#7 The pass – Deco one-two with Alenichev
The game – 2004, FC Porto vs Monaco
The story – The Champions League final in 2003-04 was between Monaco and FC Porto, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Monaco beat Chelsea in the semi-final while Porto overcame mercurial Deportivo La Coruna. They met in the final with much to prove, in what was a Champions League campaign with huge upsets.
The young, unknown Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho who knocked out Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United was full of confidence for the final. Key battles were to be fought between Monaco’s Fernando Morientes, Ludovic Giuly and Jerome Rothen against the then young, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira while Deco and Maniche in Porto’s midfield were expected to run the show.
Carlos Alberto scored the opener in the 39th minute with a fantastic finish. As Monaco threatened constantly, the game was end to end. But then in the second half, in a swift counter attack by Porto, Deco picked up the ball in midfield and after beating his man played a pass to Alenichev on the left flank.
Alenichev passed back to Deco as he checked his run and allowed all the Monaco defenders to move ahead. After receiving the ball, he chipped the ball into the bottom of the net. That goal and that move, created and finished by Deco, sealed the game for Porto.
Alenichev scored a third in the 75th minute and Jose Mourinho won his first Champions League title and the rest as they say is history.
