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Famed Italian referee Pierluigi Collina once recalled what he described as the most unforgettable moment in his refereeing journey – the final minutes of the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
“As the match approached its end,” Collina said, “I saw Bayern’s players on the bench preparing to celebrate the title, and the fans in the stadium were already rejoicing, confident in their team’s victory.”
“But then,” he continued, “Manchester United scored two goals in two minutes, completely turning the game around. The shift in atmosphere was overwhelming – the English stands erupted with a roar so loud, it was like lions roaring, while the Bayern side fell into complete silence, like a funeral.”
Collina described the chaotic jubilation, “United’s players were celebrating their second goal hysterically, when I noticed one of Bayern’s players collapse to the ground, overwhelmed by devastation and crushing disappointment.”
“I approached him,” Collina recalled, “and I didn’t know what to say. All I could manage was, ‘Get up and fight! You still have twenty seconds!’”
Reflecting on the moment, Collina concluded: “That was when I saw the true face of football – life and death on the same pitch. Some were celebrating like crazy, while others were drowning in despair.”
