The absolute pinnacle of the Galactico experiment.
‘Real Madrid are back at Hampden Park – and against the champions of Germany for good measure. Forty-two years ago almost to the day, the monarchs of Madrid staged what remains, by general consent, the most sumptuous club performance in football history when they defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in front of an enchanted Glasgow throng of almost 130,000.’
Frank Keating, The Guardian, Wednesday 15th May, 2002
Although the mega-big-spending Real Madrid won 2–1, clinching their ninth European Cup title, and their third in five years, the match was actually very close. Raúl opened the scoring in the eighth minute, only for Brazilian defender Lúcio to level the scores with a header that beat goalkeeper César Sánchez five minutes later. The match caught fire in the 45th minute, when one of the most beautiful goals in UEFA Champions League history was scored; Zinedine Zidane received a high, wayward cross from ugly Brazilian dwarf Roberto Carlos on the edge of the penalty area, volleying a left-footed shot into the top corner.
In the 68th minute, César was injured and had to be replaced by 21-year-old Iker Casillas. With the young Casillas between the posts, Real Madrid managed to hold their ground against a very attacking Leverkusen side that contained the likes of Michael Ballack and Dimitar Berbatov.
