals from the off to win 3-1 at San Siro, before holding out for a 1-0 defeat in the return leg.
3. Manchester United vs Juventus
Ever since 2003, the football world has been waiting for Manchester United to face Juventus again, because the battles between Alex Ferguson and Marcello Lippi in the 1990s were sensational.
In 1996, the Old Lady won twice in the group stage to gain the upper hand. Both teams took three points on home soil a year later, but that was all irrelevant because both qualified for the knockout stage anyway.
The most important fixtures – and one of the most famous turnarounds in the Red Devils' history – took place in the semi-finals in 1999. Juventus were hot favourites after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, but Roy Keane, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole scored in a 3-2 United win in the reverse fixture.
2. Liverpool vs Chelsea
Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool knocked Jose Mourinho's Chelsea out in the semi-finals in 2005, when Luis Garcia scored a goal that may or may not have crossed the line. Then, two years later, the rivals met again at the same stage, exchanging 1-0 home wins – and Liverpool prevailed on penalties.
Luck changed only after the Special One was fired. Avram Grant benefited from an incredible injury-time own goal by John Arne Riise in the quarter-finals in 2008 to beat Liverpool and put the curse to rest.
A year later, the teams were involved in two nail-biting spectacles, with Chelsea winning 3-1 at Anfield thanks to a brace by Branislav Ivanovic, and Liverpool almost staging an incredible comeback in a 4-4 draw in London.
1. Barcelona vs Chelsea
This rivalry started in 2005, when the Blues overcame Barça in a dramatic last-16 battle. The Catalans came from behind to win 2-1 at the Camp Nou in the first leg, but despite a moment of magic from Ronaldinho, they were eliminated after a 4-2 defeat in the return match.
A year passed, and Barcelona took sweet revenge at the same stage of the competition, with their 2-1 win in London featuring two own goals and a red card for Asier del Horno after his foul on Lionel Messi.
The most contentious episode came in the semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge in 2009, when the hosts had four penalty shouts turned down before Andres Iniesta’s late strike sent Barcelona through to the final. Chelsea hit back three years later, though, Roberto Di Matteo’s side giving a lesson in defensive resilience as they squeezed past the Blaugrana in the last four.
