If Real Madrid – who reached the final at Atlético’s expense on Wednesday – are to lift the trophy in Cardiff on 3 June they will spoil one of the more remarkable pieces of football trivia: no team has won back-to-back titles in the UEFA Champions League era (1992/93 onwards).
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Close calls
Four clubs defending the trophy have made it all the way to the final, only to come off second best:
1994/95: AC Milan lost 1-0 v Ajax
1995/96: Ajax lost 4-2 on penalties v Juventus
1996/97: Juventus lost 3-1 v Dortmund
2009/10: Manchester Unite…