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Not based purely on trophies won or finals reached but maybe even more important the 'magic' of the name, who do you consider to be the Top 10 teams in Europe (excluding the Bluebirds of course !) ?
Your age group will no doubt have a huge bearing on your selection.
In no particular order, these are mine:
Real Madrid
Barcelona
Man United
Liverpool
AC Milan
Inter Milan
Juventus
Bayern Munich
Ajax
Benfica
Leeds fans would beg to differ.
Not even on the z list !Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCBlue
Are you really old enough to remember Benfica being a European force? I remember reading about them, but their success was before my time.
You're not a Leeds fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
I think Benfica and Porto are sort of interchangeable.
I'd probably have Monaco or possibly Marseilles and possibly CSKA Moscow
The first nine are shoe ins. Cannot think of another contender for the tenth to oust Benfica.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
It's surprising to note that the major European club competition has only been won by a French team once i.e. Marseille.
Indeed I am. Fame wise they were up there with Real Madrid, even at a time when the Spanish club won 5 European Cups in a row.Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCBlue
But bear in mind it's the magic of the name that counts as much as if not more than success although I accept that a younger generation will naturally have a different perspective than us oldies.
When I put this question to my son, he couldn't understand why I didn't place Porto ahead of Benfica (both teams being Portuguese), as Porto have been more successful for many years. I agreed that factually he was correct but the name Porto has never had a special ring to it in a way that Benfica has. We agreed to disagree !
Feels like there should be a club from the East. Galatasaray, CSKA Moscow, dynamo Kiev?
If not, I'd put Dortmund at 10.
You are right. When I compiled this list in my head several years ago, I found the names just slipped into place without me having to rack my brain too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by BLUEAWAY
If I were to compile a secondary list it would include clubs like Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, any one of the 3 main London teams, Seville, Oporto, even Celtic. But to me none of them have that something special to elevate them into the Top 10.
Forest
Yeah Cloughs Forest were good.
Although you haven't based your choices on trophies won and finals played, your top 10 corresponds to exactly the top 10 of those who have won the European Cup and finals played.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
Spooky eh.
I saw them win both of their European cup finals. I was touring Europe on both occasions and it was before football became trendy so tickets were easy to come by.Quote:
Originally Posted by Its been emotional
Moscow dynamo back in the day
Celtic? Quite a force 67-71.
I'd have Sevilla in at no.10 even though all of their success has been in the 'second' competition.
Feyenoord
Borussia Monchengladbach
Napoli
Porto
I trust you told him all about Eusebio.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
Crazy isn't it? I remember a kid I was at school with going to see Liverpool v Brugge at Wembley in the 1978 European Cup final. I was at his house and he casually brought up that when his dad got home from work they were driving up to London "to see a football match".Quote:
Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie
Spooky indeed !! Likely their success and fame became ingrained in my psyche during my formative years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jordi Culé
I agree 100% with your top ten and just wondered who had done what. It’s funny how teams stick in your mind. I can remember Dynamo Tbilisi ripping West Ham to bits as a kid which has always stayed with me. Mechelen winning the Cup Winners Cup in the late 80s too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
Steaua Bucharest?
What a side forest were under clough when they won the European Cup back to back
Mostly a side of journeymen
Football was great back then
Now its all about tv and diving and money
I hate the champions league just as I hate the Premier league
Ajax would be above some of those, surely.
Top 9 are indeed easy.
The question should be who is the 10th team in a list of top European teams.
For me and my early memories it’d probably be
10. Anderlecht
11. St.Etienne
12. Borussia Mönchengladbach
Honourable mentions to Aberdeen and Dundee United. When in the dim and distant past Scottish clubs could challenge Europe and either win it or get cheated out of a competition by snidey Roma.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanton
Possibly a good way of looking at it is this. If City were back in Europe, which team would set the pulse racing if we were drawn against them ? Benfica or the 3 you mentioned above ?
There's no right answer of course !
Celtic have to be up there
What they did with the team they had was amazing. A better story than Forest for me. Doesn't put them up with the European greats though.Quote:
Originally Posted by City123
Won one, lost one, and haven't even won the UEFA Cup or the Cup Winner's Cup
They had a massive purple patch. You can’t say they’re legendary compared to Benefica, only their unexpected wins in the CLQuote:
Originally Posted by Hilts
Totally agree with you. Even the most knowledgeable foreign football supporter would be hard-pressed to name Forest as a former European Cup winner let alone have them as one of Europe's top teams. What they achieved under Clough was incredible but fleeting.Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile