The Curse Of The Champions League... And Why It Says Barca Or Real Won't Win This Year!

It's been a long time since a team successfully defended Europe's premier club competition... and many good teams have tried.

AC Milan were the last side to successfully defend the title with a 1-0 victory over Benfica

Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester United, AC Milan, Porto, Internazionale, Ajax, Liverpool, Real Madrid... and even Barcelona.

All these great clubs have won the Champions League during the past 20 years but none, as yet, has ever won the trophy again the following year.

That's right, no side has won back-to-back trophies in what the most prestigious club knockout competition in the world.

You have to go way back to AC Milan in 1989/1990 to find the last example of a team winning consecutive titles... when the tournament was still called the European Cup.

Can Barcelona Break The Curse?

Many sports betting tipsters think Pep Guardiola's side will be the first to achieve this feat... and with supremely talented players like Lionel Messi, David Villa, Xavi, Iniesta and now Cesc Fabregas, the Catalans have a great chance of repeating their success of 12 months ago (at a best priced 19/10).

However, much the same was said after the club won the Champions League Final in 2009... but the very next year 'the curse' struck again as Inter Milan beat them in the semi-finals.

Inter's 3-2 aggregate win in 2010 prevented Barca retaining the trophy

In fact, forget about one team winning the trophy two years in a row, no country has even managed the feat of producing consecutive winners.

Whether it be Spain (Real Madrid and Barcelona), England (Manchester United and Liverpool), Italy (AC Milan and Inter Milan) or Germany (Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich)... no European nation has provided the winner one year, and then provided it again the next.

The title has changed teams and changed countries every single year since 1990.

If Not Barca, Then Who Can Win This Year...?

The data says it won't be the 9/2 second favourites, Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho may have won the competition with Porto (2004) and Inter Milan (2009) but a third success with Los Madrilenos, certainly this year, looks unlikely given the statistics.

The winner, so the curse has it, won't come from Spain.

The English trio of Manchester United (12/1), Chelsea (12/1) and, to some degree, Manchester City (28/1) provide the main threat, at least according to the bookmakers.

Ferguson: Searching for United's 4th Champions League triumph

Sir Alex Ferguson will try and get United to yet another final (a fourth in five seasons) whilst Chelsea and City hope their substantial investments return the biggest dividend of all... the Champions League title.

And it's the financial strength of the English game which explains why former winners like AC Milan (28/1) and Inter Milan (33/1) are available at huge each-way prices.

Bayern Munich (22/1>15/2) must be worth looking at due to their great form this season.

We shouldn't ignore these teams... because the stats tell us they do have a chance.

In the same way the figures also tell us Barcelona (as defending champions) and Real Madrid (being from the same country as last year's winners) are unlikely to win the final in 2012.

Maybe they are 'cursed'... maybe it's little more than a coincidence... but if the curse does strike again this year (taking out the two market leaders) there are some very good sides, at very attractive prices, who could add their name to the list of Champions League winners come May 19th next year.

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