26 May 2011
Last updated at
07:17 GMT
Manchester United start the group stage with a toothless, goalless draw at home to Rangers, despite the return of Wayne Rooney, while Barcelona demolish Panathinaikos 5-1 including two goals from Lionel Messi
Barcelona can only draw in Russia against Rubin Kazan (surprise victors at the Nou Camp in the previous campaign) while United steal a late 1-0 win in Valencia with a goal for promising substitute Javier Hernandez
With more controversy surrounding Rooney, United notch another 1-0 win, over Bursaspor at Old Trafford with a goal from Nani, putting them in control of Group C as Messi delights again with a brace aginst FC Copenhagen
Messi gets another goal in the return fixture and, though his side only manage a 1-1 draw, Barcelona are as good as through, as are United who finally open up to score three second-half goals in their win in Turkey
Another for Messi, and two for Pedrito, on the way to beating Panathinaikos again but United need a penalty to beat Rangers in a game they boss throughout, though keep their fifth straight clean sheet in Europe
United's defence is broken in their last group game at home to Valencia but Anderson equalises to keep their unbeaten run as a near-reserve Barca team see off Rubin Kazan 2-0 to end the Russians’ last-16 hopes
Following a two-month hiatus the Champions League returns in February with a stunning win for Arsenal over Barcelona; United happily take a 0-0 draw in Marseille
United see off their French opponents with two goals for Hernandez but it is not to be for Arsenal in their second leg as Messi rips through them to seal a 3-1 win at the Nou Camp (4-3 on aggregate)
The quarter-final 'Battle of Stamford Bridge': Six bookings and Rooney bags the only goal against Chelsea as Barca send out a warning as they beat Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 - Messi is not one of the five different scorers
The Argentine does eventually get his goal out in Ukraine, while there are another six yellow cards between the Red Devils and the Blues at Old Trafford as United win 2-1 on the night, 3-1 on aggregate
“I’ve never seen such a one-sided game” says Alan Green for BBC Radio 5 Live as United, eventually, score twice in the second half to see off a Schalke 04 side memorable only for the heroics of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
At the Bernebau there is a sending off for either side, and for Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, but while Barca impress with exquisite football and two goals from Messi they shame themselves with an unsportsmanlike display
The return leg ends 1-1 in a downpour at the Nou Camp: The sides have won one game each of their four meetings in 18 days with Real winning the Copa del Ray and Barca are through to the Champions League final
It is a mop-up job at Old Trafford, however, as Man United start with John O’Shea as captain alongside Anderson, Darron Gibson and Chris Smalling - Anderson grabs two second-half goals in a 4-1 win
Messi has scored 11 goals en route to Wembley and is the man United must stop if they are to avoid a second Champions League final defeat at the hands of the Catalan giants
But the champions of England are best-placed to do just that, reaching Wembley conceding only four goals in their seven games, unbeaten in the competition
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