The season
The 2005/06 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 16 countries took part, and Barcelona won it, beating Arsenal in the final.
By our squad ratings, Juventus had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 87. Barcelona had only the fourth strongest squad of 32, so their title was a genuine upset on paper. Their opponents in the final, Arsenal, rated 85.
England, Italy and Spain sent the most clubs, 4 each. 7 of the 16 nations in the field had a single representative.
The highest-rated player in the competition, by our estimates, was Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus, a GK rated 91.
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.
- 1JuventusItaly87
- 2AC MilanItaly86
- 3ChelseaEngland86
- 4FC BarcelonaSpain86
- 5Manchester UnitedEngland86
- 6Real MadridSpain86
- 7ArsenalEngland85
- 8Inter MilanItaly85
The best players in the field
- 1Gianluigi BuffonJuventus · GK91
- 2 RonaldoReal Madrid · ST90
- 3Fabio CannavaroJuventus · CB90
- 4Frank LampardChelsea · CM90
- 5Michael BallackFC Bayern Munich · CDM89
- 6Miroslav KloseSV Werder Bremen · ST89
- 7Roberto CarlosReal Madrid · LB89
- 8Ryan GiggsManchester United · CDM89
- 9Thierry HenryArsenal · ST89
- 10 DecoFC Barcelona · CAM88
The groups
Replay 2005/06 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.