10 Things you did not know about Champions League

1. Most viewed sporting event in the world –

The Champions League final is the most watched sporting event worldwide and attracts over 178 million viewers a year. Now, that’s quite a number.

2. Real love for the Champions League –

Real Madrid won the inaugural competition in 1955 and they are now record 10 time winners of this prestigious competition.

3. Most Difficult Competition –

No team has won the trophy back to back, since the tournament was rebranded as Champions League in 1992.

4. The Anthem –

The Champions League anthem gives us goosebumps every time it is played. Do you know it is known as Champions League and is composed by Tony Britten.

5. Prize Money –

Win the tournament and UEFA will award you €9 million, finish as a runner-up and you get €5.6 million.

Champions League money is big business, with quarterfinals and semifinals paying €3.3 and €4.2 million respectively.

6. Management level – Super Difficult –

Managers who lift the trophy are etched into lore for navigating through one of the toughest competitions in soccer. Only 19 managers have won more than once. The all-time leaders are Italian Carlo Ancelloti, who won with both AC Milan and Real Madrid, and Englishman Bob Paisley, who won all three of his titles with Liverpool in the span of five years.

7. Trophy ownership –

UEFA regulations allow the Cup to become the property of any club which wins the competition five times or three times in a row. That means that, after 58 years, only Real Madrid CF, AFC Ajax, FC Bayern München, AC Milan and Liverpool FC have earned the right to keep an original in their trophy rooms.

8. Spanish Love –

Spanish teams have won the tournament a record 14 times. They are followed by Italians with 12.

9. Format changes –

Knockout format was out on a leave in 1992/93, as the only knockout game played was the final and in 1993/94, the only knockout games played came at the semi-final and final stage. : There were no quarter-final ties played in 1992/93 or 1993/94

10. Beckenbauer connection –

Bayern Munich captain and honorary President Franz Beckenbauer is the only captain to receive the trophy three times! Longetivity.