On this day 20 May 1992 (Exactly 27 years ago) Barcelona beat Sampdoria at the Wembley in London to win their first European Cup.
Barcelona won the game 1–0 after extra time, thanks to a Ronald Koeman free kick, to record their first triumph in the competition. It was the first to have a group stage involving the eight second-round winners split into two groups, and the winner of each one met in the final. In doing so, they became the second Spanish club to win the tournament and the 19th overall
On this day 20 May 1998 (Exactly 21 years ago) Real Madrid beat Juventus at the Amsterdam Arena in Amsterdam to claim the UEFA Champions League title.
Juventus appeared in their third consecutive final, while Real Madrid were in their first of the Champions League era. Real Madrid won 1–0, the only goal scored by Predrag Mijatović, to clinch their seventh European title, their first for 32 years. The two teams faced each other in the final again in 2017 in Cardiff; Real Madrid won 4–1.
On this day 20 May 2000 (Exactly 19 years ago) A blunder by Aston Villa goalkeeper David James handed Chelsea victory in the last FA Cup final to be played under Wembley’s Twin Towers.
Gianfranco Zola’s free-kick from deep on the left was fumbled by James as he went up to meet it, gifting the Blues’ Roberto di Matteo after 72 minutes – in the 72nd Wembley FA Cup clash
This was the last final to be played at Wembley before it was torn down to make way for a new redeveloped national stadium.
Di Matteo’s strike put to rights a controversially disallowed goal for Dennis Wise 16 minutes earlier and rewarded Chelsea for a second half that they dominated from the 50th minute
Wembley Stadium closed five months later, and was subsequently rebuilt. The FA Cup Final was played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff for the next six years, before returning to Wembley in 2007.
Aston Villa: James, Barry, Southgate, Ehiogu, Wright, Boateng, Taylor, Merson, Delaney, Dublin, Carbone.
Subs: Joachim, Hendrie, Stone, Samuel, Enckelman.
Chelsea: de Goey, Babayaro, Leboeuf, Desailly, Melchiot, Deschamps, Di Matteo, Poyet, Wise, Zola, Weah.
Subs: Flo, Morris, Cudicini, Terry, Harley.
Referee: Graham Poll
On this day 20 May 1983 (Exactly 36 years ago) American heavyweight boxer Larry Holmes beat countryman Tim Witherspoon by split decision to retain his WBC title at the Dunes Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
On this day 20 May 1985 (Exactly 34 years ago) Larry Holmes beat Carl Williams in 15 rounds by unanimous decision at the Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.
Retained his IBF, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
On this day 20 May 2018 (Exactly a year ago) Rafael Nadal survived a stunning fightback from Alexander Zverev to win a record eighth Italian Open.
Nadal cruised to the first set before defending champion Zverev won nine of the next 11 games to take the second set 6-1 and lead 3-1 in the decider.
But the Spaniard turned the match around following a lengthy rain delay and closed out a 6-1 1-6 6-3 victory.
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH
