The prophecy predicting the champion of this season’s Champions League: Barcelona, Inter, Arsenal, or PSG—Who benefits?
As the UEFA Champions League nears its conclusion, a new champion will be crowned following Real Madrid’s quarterfinal defeat to Arsenal. Barcelona, Inter Milan, Arsenal, and PSG dream of lifting the trophy in Munich, but they must first navigate 270 minutes of intense competition and overcome a prophecy that doesn’t favor everyone.
The equation is simple: every Champions League final held in Munich has seen a team crowned champion for the first time. This last happened in 2012 when Chelsea defied all odds to defeat Bayern Munich on their home turf. The scenario was repeated in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund’s victory over Juventus.
The trend also held true in 1993 with Olympique Marseille and in 1979 with Nottingham Forest defeating Malmo of Sweden. Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain, the only two of the four semifinalists who have never lifted a Champions League trophy, have reason to smile.
The PSV curse
But not everything is rosy for both teams. Despite the great form of Mikel Arteta’s men and Luis Enrique’s squad, both Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain will also have to overcome a curse to be crowned champions of Europe for the first time. PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands is the protagonist in the shadow of a streak that has been maintained since the foundation of the top club tournament of the old continent. No one has surpassed it.
Just as it happens in the Copa Libertadores with Alianza Lima, no team that has faced the Dutch team in the history of the Champions League has ended up being crowned champion at the end of an edition. Recall that Paris Saint Germain drew with PSV on October 22 at home. Arsenal, for its part, thrashed them during the round of 16 with a global score of 9-2 that is also in everyone’s accounts. Within just four weeks we will finish knowing who will end up using the curse or prophecy in their favor.
Remember that Barcelona and Inter Milan have already been European champions and that neither of them has had to face PSV. 2015 and 2010 are the last editions where both teams ended up being crowned as the best team in the Champions League. Waiting for a semifinal that is already lived in both cities, the curse of PSV and the trend of a final in Munich is present in an edition of the European Cup marked by history.
PSV: A cursed Champions League
It is not something that has happened on few occasions but back in 2005 is where surely the most unique case occurred. AC Milan defeated the Dutch in the semifinals to reach their final date with Liverpool in the city of Istanbul. Carlo Ancelotti’s men were winning 3-0 at halftime and we all know the end of the movie.
Everything starts on Tuesday 29 with the tie between Arsenal and PSG being played in London. 24 hours later Barcelona will do the same at home against Inter Milan. A week later we will finish knowing the finalists of an edition of the Champions whose definition next May 31 will confirm or break both prophecies and curses that have marked the recent history of the European Cup.