For first time since 1995 there will be no Man United or Chelsea in Champions League... and football has changed a lot (2024)

NEITHER Manchester United nor Chelsea will be in the draw for the Champions League group stages.

It will be the first time since the 1995-96 that both miss out.

Since that time, this is only United’s second season without Champions League football — and it’s Chelsea’s first since 2002-03.

But what was the world of football like back then?

SunSport takes you back.

Blackburn were the kings of the Premier League at a time when only one country from each nation went into the Champions League — and were England’s sole representatives in the Europe’s premier competition.

Kenny Dalglish had become only the third manger in English football to win the title with two different teams, thanks in large part to the goals of Alan Shearer.

Rovers clinched the championship on a dramatic final day when, despite losing at Anfield, United’s draw at West Ham meant they were uncatchable.

The Red Devils were also shocked in the FA Cup final when Paul Rideout’s header won the trophy for Joe Royle’s Everton.

Sir Alex Ferguson reacted to the disappointed by selling stalwarts Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis without bringing in any replacements.

Apparently, he believe United could still win trophies with a team built around a crop of youngsters which had won the Youth Cup in 1992.

Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary and Phil Neville would go on to form the core of a team which would dominate English football for the best part of a decade.

Jurgen Klinsmann was named FWA Player of the Year despite Shearer’s heroics — while the England man won the PFA award.

A Steve McManaman double was enough for Liverpool to beat Bolton 2-1 in the League Cup final.

On the continent, it was Louis van Gaal who reigned supreme.

His young Ajax side — which included the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Marc Overmars, Jari Litmanen, and Edwin van der Sar — swept all before them to a win the Champions League.

They were also won the Dutch title without losing a match.

Romario was the reigning Fifa World Player of the Year — while Barcelona strike partner, Hristo Stoichkov had finally won the Ballon d’Or.

The controversial Bulgarian had finished runner-up to Roberto Baggio a year earlier and claimed he should have been honoured.

George Weah would become the first African winner of both awards in January, however.

Real Zaragoza beat Arsenal 2-1 in Cup Winners’ Cup final when David Seaman couldn’t keep out Nayim’s last-gasp effort from just inside the Gunners’ half.

And a Parma team led by an attacking duo of Gianfranco Zola and Faustino Asprilla beat Juventus 2-1 over two legs in the Uefa Cup final.

Real Madrid — who were chasing a first European Cup crown for 30 years — beat Deportivo to the La Liga title.

Barcelona finished below Real Betis in fourth.

Real Madrid’s Ivan Zamorano was the league’s top goal scorer with 28 — but 18-year-old Raul looked a good prospect and just finished his debut campaign with nine goals in 28 appearances.

Juventus won Serie A for the 23^rd time as they finished ten points ahead of Lazio.

A front trio of Fabrizio Ravanelli, Gianluca Vialli and Alessandro Del Piero proved too much for their rivals.

But it was newly-promoted Fiorentina who produced the division’s leading goal scorer in Gabriel Batistuta.

Milan, who had been beaten by Ajax in the previous season’s Champions League final finished in fourth place.

The Rossoneri — who were managed by Fabio Capello — still boated the world’s most-expensive player in Gianluigi Lentini.

Though, the £13million-signing from Torino’s career had nosedived after a serious car crash in the summer of 1993.

While Andy Cole had been overtaken by Dennis Bergkamp as the most expensive player in British football history.

Borussia Dortmund won the first of their back-to-back Bundesliga titles which would culminate in a first-ever European Cup crown.

Bayern Munich — who had been beat by Ajax in the Champions League semi-finals — finished a measly sixth.

Celtic, who have been Scottish champions for each of the past five seasons, finished fourth in 1995 — behind Motherwell and Hibernian.

Rangers, unsurprisingly, were No.1.

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