The season
The 2008/09 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 17 countries took part, and Barcelona won it, beating Manchester United in the final.
By our squad ratings, Chelsea had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 88. Barcelona were the second strongest squad: among the favourites, if not the clear one. Their opponents in the final, Manchester United, rated 87.
England, Italy and Spain sent the most clubs, 4 each. 9 of the 17 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.
- 1ChelseaEngland88
- 2FC BarcelonaSpain87
- 3Manchester UnitedEngland87
- 4FC Bayern MunichGermany86
- 5Inter MilanItaly86
- 6LiverpoolEngland86
- 7Real MadridSpain86
- 8JuventusItaly85
The best players in the field
- 1Gianluigi BuffonJuventus · GK91
- 2Francesco TottiAS Roma · ST90
- 3Frank LampardChelsea · CM90
- 4Iker CasillasReal Madrid · GK90
- 5John TerryChelsea · CB90
- 6Steven GerrardLiverpool · LM90
- 7Xavi HernándezFC Barcelona · CM90
- 8Ashley ColeChelsea · RB89
- 9Daniel AlvesFC Barcelona · LB89
- 10Miroslav KloseFC Bayern Munich · ST89
The groups
Replay 2008/09 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.