Greece is definitely not a prime footballing force. It’s not exactly the Mecca of football, even if the national team was at the top of Europe in 2004. However, it has not a few times been favored by UEFA as the final destination of an inter-club competition. It has happened six times so far.

Six finals in three different stadiums (OAKA, G. Karaiskakis, Kavtanzoglio) involving Champions League/Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup. If a team has fond memories of finals in our country, it’s Milan. He has played three times in the European finals in Greece and won the same number of trophies. Not least for the “Rosoneri” it is the perfect destination.

On the occasion of UEFA’s decision to give Greece the opportunity to organize two European finals, the Super Cup 2023 at Georgios Karaiskakis and the Conference League 2024 in the OPAP Arena, Sportish turns the clock upside down and remembers the six with a flashback previous games that they judged a trophy in our country.

Chelsea v Real Madrid (19/05/1971 – Cup Winners’ Cup)

The first final in Greece took place on 19 May 1971 when Chelsea and Real Madrid won their first UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and indeed it would be Chelsea’s first ever European trophy as opposed to the ‘Queen’. In the end, the cup was decided in replay as there was no extra time and penalties.

Over 42,000 spectators filled the Karaiskaki Stadium with Peter Osgood scoring the opening goal in the 56th minute and Ignatius Thokos equalizing in the 90th minute to send the pair into a second leg, which took place on May 21 at the same stadium took place. The Londoners were better there and won 2-1 through goals from Dempsey (32nd), while Osgood and Real reduced to 75th with Fleitas. The number of spectators in the second game was significantly lower than two days before and did not even reach 20,000.

Milan – Leeds (16/05/1973 – Cup Winners’ Cup

Just two years later, the final was played again in Greece, this time at the Kavanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, where Milan met then-strength Leeds in the Cup Winners’ Cup final on 16 May 1973.

More than 40,000 spectators were in the stands watching this game, which was decided for the “Rosoneri” by Chiaruzzi’s goal in the 5th minute and with a negative protagonist of the referee Christos Michas, which left the English with terrible discomfort. The first Greek to officiate in a European competition final and the experience proved traumatic.

Hamburg – Juventus (May 25, 1983 – Championship Cup)

Ten years had to pass before a final was scheduled in Greece again and for the first time for the Champions Cup. On May 25, 1983, Hamburg and Juventus qualified for the final and the game took place at the OAKA.

The Germans will never forget our capital, they won the first and only Champions League in their history here and in front of 73,500 spectators in just the 9th minute of the final they defeated “Vecchia Signora” 1-0 with a goal by Felix Magat. Let’s recall that this season the North German team eliminated Olympiakos in the second round.

Ajax – Lokomotiv Leipzig (13.5.1987 – Cup Winners’ Cup)

Four years later we had another Cup Winners’ Cup final at the same stadium when Ajax faced Lokomotiv Leipzig. Johan Cruyff’s team beat the Germans 1-0 thanks to a goal by then 23-year-old Marco van Basten, who saved the European trophies. His national team and Milan followed, making his portfolio much richer.

Almost 35,000 fans were in the stadium, but only a handful were fans of East German club Leipzig. You see, the Berlin Wall hadn’t fallen yet. As a reminder, “Aiantas” eliminated Olympiakos in the second round, won 4-0 in Amsterdam and drew 1-1 in Athens.

Milan – Barcelona (18.5.1994 – Champions League)

The final that most people remember the most was the May 18, 1994 final between Milan and Barcelona. On the one hand Fabio Capello and on the other Johan Cruyff, who this time left beaten and with a fat score. A Milan of their friends’ wildest dreams, the Catalans scattered and crushed them in an emphatic 4-0.

The first two goals came from Massaro, a lob from Savicevic and another from Desai. Barcelona could do absolutely nothing that night and surrendered to the frantic Italian appetite.

Milan – Liverpool (18.5.2007 – Champions League)

Two years after the City final and Liverpool’s epic excitement, the two sides met again against the backdrop of the competition’s ‘Holy Grail’, but now it was in… the city of Milan. In her beloved Athens, she scored 3/3 in the final of an inter-club event, beating the Reds 2-1 on the evening of May 18, 2007.

Pipo Inzaghi was the star of Carlo Ancelotti’s revenge for Milan, scoring in the 45th and 82nd minutes only to be pared down by Dirk Kaut for Rafa Benitez’s side, who failed to tip the chances again . The mood in the packed OAKA, with 74,000 spectators in the stands, was terrific. This season, Milan had played AEK in the group stage, winning 3-0 at home and losing 1-0 at OAKA to a foul by Cesar.