The season
The 1998/99 competition used the format we call “twenty-four clubs in six groups”. Six groups of four; winners and the best runners-up reached the quarter-finals. 24 clubs from 16 countries took part, and Manchester United won it, beating Bayern Munich in the final.
By our squad ratings, Inter Milan had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 84. Manchester United were the third strongest squad: among the favourites, if not the clear one. Their opponents in the final, Bayern Munich, rated 83.
Spain sent the most clubs, 3. 9 of the 16 nations in the field had a single representative.
The highest-rated player in the competition, by our estimates, was Zinedine Zidane of Juventus, a CAM rated 90.
Twenty-four clubs played in six groups of four. The six group winners and the two best runners-up went into two-legged quarter-finals, then semi-finals and a final. Ties level on aggregate were decided by away goals, then extra time and penalties.
The strongest squads
Our rating for each club is the average of its best eleven players that season, on the scale the game uses.
- 1Inter MilanItaly84
- 2JuventusItaly84
- 3Manchester UnitedEngland84
- 4Real MadridSpain84
- 5FC BarcelonaSpain83
- 6FC Bayern MunichGermany83
- 7ArsenalEngland82
- 8GalatasarayTurkey81
The best players in the field
- 1Zinedine ZidaneJuventus · CAM90
- 2Didier DeschampsJuventus · CM89
- 3Oliver KahnFC Bayern Munich · GK89
- 4Roberto CarlosReal Madrid · LB89
- 5Antonio ConteJuventus · CM87
- 6Bixente LizarazuFC Bayern Munich · RB87
- 7Dennis BergkampArsenal · ST87
- 8Diego SimeoneInter Milan · CAM87
- 9Javier ZanettiInter Milan · RB87
- 10Luís FigoFC Barcelona · CDM87
The groups
Replay 1998/99 in Magic Nights
In Magic Nights you can take charge of any of these 24 clubs, with the squad they had that season, and play the competition in this exact format. Win it with the favourites, or try the hardest job in the game: lifting the trophy with a club from the bottom half of the field.