Manchester United Make Champions League History With 300th European Cup Game
Mark Strijbosch
From the Busby Babes to the Treble and Moscow, Manchester United have become the first English club to reach 300 games in Europe’s premier competition.
Manchester United’s return to the Champions League has brought another landmark at Old Trafford.
Thursday’s 4-0 victory over Sabah was United’s 300th match in the European Cup and Champions League, making them the first English club to reach the milestone.
It is a journey stretching back 70 years.
United became the first English club to enter the European Cup in 1956, beginning their campaign with a remarkable 10-0 victory over Anderlecht, which remains their record European win. Matt Busby’s side reached the semi-finals in each of their first two campaigns.
Their second run was forever changed by the Munich Air Disaster in February 1958, when eight United players were among the 23 people killed after the team’s plane crashed following a European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade.
Busby rebuilt his side and, a decade later, United finally conquered Europe.
Three unforgettable triumphs
The 1968 European Cup final saw United beat Benfica 4-1 after extra-time at Wembley. George Best and Brian Kidd scored alongside a Bobby Charlton double as United became the first English winners of the competition.
It took another 31 years for European Cup number two.
United’s 1999 triumph remains one of the competition’s most dramatic finales. Bayern Munich led from the sixth minute at the Camp Nou before Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in stoppage time to complete a stunning 2-1 comeback and seal Sir Alex Ferguson’s historic Treble.
Ferguson delivered the trophy again in 2008, when United faced Chelsea in Moscow. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring before Frank Lampard equalised, with the game eventually decided by penalties. Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka’s spot-kick as United won the shootout 6-5.
United reached two more finals under Ferguson, losing to Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, meaning their overall European Cup/Champions League final record stands at three victories from five appearances.
Ryan Giggs remains United’s leading Champions League appearance-maker with 151, while Ruud van Nistelrooy leads their Champions League scoring chart with 38 goals.
Now, after two seasons away from the competition, United are back. Their 300th game adds another milestone to a European history few English clubs can match.
United marked the occasion in style, beating Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford on Thursday night. The result gave them a winning start to their latest Champions League campaign and, after winning just one of their previous nine matches in the competition, offered a timely reminder of the standards they are trying to restore in Europe.
