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The UEFA Champions League pits the best from around Europe against each other every year. The tournament has always lived up to the expectations fans have. Over the years we have seen some amazing performances, comebacks and upsets. This tournament is another example of why we love the beautiful game.Although the tournament features the best from different leagues, many clubs who have won the tournament previously have failed to qualify for the tournament or have failed to live up to the standards they once set when they lifted the silverware. Here is a look at six such clubs who have lifted the trophy in the Champions League era and have fallen from their perch after that. Manchester United finished seventh in the Premier league last season
#6 Olympique de Marseille
Marseille are the only French team to lift the Champions League or European Cup till date. They did this in the very first year after the tournament was rebranded as the Champions League. They defeated Milan in the final that year after the scoring the only goal of the game. That team featured players like Rudi Voller and captain Didier Deschamps.
Marseille have failed to qualify for the tournament this year after they finished sixth in the league last season.Last season when Marseille took part in the Champions League, they were grouped with Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and AC Milan in the group of death. The French side was a punching bag for the other clubs as Marseille lost all six of their group stage matches.
#5 Juventus
The old lady lifted the title in 1996 by defeating Ajax in the final after penalty shootouts. The side that won the final consisted of players like Antonio Conte, Didier Deschamps and Del Piero and were managed by Marcello Lippi. The Ajax side they defeated was managed by the current Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal.
They had previously won the title in 1985 after defeating Liverpool in the final.
Juventus have had incredible success in the league, but have failed to replicate the same form in Europe after 1996. They were relegated to Serie B after the 2005-06 season following match fixing scandals, but returned to Serie A next season.
Last season in the Champions League they were knocked out in the group stages on the final match day and played in the Europa League, but lost to Benifica in the semi-finals.
#4 Internazionale
This is the third successive season in which the second Milan team have failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Inter famously won the treble in 2010 under Jose Mourinho. From there the Italian side have seen their standards drop over the years. In fact the 2013-14 season was the first time that Inter failed to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League since 1999-2000.
Inter appointed Walter Mazzari as their head coach last season in a quest to return to Europe’s elites. Mazzari who helped Napoli make a return to the Champions League during his time there, couldn’t guide the Inter side to the Champions League in his first attempt. They have strengthened the squad significantly this season with the addition of players like Nemanja Vidic, Dani Osvaldo and Yan M’Vila and have started the current season in style by defeating Sassuolo 7-0!
#3 Liverpool
Liverpool have made a return to the Champions League after gap of five years! That’s a big number for a club who have won the tournament as many times.
The Merseyside club have often been a surprise package in the Champions League era even though they have never won a league title in the same period.
Liverpool lifted the trophy in 2005 after defeating AC Milan on penalties. The game which is often referred to as ‘The Miracle of Istanbul’ is considered by many as the greatest football game ever played.
Liverpool played Milan again in the final two years later, but the Italian side came out on top then. Nevertheless the Merseyside club have been missed in the tournament for a while now and maybe they can sprout a few surprises this season and announce their return in style after all they are the only English team to have beaten Barcelona at the Nou Camp and they have never tasted defeat to Real Madrid in a competitive game.
#2 Manchester United
Manchester United have lifted the trophy twice in the Champions League era and thrice overall. The English side last won the tournament in 2008 when they defeated Chelsea on penalty shootouts. They reached the final in 2009 and 2011 and lost to Barcelona on both occasions.
United’s famous win over Bayern Munich in 1999 is there up among the best finals and comebacks ever witnessed in football history. They scored twice in injury time to take the game away from Bayern Munich and lift the title.
The three time winners had a very poor season by their standards last year and finished seventh in the league and failed to qualify for the tournament for the first time in the Champions League era.
#1 AC Milan
The Italian side have won the prestigious tournament seven times in their history and three times after it was renamed as UEFA Champions League. They reached the final thrice in alternate years from 2003 to 2007 and won two of the finals and surprisingly lost the final in 2005 to Liverpool on penalties after leading the game 3-0 at halftime.
The AC Milan team of last decade was much like the Barcelona team of 2009 or 2011. They were the team to fear for other clubs. The team that started their last final in 2007 against Liverpool consisted of players like Dida, Nesta, Maldini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Kaka and Inzaghi.
Milan have been hit with financial troubles in the recent years, they have sold some of their best players including the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Mario Balotelli. They have been purchasing players on free transfers in the last two transfer windows to somehow keep their squad competitive. They finished eighth in Serie A last season and therefore have failed to qualify for European competitions this season.
In the last two seasons Milan participated in the tournament they have exited it in the Round of 16 stage.
Milan are easily the biggest name missing from the tournament this season.
P.S: Did you know that Milan always play their Champions League finals in their white away kit?
