From its inception as the UEFA Champions League in 1992-93 season, Europe's Premier competition saw every of its defending champions failing to defend their crown. Many Champions have reached successive finals but their dream have been brutaly shattered every time. Milan, Juventus and Manchester United were the ones who came close to defending their crown but failed at the final. Other were much luckier seeing their dreams dashed much earlier. The latest entrant is our beloved FC Barcelona who failed to defend their crown falling to Inter Milan in the semi-final. Many Football pundits have already developed a habit of discounding the defending champions from retaining their crown, especially the once who give betting advice. They fondly call it the "The Curse of the Defending Champions".The European Cup after getting re-christened as UEFA Champions League have undergone a great deal of change and have emerged into the current format in the year 2003-04, when FC Porto emerged the winners. From the time the knock-out stage format has emerged, I believe there is a bigger curse circulating in the Champions League. It is the "The Curse of Arsenal". From 2003-04, every team who knocked Arsenal out of the Champions league perished in the next round against the usual perception. FC barcelona in 2005-06 season was the only exception, but since they played Arsenal in the final, they luckily didn't had the next round. Many may calll it is a starnge coincidence. Just see these, In 2003-04, Chelsea knocked out Arsenal but failed against Monaco eventhough they played the second leg at home. In 2004-05 season it was the turn of Bayern Munich, who despite playing the second leg at home lost to Chelsea. 2005-06 was an exception as Arsenal made it to the final. In 2006-07 it was PSV Eindhoven's turn to experience the starnage effect of knocking out Arsenal, losing to Liverpool. In 2007-08 it was Liverpool who knocked out Arsenal but failed against Chelsea. And in last season, it was Manchester United who fell to Barcelona after defeatinf Arsenal. Isn't it too much of a coincidence.
None of these is an excuse to the way we played against Inter Milan at San Siro. But from next time onwards, I would prefer to play Arsenal only in the final not anytime earlier. Which of these two curse will end first in your opinion - "The Curse of Defending Champion" or the "The Curse of Arsenal FC"? Let's do a poll on that and have some fun.