As we gear up for the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest, the stakes couldn't be higher. With the Premier League title already secured, we're on the cusp of achieving a rare feat that only a select few English clubs have accomplished since the competition's rebranding in 1992/93.
The history books are calling our name, and it's a thrilling prospect.
The Elite Club
To put things in perspective, only two other English clubs have won the Premier League and the Champions League in the same season. Manchester United, the perennial giants, achieved this twice, in 1998/99 and 2007/08, with the latter victory coming against Chelsea in Moscow. More recently, Manchester City joined the club in 2022/23, edging out Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Looking further back, to the European Cup era of the 1950s and beyond, only Liverpool has managed this double, doing so in 1977 and 1984. It's a testament to the rarity of this achievement that no other British club has matched it, with Celtic being the only other team to do so, way back in 1966/67.
A First-Time Feat
Should we lift the Champions League trophy in Budapest, we'd not only join this elite group but also become the third team in history to win our first Champions League title and our domestic league in the same campaign. This feat has only been accomplished twice in the past three competitions, with Manchester City achieving it three years ago and PSG joining the club last season with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Munich.
Breaking Records and Dispelling Records
But it's not just about the double; there are other records within our grasp. A clean sheet against PSG would see us match our own record from 2005/06 and Real Madrid's record from 2015/16, with 10 clean sheets in a single season. Our goalkeeper, David Raya, would also move ahead of several other top-class keepers, including Eduard Mendy, Keylor Navas, and Santiago Canizares, who have all managed nine clean sheets in a campaign.
However, we're also looking to dispel a record we'd rather leave behind. With the most UCL games played without winning the trophy, a victory over PSG would finally see us break free from this unwanted record.
The Wait is Almost Over
As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. And we've been waiting longer than most for this moment. The Puskas Arena will be the stage for us to write our names into history, to join the ranks of the elite, and to finally claim the Champions League title that has eluded us for so long.
It's a thrilling prospect, and one that I, for one, am incredibly excited about. The journey has been long, but the destination is within reach, and the rewards are truly special.
So, as we prepare for the final, let's savor this moment and the potential it holds. It's a chance to create history and leave an indelible mark on the beautiful game.
