UEFA Champions League: Manchester United finals and history

Despite being second behind Liverpool as England's most successful club in Europe, it could be argued that no English club has had a bigger impact on the competition than Manchester United.

The still-new European Cup invited winners of top-flight leagues from around Europe to compete against each other, but the powers that were had denied Chelsea the opportunity to partake in the inaugural 1955/56 edition.

Depending on the source, Chelsea were forbidden from entering or simply refused; Matt Busby would, however, ensure his team were represented on the European stage, ignoring the Football League's objections and paving the way for the likes of Liverpool, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in the years to come.

Manchester United UEFA Champions League finals

How many UEFA Champions League titles have Manchester United won?

Manchester United have been crowned champions of Europe on three occasions, winning the European Cup in 1968 and the re-branded, re-formatted UEFA Champions League in 1999 and 2008.

Manchester United UEFA Champions League history

After knocking the door down and insisting his side would play in Europe, Matt Busby led United to the European Cup semi-finals in the 1957/58 season, beaten by the all-conquering Real Madrid side, who'd go on to win the competition once more, but the Red Devils were back for more the following season.

The Busby Babes beat Shamrock Rovers, Dukla Prague and Red Star Belgrade to reach the semi-final again, but it was after their trip to Belgrade that disaster struck.

3-0 up on the night and 5-1 up on aggregate, United had booked their spot in the semis with little over half an hour played, but on the return flight home, the plane stopped to refuel in Munich.

Eight of Manchester United's fabled side died as a result of the crash with two more never playing again.

It took nearly a decade of rebuilding to get the side competing for titles again, but United with the Holy Trinity of George Best, Denis Law and Munich survivor Bobby Charlton, reached the European Cup final in 1968, beating Benfica 4-1 after extra-time to become the first English club to win be crowned European champions.

An ageing side suffered a steady decline that resulted in the club's relegation in 1974. The club were promoted at the first time of asking, but wouldn't qualify for the European Cup ever again. Though United had brief forays into Europe, their next meal at European football's top table wouldn't be until the 1993/94 season, in the rebranded UEFA Champions League.

The closest United came to returning to the UEFA Champions League final was in 1997 when they side lost both legs 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund, but two years later, the club would experience its finest hour.

Already wrapping up a double of Premier League and FA Cup, United took on Bayern Munich, seeking a historic Treble.

Going 1-0 down early on, United hardly threatened the Bayern goal, having their own woodwork rattled on two occasions. But as the game entered second-half stoppage time, a Ryan Giggs shot was swept in by substitute Teddy Sheringham.

With the game heading to extra-time, United won another corner, with goalscorer turning provider, as Sheringham glanced the ball into the six-yard box and fellow sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poking home.

Despite three more quarter-finals and a semi-final, United had to wait nearly a decade before putting a side together capable of challenging for European honours again.

An agonising semi-final defeat to Milan in 2007 reminded them there was still work to do, but the following season they returned to European football's showpiece for an all-English final with Chelsea.

Cristiano Ronaldo would score a first-half opener with Frank Lampard equalising shortly before the break. The game went to extra-time and then penalties, with United lifting a third European title.

Two more finals followed in 2009 and 2011, but running into the legendary Barcelona sides of that era proved too much, with United striving to get back to that stage ever since.

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Liam Williams

• Manchester United F.C.
• European Football
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