A legendary comeback and a cruel twist for Barcelona immortalise the last Champions League final at the Camp Nou
The Champions League returns to the Barça fortress after an absence
The Camp Nou is preparing to open a new chapter in its European history. UEFA have officially selected Barcelona's stronghold to host the Champions League final in 2029, bringing the continent's biggest club event back to the Catalan stadium after a 30-year absence.
That final will be the third time the Camp Nou has staged the competition's closing match, after the 1989 and 1999 editions. The latter remains engraved in football's memory as one of the maddest and most thrilling matches in the tournament's history.
Milan's historic night
The first came on 24 May 1989, when the Camp Nou hosted the European Cup final between Italy's Milan and Romania's Steaua Bucharest.
Arrigo Sacchi's side turned it into a sweeping display. They thrashed their opponents 4-0 in front of around 97,000 spectators, with the Dutch duo Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten scoring two goals each.
That victory stood out as one of the defining moments in Milan's golden era, and they retained the title the following season.
Watch Milan's four goals (by clicking here)
1999: an unforgettable comeback
The final of 26 May 1999, though, is the most famous of all the matches the Camp Nou has hosted in the tournament's history.
Bayern Munich took an early lead through Mario Basler and stayed ahead until the final minutes, even squandering several chances to extend their advantage. Manchester United looked to be heading out of Barcelona as losers.
Then everything turned in stoppage time. Teddy Sheringham grabbed the equaliser before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struck the winner a few minutes later, driving United to a historic 2-1 win and the title in one of the most famous comebacks in Champions League history. Sir Alex Ferguson described that moment as the greatest of his life, and the English side completed a historic treble that season.
Watch Manchester United's legendary comeback against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou (by clicking here)
Barcelona's cruel irony
Here's the twist. The two sides in that historic night were the very reason Barcelona, the home team, were denied the dream of playing the final on their own ground.
The group-stage draw for the 1998-1999 season had thrown them into a fiery group featuring Bayern Munich and Manchester United, and the Catalan side failed to reach the knockout rounds. The two giants carried on until they met in the final at the Camp Nou itself. UEFA's records confirm that Barcelona stopped in the group stage, while Bayern and United reached the final before United settled it in the closing minutes.
Thirty years on from that night, the final returns to the Camp Nou in 2029. This time Barcelona will hope not to settle for the role of host, but to fight their way to the closing match and give their fans the chance to see their team compete for the trophy with the two ears on their own ground.
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