Seven teams. That is the small number of those who have achieved, throughout the history of football, the long-awaited and complicated triplet: league, cup and Champions League. A title clover whose first club to do so was Celtic in 1966-67, while the last to make its debut was precisely Bayern Munich in 2012-13, a team that can repeat this season, something that only has been within the reach of Barcelona (2008-09 and 2014-15).
Since then, it has become one of the sighs of the football giants. Real Madrid, Juventus, Milan, Liverpool … And a long etcetera have never been able to taste the honeys of success in conquering the triple crown. However, there is one of them that can leave this list on Sunday. For PSG, winning the European Cup would be a double joy: raising their first 'Orejona' and, therefore, the famous treble after their victories in Ligue 1 and the Cup (both the French Cup and the League Cup).
The first to enter the history books was the previously mentioned Celtic, paradoxically in Lisbon. In 1967, Jock Stein's men, after winning the national titles, beat Helenio Herrera's Inter in the final of the European Cup, with Sandro Mazzola as the main figure. Precisely, the 'Nerazzurri' player was in charge of opening the scoring at six minutes. However, the Glasgow team turned it around with goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers. Thus, the Catholic team won its first and only Champions League (it was runner-up in 1969-70).
Five years later, Ajax was added to the list. In his case, the premiere was in 1971-72. For its part, after the achievement of the triumphs of the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup, He raised what would be his first European Cup in its history, beginning his golden age, in which, later, he would add another two European titles consecutively. Like the previous protagonist, the 'ajacied' team would beat Inter 2-0 in the final with a double from Johan Cruyff in De Kuip, home of the Feyenoord.
To see a third it took up to 16 years. Coincidentally, in 1987-88, it would be another team from the Netherlands to get on the podium. Ronald Koeman's PSV Eindhoven, brand new Barcelona coach, with Guus Hiddink at the helm, he won his first and only European Cup in Stuttgart in a competition that was imposed without excessive brilliance. Despite this, it was enough to win in the penalty shootout against Benfica.
Eleven years later, the first team of the famous five major European leagues was added to the list. It was Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United who took one of the most dramatic finals in history in 1999. The 'Red Devils', with a cast of footballers made up of Schmeichel, Neville, Staam, Giggs or Beckham, fell 0-1 at the Camp Nou against Bayern Munich. Yet in a sudden final rush, they achieved the equalizer via Sheringham in 91 'and, finally, Solskjaer, current United manager, scored the 2-1 goal in 93', which meant the conquest of his second Champions League and, therefore, the first treble
Manchester United after winning the 1999 Champions League.
Matthew Ashton (Getty Images)
Already entered the XXI century, The next club to debut was, of course, Pep Guardiola's historic Barcelona in 2009. They arrived in Rome after winning the league by nine points of difference with respect to Real Madrid and a Copa del Rey in which they endorsed Athletic Club 4-1. In the final, Cristiano Ronaldo's Manchester United awaited. However, two goals, a first from Eto'o and a second from Messi (his header to beat Van der Sar is unforgettable), marked the blaugrana for what would be Barça's fourth Champions League, being the prelude to what would become a unique sexet.
Only one year later, José Mourinho's Inter followed in Barcelona's footsteps. A 'Nerazzurri' team that marked a before and after in Calcio. And is that Since they won the Madrid final in 2010 at the Santiago Bernabéu 2-0 at Bayern Munich, no Italian team has won a European title again. Júlio César, Lúcio, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Sneijder, Eto'o himself or Diego Milito were some of the figures that were part of that historical team. Precisely, the Argentine forward was key to the conquest of the 'Scudetto', the 'Coppa' and the Champions League, scoring the four decisive goals to be the sixth team to achieve the treble.
By last, Bayern Munich could not be absent from this list. The Bavarian club recovered, and in what way, its previous runners-up in 2010 and 2012. A year later, 2013 would go on to be the best season in its history by the hand of Jupp Heynckes. His overwhelming dominance within Germany, winning the Budesliga by 25 points away and the Cup against Stuttgart, extended him into the Champions League. Their fifth and last continental title was achieved after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at Wembley by Jürgen Klopp, Lewandowski, Reus or Gundogan. The big star was Arjen Robben, who scored a decisive goal in the 88th minute to avoid extra time.
However, it should be noted that Barcelona in 2014-15 became the only club to have two triplets in its history. If Pep Guardiola's is remembered for the famous 'tiki-taka', Luis Enrique's will be for 'MSN'. The trident Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar was a real roller, both in Spain and in Europe. They won the league by two points of difference with respect to Real Madrid, while in the Copa del Rey they defeated Athletic Club. The fifth European Cup they added to their windows was after beating Juventus 1-3, with goals from Rakitic, Luis Suárez and Neymar.
This Sunday, this list could be added, on the one hand, a new premiere, which would be the case of PSG in the event that the Parisians win the final in Lisbon. And, on the other hand, that Bayern Munich repeated their presence, becoming the second team in history to manage to make two triplets like Barça in 2015.