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The UEFA Champions League is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world comprising of the best teams from top European leagues competing against each other for the continental crown.
One of the rarest and most impressive achievements in this tournament is to finish the group stage with a perfect record, winning all the matches without dropping points in any.
While Bayern Munich have accomplished this feat three times in the last four seasons, there have been eight other instances where other teams have achieved a perfect record in the group stage.
Today, we will take a closer look at these eight instances and the teams that achieved this remarkable feat to elevate their name in Champions League history.
#1 AC Milan (1992-93)
AC Milan was considered one of Europe's best teams of the 90s after winning the Champions League in 1989 and 1990. However, in 1991, AC Milan failed to win a single trophy and it seemed that their decline had begun. Despite this setback, AC Milan were determined to bounce back.
The 1992-93 Champions League season proved to be a turning point for AC Milan. They demonstrated their resilience by finishing top of their group, which included teams like IFK Göteborg, Porto, and PSV Eindhoven. This triumph showcased to the world that AC Milan was not going to be brought down by one bad season.
In their opening match of the Champions League against IFK Göteborg, Van Basten single-handedly secured a 4-0 victory by scoring all four goals. In the following match, AC Milan defeated Dutch side PSV Eindhoven 2-1. The team then faced a much tougher opponent, Porto, in their third match, which they won 1-0. AC Milan then traveled to Portugal for the return leg against Porto, and secured another victory, winning 1-0 at their home ground.
AC Milan's fifth match was against IFK Göteborg, which they won 1-0. They then finished the group stage by playing against PSV Eindhoven and won the match 2-0 comfortably. AC Milan won all their group matches with a goal difference of 10 goals, cementing their status as a formidable team once again.
#2. PSG (1994-95)
In recent Champions League seasons, PSG has not been fortunate, but during the 1994-95 season, the team had a remarkable run in the group stage, winning all their matches without a single loss or draw. Despite drawing top teams like Bayern Munich and Spartak Moscow, PSG managed to achieve a perfect record with the help of George Weah's exceptional performance that season.
PSG began the group stage by defeating Bayern and keeping a clean sheet. For their next match, they traveled to Russia to face Spartak and emerged victorious with a score of 1-2. In the following match, PSG once again won 1-2 against Dynamo Kyiv. PSG won their next two matches against Bayern and Kyiv with a 1-0 scoreline. In the final match of the group stage, PSG faced Spartak and won comfortably with a score of 4-1, thanks to Weah's two goals.
This impressive display of skill and teamwork allowed PSG to finish the group stage with a flawless record, showcasing their potential as a formidable team in the Champions League.
#3 Spartak Moscow (1995-96)
The 1995-96 season was a remarkable one for Spartak Moscow, as they set a new standard for Russian football by becoming the only team in Russia to achieve a perfect record in the Champions League group stage. Spartak was placed in a group with Legia Warsaw, Rosenborg, and Blackburn Rovers.
Spartak's first victory came against Blackburn Rovers, as they secured a 1-0 win against the English side. They followed this up with a 2-1 victory against Legia Warsaw. After a fantastic start to the campaign, Spartak recorded back-to-back wins against Rosenborg (2-4 and 4-1). Blackburn Rovers did not pose much of a challenge when they visited Spartak in Russia after their defeat at home, and they were humbled with a 3-0 scoreline. On the final matchday, the Polish champions Legia Warsaw put up a good fight against Spartak Moscow, but it was not enough to save any points as they lost 0-1. Spartak finished the group stage with a perfect record.
This season will always be remembered as a historical moment for Spartak Moscow and Russian football, as they demonstrated their dominance on the pitch with flawless performances throughout the group stage.
#4. Barcelona (2002-03)
During the 2002-03 season, Barcelona had a mediocre La Liga season, finishing 22 points behind their rivals, Real Madrid. However, they were unstoppable in the Champions League. This edition of the tournament had two group stages, and Barcelona managed to finish the first group stage without dropping any points.
Barcelona was drawn into a relatively easy group, featuring Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and Lokomotiv Moscow. Despite their easy draw, their domestic form raised concerns among Barcelona fans at the start of the Champions League campaign. They started with a 3-2 win against Brugge and followed it up with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Galatasaray.
The strongest team in the group was Lokomotiv, but Barcelona won both matches against them (1-3 and 1-0). After winning a close match against Brugge at Camp Nou, Barcelona had to face them away from home. It was another close match, but Barcelona clinched all three points with a 1-0 win. In their final match against Galatasaray, Barcelona easily won 3-1, achieving a perfect record in the group stage.
#5. Real Madrid (2011-12)
Real Madrid has become synonymous with impossible records in the Champions League over the past few seasons, thanks to their dominating UCL campaigns. In the 2011-12 season, Real Madrid was under the leadership of the legendary Jose Mourinho. Although Mourinho's time at Real Madrid is viewed as a failure by many, he did manage to lead his team to achieve a perfect record in the 2011-12 Champions League season, while also winning La Liga.
Madrid's path to glory began with a group consisting of Lyon, Ajax, and Dinamo Zagreb. Mourinho, who is renowned for his tactical genius, was quick to showcase his skills during the group stages, where he deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation in all six matches and led his team to victory in every single game.
The opening game against Zagreb saw Madrid triumph with a narrow 1-0 win. Their next match against Ajax was more comfortable, with Madrid winning by 3-0. Madrid's defense was also on point, keeping clean sheets in their first two matches. Madrid then played Lyon back-to-back, keeping another two clean sheets and winning with a score of 4-0 and 0-2, respectively.
Real Madrid conceded the first goal of their campaign when they played Zagreb again, but still managed to win the match with an impressive scoreline of 6-2. The final match of the group stage was against Dutch side Ajax, where Real Madrid emerged as comfortable winners with a 3-0 scoreline, thereby achieving a perfect record in the group stage.
#6. Real Madrid (2014-15)
As club football season returned after the World Cup, Real Madrid had a lot on their plate with La Liga, Champions League, and other tournaments. Under Carlo Ancelotti's leadership, they aimed to win the Champions League again after last winning it in 2002. In the group stage, they faced Basel, Liverpool, and Ludogorets Razgrad.
Madrid began with a confident win against Basel with a scoreline of 5-1, followed by a 2-1 victory against Razgrad. Their toughest challenge came against Liverpool, but they triumphed with a convincing 3-0 win at Anfield. Liverpool fans lost hope of winning at Bernabeu, and Madrid sealed their dominance with a tense 1-0 victory at home.
Madrid's visit to Switzerland resulted in a 1-0 win against Basel, and they finished the group stage with a perfect record after a 4-0 victory against Razgrad. It was an impressive start to their Champions League campaign, and fans were excited to see what else was in store for the team.
#7. Ajax (2021-22)
In the 2021-22 season of the Champions League, Ajax delivered a stunning performance in the group stages by winning all their matches. It was a remarkable achievement that surprised everyone, including their fans and opponents alike.
Ajax were drawn in Group C alongside Sporting CP, Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas. They started their campaign with an impressive 4-0 victory against Sporting CP in Lisbon. The Dutch giants dominated the game from start to finish, with Sebastien Haller netting all four goals. Ajax continued their winning run by defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. Goals from Dusan Tadic and Antony sealed the victory for Erik ten Hag's side.
The third match was a tricky away fixture against Besiktas in Istanbul. However, Ajax produced another outstanding performance, winning the match 4-2. The Turkish side started brightly and took the lead through Michy Batshuayi, but Ajax responded with four goals from Haller, Noussair Mazraoui, Tadic, and David Neres. Besiktas managed to score a late consolation goal, but it was too little too late.
Ajax's final match was another home fixture, this time against Sporting CP. The Dutch giants had already secured their place in the knockout stages, but they were determined to finish the group stages with a perfect record. They did just that, defeating Sporting CP 2-0 with goals from Haller and Tadic.
Ajax's attacking prowess was the key to their success in the group stages, scoring a total of 12 goals in four matches. Meanwhile, their defense was rock solid, conceding only two goals. Ajax's young squad had shown their potential and proved that they can could compete at the highest level of European football.
#8. Liverpool (2021-22)
In the 2021-22 season of the Champions League, Liverpool delivered a sensational performance in the group stages by winning all their matches. It was an unexpected and remarkable feat that sent shockwaves through the football world.
Drawn in Group E alongside AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, and Porto, Liverpool started their campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory against AC Milan at Anfield. The electrifying trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino were unstoppable, tearing through the Italian defense with ease.
Liverpool's winning run continued in their next match against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital, where they produced a masterful defensive display to keep a clean sheet and secure a 2-0 victory. The third match was another away fixture, this time against Porto in Portugal, and Liverpool showcased their attacking prowess by scoring three goals and only conceding one in a 3-1 victory.
In their final group stage match, Liverpool hosted AC Milan again, already having secured their spot in the knockout stages. However, the Reds were determined to finish with a perfect record and did not disappoint, winning 2-1 with goals from Firmino and Diogo Jota. AC Milan managed to score a late consolation goal, but it was too little too late.
Liverpool's dynamic attack and rock-solid defense were the key factors in their success, scoring an impressive 10 goals in four matches while only conceding two. The Reds had announced their presence in the tournament with authority and proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.
Their unbeaten run in the group stages earned them a top-seeded position in the knockouts, where they beat Inter in the round of 16, Benfica in the quarter-final and Villarreal in the semi-final before losing to eventual champions Real Madrid in the final.
Nevertheless, Liverpool's impressive performance in the group stages of the Champions League 2021-22 season will go down in history as a remarkable achievement that left fans and rivals alike in awe.
