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Who has won the most Champions League titles?

By Kristofer McCormack

MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 25: The trophy is seen prior to the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Bayern Muenchen and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena on April 25, 2018 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 25: The trophy is seen prior to the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Bayern Muenchen and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena on April 25, 2018 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) /
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Two of the Champions League’s most successful clubs clash in this year’s final, but who has won the most Champions League titles overall?

Both of this year’s Champions League finalists will claim a special relationship with the Champions League trophy, with Real Madrid and Liverpool having a storied history in the competition. Real Madrid claim a glittering history with the European Cup having won it a record 12 times.

The Spanish giants are seeking their 13th title overall and their seventh Champions League title. Having successfully defended their title last season, Los Blancos will feel good about their chances of holding on to the European crown for a third successive season. Although not as successful as Madrid, Liverpool also enjoy a special connection with the Champions League trophy with five titles to their name. The Reds are the most successful English team in Champions League history leading their closest rival, Manchester United, by two. Liverpool first won the Champions League in 1976 and retained the title the following season.

Among their first five wins is a 1-0 victory in 1981 final over this year’s opponents, Real Madrid.  Liverpool also played out arguably the most dramatic final in the competition’s history in 2005 when they went 3-0 down against AC Milan in Istanbul. The Merseyside club made a dramatic comeback to win the final on penalties and seal their fifth and most recent title.

The current finalists aren’t the only ones with a rich history in Europe. Italian giants, AC Milan, sit second in the overall charts with seven successes in Europe. The Rossoneri last won the Champions League in 2007 in a repeat of that famous 2005 final against Liverpool. Although the cream of the crop in Italy, Juventus hold some unfortunate records in the Champions League, including being the club with the most final losses. The Old Lady has reached nine finals, but has lost seven of them, with the most recent final loss coming last year against Real Madrid with their only wins coming in 1985 and 1996.

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Bayern Munich have also had their fair share of final losses having reached ten finals and losing half of them. Since 2010, Bayern have reached three Champions League finals and lost two of them, against Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea in 2012. Bayern finally won their fifth European Cup in 2013 against German rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern were the last side to win the Champions League three times in a row, between 1974 and 1976, and Real Madrid will no doubt being drawing on the Bavarians powerhouse’s 1970s record and their own five in a row in the 1950s as inspiration as they seek to write further Champions League history in Kiev. Liverpool, meanwhile, will look to capture the spirit of that famous 1981 final in Paris as they seek their sixth European crown.

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