A new clip of Gareth Bale speaking honestly about what it was like being a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo has gone viral on social media.Bale and Ronaldo enjoyed huge success together between 2013-2018 at Real Madrid.Part of the legendary ‘BBC’ attacking triumvirate, which also included Karim Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo terrified and destroyed countless teams in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.Bale always seemed happy enough with the fact that Ronaldo was the club’s superstar and main man. The Welshman is very different in personality compared to his former teammate.That said, like Ronaldo he was a winner and an unbelievably good footballer during his peak years.Bale recently caused a stir when he named Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, rather than Ronaldo, as the best player ever to win the Champions League.READ MORE:Gareth Bale snubs Cristiano Ronaldo when naming ‘Best player to have won Champions League’

New footage has revealed a wholesome moment between Kevin De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola after Manchester City secured the Champions League.It was a night to remember in Istanbul for the Premier League club as they beat Inter Milan 1-0.They secured the trophy for the first time in their history, thanks to a second-half effort from midfielder Rodri.City became only the second English side ever to complete the treble, following in the footsteps of fierce rivals Manchester United.

Have you ever imagined what it must feel like to line up for your club before a huge Champions League fixture?One Manchester United fan who doesn’t need to imagine the feeling is a guy named Karl Power, who blagged his way into the pre-match team photo before a huge quarter-final second leg clash against Bayern Munich in April 2001.As Man Utd’s players lined up for the customary pre-match photo, captain Roy Keane noticed the random man with ‘Cantona’ and a number seven on his back stood next to Andy Cole.How on earth did Power manage to pull off such an audacious stunt in front of 60,000 people at the Olympiastadion, plus millions more watching around the world on television?“We planned it like a military campaign and brought three United kits with us – red, white and blue,” Power told The Sun in 2001, per Planet Football.“Then we found out where the team were staying and got one of the directors to tell us what colour they’d be wearing.“We then went back and rehearsed it all in our hotel room. We got a taxi to the ground, pretended we were with a TV crew, and the gatemen let us in.“We managed to get down to pitchside and waited for the players to come out of the tunnel.“Then with 20 minutes ’till kick-off, we saw an opening where there were no stewards and a couple of us walked all the way round the running track and ended up behind the goal.“We sat with the photographers watching the warm-up. Then, when the teams walked out, I went to the players’ entrance and knew nothing was going to stop me.”

After spending 33 years at Sky Sports, Martin Tyler is set to leave the broadcaster.He has been the voice of many iconic Premier League and world football moments, making good goals even better, and enchanting listeners who watched him every week.“It has been a privilege to play a small part in the broadcasting history of the greatest league in the world,” he wrote in a statement.“Along the way I have worked alongside legions of wonderful professionals in all aspects of the television industry.“I thank them all for their support and expertise. It has been an honour to be a member of a very gifted team.”

Lionel Messi’s two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain was very much a mixed bag.While it’s true that the legendary forward won the Ligue 1 title in back-to-back seasons, that doesn’t tell the full story of what was a largely frustrating and difficult period for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.Messi, who recently announced that he will be signing for Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami, has confessed that he wasn't happy in the French capital."These were two years [PSG] in which I was not happy,” Messi told reporters, per The Mirror. "I did not enjoy myself, and that affected my family life, I missed a lot of my children's lives at school."Messi's relationship with PSG's supporters also crumbled during his second and final season at the Parc des Princes, blamed (partly, at least) for the club's failures in the Champions League.The whole reason Messi was signed was to help the club become European champions for the first time, but he failed to prevent PSG crashing out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 in consecutive seasons.The legendary Argentine forward was subsequently booed and jeered by PSG's supporters on a handful of occasions.The early signs had been promising, though. PSG registered an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester City in the 2021-22 Champions League group stages, with Messi netted a superb first goal for the Parisians.

Who doesn't love a cold, sassy response? If there were an award for this, Sergio Aguero would win it comfortably, especially after his cameo appearance during last night's Champions League final.The Manchester City legend joined BT Sport's coverage after the final whistle, mainly to tease Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand!Jake Humphrey told Aguero that he broke Ferdinand's heart, maybe talking about his iconic late strike against Queens Park Rangers that stopped United from winning the Premier League, or just talking about his old Man City side winning the treble, and Aguero's response and facial expressions were TV gold.A simple five-word reply cut Ferdinand down even further: "Yeah, I think I did."

Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson conducted one of the more bizarre interviews of his career on Saturday evening after Manchester City defeated Inter Milan to win the Champions League final in Istanbul.Rodri scored the only goal of the game at the Ataturk Stadium as Pep Guardiola's men landed the final leg of a historical treble.However, the Premier League champions needed to call upon the services of their 29-year-old shot-stopper on a number of occasions as Inter pushed for an equaliser late on.Ederson first produced a fantastic block with his legs to deny Romelu Lukaku from point-blank range, before clawing away a glancing header in the dying seconds to ensure that his side held on to their lead and won Europe's most presigious competition for the first time in their history.The magnitude of the achievement wasn't lost on City's goalkeeper as he made his way over to chat with Fred Caldeira of Brazilian network TNT Sports after the match.Man City: Why won’t their kit have the Champions League winners’ badge?Following a couple of minutes of back-and-forth between the pair, the interview took a strange turn when Caldeira whipped out a pair of clippers and invited Ederson to shave his moustache off on live television.You can check out footage of what was a truly bizarre scene below.

Footage of Pep Guardiola defending John Stones six years ago has reemerged following Manchester City’s triumph in the Champions League.It was a special night in Istanbul for the men in sky-blue shirts.Despite City not looking their sharpest, they took the lead against Inter in the second half when Rodri fired the ball into the net in the 68th minute.Inter had opportunities to score following that goal though, with Romelu Lukaku spurning a chance to equalise late on.But City clung on to finally get their hands on a first Champions League trophy.One man who performed superbly on the night was 29-year-old Stones.The man now dubbed the “Barnsley Beckenbauer” was sensational, stepping into midfield to collect the ball and drive at the Inter defence.One of his teammates, Manuel Akanji, went as far as to say he played like Diego Maradona on the night.

Scott Carson issued the perfect response to a tweet claiming that he has now won two Champions League winners’ medals without playing a single minute.Carson, 37, was among the unused substitutes in Manchester City’s Champions League final victory over Inter Milan on Saturday night.The veteran ‘keeper, who was signed by City on a free transfer in 2021 after his contract with Derby County ended, watched from the dugout as teammate Ederson produced two fantastic late saves.Carson has now joined an illustrious group of players who have won the Champions League with two different clubs.The list includes the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Real Madrid), Deco (FC Porto and Barcelona), and Clarence Seedorf, who remains the only player to have won the trophy with three different clubs (Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan).Remarkably, Carson won his two Champions League winners’ medals at the exact same stadium.The former England international was also an unused sub at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul when Liverpool defeated AC Milan in 2005’s famous final.

YouTuber Speed was as stunned as everyone else watching when Romelu Lukaku missed his late chance in the Champions League final.The well-known Cristiano Ronaldo fan was rooting for Inter Milan in Istanbul and was streaming his reactions during the game.As Robin Gosens headed the ball across the penalty area, Lukaku looked destined to score to take the game to extra-time.The Belgian forward headed the ball down, but Ederson reacted brilliantly to keep the ball out of his net.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson sent a message to him in the morning ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League final.And the gesture from the Manchester United legend was made even sweeter by City’s victory against Inter.Despite not looking their sharpest in Istanbul and losing key player Kevin De Bruyne to injury in the first half, City’s quality told in the end.Midfielder Rodri gave them the lead just beyond the hour mark when he clattered a loose ball into the net from just inside the penalty area.It could have been a very different night had the Italian side taken some of their chances though.Romelu Lukaku proved to be a hero for City on the night, blocking an effort on the line and also missing a glorious chance to equalise.In the end, though, City were able to cling on to secure the trophy that has eluded them for so long.Guardiola’s team have looked a class above the rest in recent months, picking up the Premier League trophy and FA Cup along the way as well.Lifting the Champions League meant that they completed an incredible treble, becoming only the second English team to do so after Man United’s famous 1998/99 campaign.

The moment Manchester City fans found out that their side had won their first Champions League title has been captured.The video shows cheers from the supporters, confetti being thrown, while many fans decided to film the moment on their mobile phones.The treble winners beat Inter Milan 1-0 last night thanks to Rodri’s second-half strike to finally end their wait for a European Cup.City fans have become accustomed to lifting silverware in recent seasons, which is perhaps why scenes in the video at the final whistle were a little subdued compared to what you might expect.

