Manchester United return to the UEFA Champions League after two years away this week when they face Bayern Munich in Bavaria.
The Red Devils have history with the Bundesliga side stretching back several decades, as they do with many sides from Germany.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s clash, let’s take a look at United’s greatest victories over German opposition, in chronological order.
Top 5 Man United wins over German clubs in Europe:
Man Utd 3-2 Borussia Dortmund – 1956 European Cup first round
In their first ever European Cup campaign Manchester United faced Borussia Dortmund at the first round proper after destroying Anderlecht in the preliminary round. Their 10-0 second leg win at Maine Road remains club record margin of victory.
The North Rhine-Westphalia offered a sterner test, but the Red Devils came out 3-2 winners at the famous Westfalenstadion. United legend Dennis Viollet scored twice and David Pegg grabbed another to have them cruising toward a first leg victory, but Die Borussen found the net twice late on to get themselves back in the tie.
A goalless draw back at Old Trafford ensured that United reached the quarter-finals, where they dispatched Athletic Bilbao. Matt Busby’s side were eliminated at the semi-final stage by reigning champions Real Madrid.
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Borussia Dortmund 1-6 Man Utd – 1964 Inter-Fairs Cup second round
The Fairs Cup is a long forgotten competition, but it was the predecessor to the UEFA Cup and a coveted piece of silverware in its time.
Manchester United and Dortmund were reunited in the second round in 1964, where Busby’s Babes trounced the German outfit on their own home patch. Bobby Charlton scored a hat-trick, while David Herd, George Best and Denis Law also chipped in to secure a famous victory.
The same Dortmund side went on to beat Liverpool the following year in the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup, another European football competition that is now defunct.
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Man Utd 2-1 Bayern Munich – 1999 Champions League final
“And Solskjaer has won it!” The five words that are permanently etched into the memories of every single Manchester United supporter who witnessed the most famous victory in the club’s history.
You know the story. Bayern Munich are a goal up as the game ticks into injury time. Teddy Sheringham turns home a mishit shot from Ryan Giggs following a corner. Pandemonium ensues in the Camp Nou.
David Beckham stands over another corner moments later, whose cross meets the head of Sheringham. The ball falls to super sub and future manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whose winner at the death inspires pure bedlam – and secures an historic Treble.
#OTD in 1999, pure drama in Barcelona as Manchester United complete treble with last-gasp win #UCL | @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/xVnJ9ItRr7
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 26, 2020
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Schalke 0-2 Man Utd – 2011 Champions League semi-final
Man United eased to their fifth ever European Cup final with a 4-1 dismantling of Ralf Rangnick’s Schalke in front of their home fans in 2011.
But it is their 2-0 win in the first leg, played in Gelsenkirchen, that gets a place on this list, as it is one of the most dominant away performances the club have ever put in in Europe.
Manuel Neuer kept the Red Devils at bay for much on the match, showing off the shot stopping skills that would see him go on to become the best goalkeeper in the world. But the visitors broke the dam in the 67th minute through Ryan Giggs, before Wayne Rooney doubled their lead minutes later.
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Bayer Leverkusen 0-5 Man Utd – 2013 Champions League group stage
Manchester United struggled greatly in the Premier League in the season following Alex Ferguson’s retirement, yet they showed no signs of distress in Europe, progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League with relative ease.
Their secured qualification with a thumping five-goal away win over Bayer Leverkusen, who were unbeaten at the BayArena up until that point.
Embed from Getty Images
Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Nani all found the net, while Emir Spahic scored an own goal to add to the German outfit’s misery. Wayne Rooney laid on four assists that night.
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