We look at the most successful English clubs in UEFA’s top-tier competition during the Premier League era
Arsenal will attempt to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the final on Saturday 30 May, hoping to join an exclusive group of Premier League clubs who have lifted the trophy.
Only Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have won the Champions League in the Premier League era.
Arsenal came close in 2006, losing to Barcelona in their only previous final. But fresh from winning their first Premier League title in 22 years, Mikel Arteta’s side now have a chance to make history again.
Every Premier League side to have won the Champions League
Manchester United (1998/99)
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Starting line-up (4-4-2): Peter Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen, Jaap Stam, Denis Irwin; Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Jesper Blomqvist; Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole.
In one of the most dramatic Champions League finals ever, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side produced an astonishing turnaround to lift the trophy. After trailing Bayern Munich from the sixth minute when Mario Basler scored a free-kick, Man Utd netted twice at the death to shock their opponents. Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came off the bench to grab the equaliser and the winner respectively, in the first and third minutes of stoppage time, to complete a historic Treble.
Watch: Bayern 1-2 Man Utd highlights
Liverpool (2004/05)
Manager: Rafael Benitez
Starting line-up (4-4-1-1): Jerzy Dudek; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Djimi Traore; Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise; Harry Kewell; Milan Baros.
Liverpool staged a stunning comeback in what was later dubbed “The Miracle of Istanbul”. In the Turkish capital, AC Milan raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time, Paolo Maldini scoring in the first minute and Hernan Crespo adding two more goals just before the break. The game looked over, but Steven Gerrard sparked a revival and in a devastating six-minute spell Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso levelled. The sides could not be separated in extra time and Liverpool won in the shootout.
Watch: AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool (2-3 on pens) highlights
Man Utd (2007/08)
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Starting line-up (4-4-2): Edwin van der Sar; Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra; Owen Hargreaves, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Cristiano Ronaldo; Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez.
This was the first time two Premier League sides met in the Champions League final. Cristiano Ronaldo gave Man Utd an early lead but Frank Lampard had Chelsea level just before the break. The game could not be decided in normal time or extra time – or in the first five penalties. John Terry had the chance to win it for Chelsea, after Ronaldo’s miss, but struck the post. In sudden death, Edwin van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka’s penalty as Man Utd won the Champions League for a second time under Ferguson.
Watch: Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens) highlights
Chelsea (2011/12)
Manager: Roberto Di Matteo
Starting line-up (4-4-1-1): Petr Cech; Jose Bosingwa, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole; John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard; Salomon Kalou, Juan Mata, Ryan Bertrand; Didier Drogba.
Roberto Di Matteo was appointed interim manager in March and guided Chelsea to their second Champions League final. It seemed their hopes of winning the competition were slipping away again when Thomas Muller’s header gave Bayern Munich the lead in the 83rd minute. But with two minutes remaining, Didier Drogba headed in Juan Mata’s corner to force extra time and the match ultimately was decided by penalties. Mata missed the first kick of the shootout, stacking the odds against the Blues yet again. However, Bayern missed their fourth and fifth spot-kicks, enabling Drogba to net the decisive penalty and make Chelsea the first London club to win the Champions League.
Watch: Bayern 1-1 Chelsea (3-4 on pens) highlights
Liverpool (2018/19)
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Starting line-up (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane.
In the second all-English final, Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur and delivered Jurgen Klopp his first Champions League trophy. Mohamed Salah scored a penalty after 106 seconds and Divock Origi sealed the win with three minutes remaining. Including European Cups, it was the sixth time Liverpool had won UEFA’s premier competition.
Watch: Spurs 0-2 Liverpool highlights
Chelsea (2020/21)
Manager: Thomas Tuchel
Starting line-up (3-4-3): Edouard Mendy; Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Reece James, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell; Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Mason Mount.
In the third final between two Premier League sides, Pep Guardiola was attempting to win Man City’s first Champions League trophy – in their first final – but Kai Havertz’s goal just before half-time handed Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel the trophy for the first time instead.
Watch: Man City 0-1 Chelsea highlights
Manchester City (2022/23)
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Starting line-up (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake; John Stones, Rodri; Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland.
Man City finally claimed their first Champions League by beating Inter Milan with Rodri’s second-half strike. The win sealed only the second Treble by a Premier League club, after Man Utd 24 years earlier, and made Guardiola the first manager to win two Trebles, having previously achieved the feat with Barcelona.
Watch: Man City 1-0 Real Madrid highlights
Pre-Premier League era
Several English clubs won the European Cup before the Premier League’s formation in 1992 — the same year UEFA rebranded the competition as the Champions League.
English clubs who won the European Cup before 1992
Club
European Cup
Liverpool
4
Nott’m Forest
2
Man Utd
1
Aston Villa
1