Jack Grealish gave an emotional post-match interview after Manchester City won the Champions League final.City became European champions for the first time in their history and completed a historic treble after beating Inter Milan 1-0 on Saturday night.Man City went into the final - only their second ever appearance in a Champions League final - as firm favourites.Having won the Premier League and FA Cup in recent weeks, Pep Guardiola’s side had a golden opportunity to secure the treble against a relatively unfancied Inter side at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.Bernardo Silva went close to opening the scoring early on when his left-footed shot curled narrowly wide of Andre Onana’s far post.Inter were otherwise comfortable inside the opening 25 minutes. At one point, Pep Guardiola was even seen shouting “relax!” at his players, who weren’t playing at their usual high standards for much of the first half.However, Erling Haaland and De Bruyne did soon test Onana with two shots following Guardiola’s touchline message.City were then dealt a huge blow when De Bruyne was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury. The world-class Belgian midfielder, who was also injured in the 2021 Champions League final, was replaced by Phil Foden.Goalkeeper Ederson made a couple of uncharacteristically sloppy mistakes in the first half but saved City just before the hour mark with an important stop from Lautaro Martinez.And in the 67th minute, City found the breakthrough thanks to a fine finish from Rodri, who made no mistake when the ball fell to him inside the box.

Romelu Lukaku inadvertently blocked a goal bound header from teammate, Federico Dimarco, and then missed a sitter as Inter Milan lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the Champions League final.Rodri's strike in the 68th minute saw Man City win the Champions League for the first ever time and complete a historic treble.However, just minutes after Rodri's placed effort, Inter should have equalised.A mix-up in City's defence saw Dimarco loop a header onto the crossbar. The ball bounced back to him and he looked certain to equalise with his second headed effort. However, his header was blocked virtually on the line by Lukaku.Incredible.

Legendary Brazilian striker, Adriano, reportedly missed his flight to Istanbul where he was supposed to be a pundit for the Champions League final.Manchester City and Inter Milan clash in the biggest club match of the season at the Ataturk Stadium.The world's media will be in attendance with the final being watched by millions across the globe.The likes of Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Mario Balotelli will be pundits for various television channels.

It’s a brilliant time to be at Barcelona. Winning Liga F with the club was fantastic, and it was amazing to achieve something new in my career.The fans are among some of the most passionate in the world, and it’s great that we’ve been able to bring them success on the pitch this season.People in this city eat, breathe and sleep football, and they also hold both the men and women’s team in the same – and the highest – regard. That’s quite incredible to be a part of.

Since the European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992, there have been a number of brilliant finals between some of the best teams of all time.The Women’s Champions League has also produced several highly-entertaining finals, including last year's thriller between Lyon and Barcelona.We take a trip down memory lane and rank the 10 top Champions League finals of all time.

It's been exactly 18 years since Liverpool won the Champions League thanks to an incredible comeback from AC Milan.In Istanbul, Rafa Benitez's side went into the 2005 final as underdogs against Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan.And they couldn't have got off to a worse start as Paolo Maldini put the Italians ahead inside the first 60 seconds.They were completely outplayed in the first half and after two Hernan Crespo goals just before half-time, the final appeared over.Restoring some pride appeared to be Liverpool's only task in the second half.But pride soon turned to hope as Steven Gerrard pulled a goal back 10 minutes after the break.Vladimir Smicer smashed one in from 25 yards just three minutes later before Gerrard was hauled down for a penalty inside the AC Milan box. Xabi Alonso saw his effort saved by Dida before he slammed the rebound into the roof of the net. Within five minutes, Liverpool had gone from 3-0 down to 3-3 and were back in the final.In truth, Liverpool held on for the remaining 30 minutes of the second half and were happy to settle for penalties throughout extra time. And through a combination of desperate defending and a wonder double-save from Andriy Shevchenko by Jerzy Dudek, Liverpool forced the penalty shootout.Before the shootout, Jamie Carragher could be seen passionately speaking to Dudek telling him to wave his hands around and do just about anything to put the AC Milan players off. We're not sure whether the Polish goalkeeper understood a word Carragher was screaming at him but he was about to become a Liverpool hero.Serginho blazed over the opening penalty - although Dudek will attempt to take credit for all the dancing around on the line he did.After Didi Hamann put Liverpool ahead in the shootout, it was the turn of Andrea Pirlo - one of the greatest set-piece takers football has ever seen.What happened next is still remarkable 18 years later.Dudek saved Pirlo's penalty but replays showed the goalkeeper was pretty much on the six-yard box when he made the save. It really is incredible how the penalty wasn't retaken.

