The season
The 2003/04 competition used the format we call “eight groups, then knockouts”. Eight groups of four, then two-legged knockout rounds from the last sixteen. 32 clubs from 15 countries took part, and Porto won it, beating Monaco in the final.
By our squad ratings, AC Milan had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 86. Porto had only the ninth strongest squad of 32, so their title was a genuine upset on paper. Their opponents in the final, Monaco, rated 81.
Italy and Spain sent the most clubs, 4 each. 5 of the 15 nations in the field had a single representative.
The highest-rated player in the competition, by our estimates, was Fabio Cannavaro of Inter Milan, a CB rated 90.
Thirty-two clubs played eight groups of four, home and away. The top two from each group went into the round of sixteen, and from there every tie was played over two legs until the single-match 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.
- 1AC MilanItaly86
- 2Manchester UnitedEngland86
- 3Real MadridSpain86
- 4ArsenalEngland85
- 5JuventusItaly85
- 6ChelseaEngland84
- 7FC Bayern MunichGermany84
- 8Inter MilanItaly84
The best players in the field
- 1Fabio CannavaroInter Milan · CB90
- 2Roberto CarlosReal Madrid · LB90
- 3Zinedine ZidaneReal Madrid · CAM90
- 4Frank LampardChelsea · CM89
- 5Gianluigi BuffonJuventus · GK89
- 6Javier ZanettiInter Milan · RB89
- 7Luís FigoReal Madrid · CDM89
- 8Ryan GiggsManchester United · CDM89
- 9Alessandro Del PieroJuventus · ST88
- 10Gary NevilleManchester United · RB88
The groups
Replay 2003/04 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.