A History Of European Competition: United And City

Let's take a look at the involvement of Manchester United and Manchester City in European competition.

Munich Air Disaster

The discussion around the European Super League got us thinking about how European football has developed over the last sixty years. 

Formed in 1955, the European Cup was initially a straight knockout competition open only to the champions of Europe's domestic leagues, with its winner reckoned as the European club champion.

Since then, this competition has changed its name and other European competitions have been created.

United's history in Europe

Manchester United have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League on three occasions. Their first success came in 1968 but it was the tragedy ten years before that cemented European competition as a key point of Man United's history.

This documentary from the Manchester Evening News looks at United's darkest day. Twenty three people died on the 6th February 1958, this included eight Manchester United players and the former Man City player Frank Swift  who was working as a journalist at the time. 

United went onto have further success in the competition in 1999 and 2008. They also won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1991 and the Europa League in 2017.

City's history in Europe

Manchester City's first adventure into European competition occurred in 1968, as a result of winning the First Division in 1968. 

As it stands, their only European success came in 1970. They won the European Cup Winners Cup.

They have reached this season's Champions League final. Will they win their first Champions League/European Cup in 2021?

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