On this day in 2005, Liverpool shocked the world as they came from behind to defeat AC Milan on penalties to win the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul.Rafael Benitez’s side were trailing 3-0 at half-time as the Italian side ran riot against the Reds, thanks to goals from Paolo Maldini and a double from Hernan Crespo.However, a shell-shocked Liverpool produced a comeback for the ages as their captain Steven Gerrard gave them hope at the start of the second half as he headed home to make it 3-1 before Vladimir Smicer and Xavi Alonso equalised in a seven-minute spell to make it 3-3.The score was locked at 3-3 after both 90 minutes and extra-time, which meant that the contest had to be decided by a penalty shootout and Liverpool ‘keeper Jerzy Dudek wrote his name in Anfield folklore as he saved from Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko in the shootout to seal a fifth European Cup for the Merseysiders.

Just eight managers have won the Champions League after doing so as a player, with Sonia Bompastor the most recent – and the only woman – to achieve the feat.She led Lyon to victory in the women's tournament last year, beating Barcelona 3-1 in a thrilling Champions League Final.Who are the remaining seven? GiveMeSport runs through every manager to win the Champions League after achieving European glory as a player.

May 19, 2023, marks the 11th anniversary of arguably the greatest night in Chelsea’s history.The Blues were crowned European champions for the first time in 2012, defeating Bayern Munich at the German giants’ home stadium to complete one of the most remarkable cup runs in football history.Nobody gave Chelsea a hope of winning the Champions League after losing 3-1 to Napoli in the Round of 16 first leg, three months before the final.The west London outfit were in disarray under 34-year-old Andre Villas-Boas, who was sacked a couple of weeks later.Roberto Di Matteo was installed as caretaker manager until the end of the season and Chelsea somehow went on to beat Napoli, Benfica and, most impressively of all, Barcelona under the Italian coach’s guidance.The mighty Bayern Munich awaited Chelsea in the final - and the English side, who were without their talismanic captain John Terry, were expected to fall at the final hurdle.It appeared to be game over when Thomas Muller broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute, but a dramatic late header from Didier Drogba sent the game to extra-time.Petr Cech then went on to save a penalty from former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben before the final was eventually settled on penalties.And it was Drogba who calmly stepped up to score the decisive spot-kick, sparking wild scenes of celebration in front of a stunned Bayern Munich.

New footage from Manchester City’s match against Real Madrid has revealed a moment shared between Pep Guardiola and Vinicius Jr.The coach took the opportunity to wind up the winger, who took it very well considering what was at stake at the Etihad.Los Blancos were eventually humbled in the Champions League semi-finals by their English opponents, losing 4-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.City restricted the serial Champions League winners to minimal opportunities, with the visitors managing just seven shots with only three efforts on target.After the game, City gaffer Guardiola was delighted that his side had managed to secure a spot in the final and the opportunity to have a shot at a treble this season.“In the Premier League we are close,” the Spaniard said, per ESPN. “We know we need one more game and I would say we play against our neighbours [Manchester United] and against an Italian team [Internazionale] in the finals.“The season is really, really good, now we have to lift it. We are close and of course we are going to try.“We are there, we can think about it, we can visualise it. We are three games away. One each of the competitions, we can do it.”

Jack Grealish faced shots from Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.The England international, who is enjoying a superb second season at the Etihad Stadium, went in goal during City’s latest training session.While De Bruyne took it reasonably easy against the winger, Haaland most definitely did not.City were gearing up for arguably their most important match of the season.Find a way past Real Madrid and they will enter this season’s Champions League as the overwhelming favourites. Inter Milan will face the winners in Istanbul on June 10, but the Serie A outfit are not quite the force they once were.

Arsenal fans of a certain age will always remember May 17, 2006, as one of their most painful days as football supporters.This was the night that the Gunners came close to becoming European champions for the first time in their history - only to let it all slip away with 15 minutes remaining.Arsenal got off to the worst possible start against Barcelona when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the 18th minute; however, Arsene Wenger’s side still managed to take the lead through Sol Campbell shortly before half-time.But Barça, with their man advantage, fought back and turned the game on its head thanks to two goals in four minutes from Samuel Eto’o and substitute Juliano Belletti.Arsenal’s players were left crestfallen at the final whistle. They probably feared this would be their best opportunity to lift the Champions League trophy with Arsenal.

Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final clash between AC Milan and Inter Milan was truly something special, with the San Siro bouncing ahead of the Derby della Madonnina.In fact, the atmosphere was so intense that one commentator got the fright of his life while covering the game.Milan were drawn as the home side for the first leg at the San Siro, and fans filled the stands to intimidate the minority of Inter supporters inside the ground.Flares were lit, banners were unfurled, and the place was well and truly bouncing ahead of kick-off.