The season
The 2002/03 competition used the format we call “two group stages”. Eight groups of four, then a second group stage of sixteen clubs before the quarter-finals. 32 clubs from 14 countries took part, and Milan won it, beating Juventus in the final.
By our squad ratings, AC Milan had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 86. The champions were also the favourites on paper, and they delivered. Their opponents in the final, Juventus, rated 85.
England, Italy and Spain sent the most clubs, 4 each. 5 of the 14 nations in the field had a single representative.
The highest-rated player in the competition, by our estimates, was Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid, a CAM rated 91.
Thirty-two clubs played eight groups of four. The top two from each went into a second group stage of four groups, and the top two of those reached the two-legged quarter-finals. It was the longest road to the final the competition has had. 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.
- 1AC MilanItaly86
- 2Manchester UnitedEngland86
- 3Real MadridSpain86
- 4ArsenalEngland85
- 5Inter MilanItaly85
- 6JuventusItaly85
- 7AS RomaItaly84
- 8FC BarcelonaSpain84
The best players in the field
- 1Zinedine ZidaneReal Madrid · CAM91
- 2Fabio CannavaroInter Milan · CB90
- 3Roberto CarlosReal Madrid · LB90
- 4Javier ZanettiInter Milan · RB89
- 5Lilian ThuramJuventus · RB89
- 6Luís FigoReal Madrid · CDM89
- 7Ryan GiggsManchester United · CDM89
- 8Alessandro Del PieroJuventus · ST88
- 9Francesco TottiAS Roma · ST88
- 10Gary NevilleManchester United · RB88
The groups
Replay 2002/03 in Magic Nights
In Magic Nights you can take charge of any of these 32 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.