Aquib Nawab
Football
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Spartak Moscow, an unexpected contender, triumphed over Blackburn Rovers and Legia Warsaw, amassing 18 points in Group B. Yet, their quarter-final dreams were shattered by a 4-2 loss to Nantes.
Credits: Goal
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Surprisingly, it wasn't a Cruyff or Pep Guardiola Barcelona that had a flawless group stage. It was actually under Louis van Gaal's management. They secured nine straight victories in the 2002/03 competition but were eventually eliminated by Juventus.
Real Madrid's identity is deeply linked to the Champions League. Under Jose Mourinho, they achieved a perfect group stage with a solid defense, conceding just twice. However, their journey ended in the semis with a penalty loss to Bayern Munich.
Credits: Managing Madrid
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Three years later, Madrid dominated once more. Under Carlo Ancelotti, they relished the Champions League draw. Their group, with struggling Liverpool and Ludogorets, led to a clean sweep. A 5-1 victory over Basel set the tone for a dominant campaign.
Bayern's 2019-20 season seemed smooth, winning all Champions League games on the way to victory. However, before Hansi Flick's November takeover, they struggled. His adjustments forged one of Europe's greatest teams, deserving immense credit.
Credits: Bayern Strikes
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Ajax's perfect group stage run during the 2021-22 season was unexpected. Led by Sebastien Haller, they dominated a group featuring European giants Borussia Dortmund, Sporting CP, and Besiktas. Many of their squad members, including Haller, moved on to bigger clubs.
Liverpool's flawless 2021-22 campaign stands out, considering they faced Atletico Madrid, Porto, and AC Milan in their group. They had some close calls but used the momentum gained in the group stage to reach the final, where they were defeated by Real Madrid.
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Bayern Munich, the reigning champions, also achieved perfection in the group stage during the 2021-22 campaign. They boasted the most impressive goal difference, scoring 22 and conceding just twice, including two 3-0 wins over Barcelona.
Bayern clinched their third perfect campaign in four years in 2022-23, with a gutsy 2-0 win over Inter. Dominating Barcelona with a 5-0 aggregate, they almost had Napoli as invincibles, but Napoli lost to Liverpool on the final matchday, a heartbreak for them.
Credits: Goal
Credits: Madrid Universal
In 2023-24, Madrid achieved their first 100% group stage record since 2014, despite recent dominance. It wasn't easy, as Union Berlin challenged them closely, both home and away. Jude Bellingham and the team conquered every obstacle along the way.