Off The Ball has teamed up with Pepsi Max who are bringing the Champions League Trophy to Ireland! The legendary piece of silverware lands on Irish soil on February 29th and March 1st, which is the first time Pepsi Max has brought it to Ireland!
Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking at the goals, rivalries, controversies and all the rest that makes the Champions League an unmissable part of our football calendar.
Third up, we are ranking the best stadiums to have graced the competition.
There is nothing quite like a night of Champions League football and the atmosphere at the ground is an essential part of that experience. There are some stadiums that stand above the rest and offer an unrivaled experience.
5. Anfield
While it may only have a capacity of just over 55,000, there is something undeniably special about a Champions League night at Anfield. As the banners and scarfs are raised in the Kop end and they start to sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before the game, the atmosphere slowly reaches a climax. It is an iconic sight at this stage but it still never loses its magic.
Last year's remarkable comeback against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final was Anfield as its best as the capacity crowd erupted when Divock Origi slotted home from close range from Trent Alexander-Arnold's quickly taken corner.
10 years prior, Liverpool put on an incredible display against Real Madrid as Los Blancos lost 4-0 with goals from Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Andrea Dossena completing the rout.
Liverpool fans in the Kop End as groundsmen go to work on the pitch during half-time4. Allianz Arena
Before I explain my next pick I do have to confess that I am a Bayern Munich fan but it hasn't clouded my judgment. At times it looks more like an alien spaceship than a football stadium but the Allianz Arena is a state of the art arena. With a capacity of over 70,000 for Champions League nights, it is a cauldron of noise before kick-off.
Fans at either end of the stadium are constantly on their feet cheering on the team from Bavaria. Back in 2012, it hosted the Champions League final which Bayern famously lost out against Chelsea on penalties.
One of the more happy memories for Bayern's fans was their game against Juventus in the last 16 in 2016.
Down 2-0 after a half an hour, Bayern came back to level at 2-2 with an injury-time equaliser. Two goals in injury time sealed the deal for Bayern, and it capped off one of the best Champions League ties of the last decade.
Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa3. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
A general view inside the Santiago Bernabeu before the game between Real Madrid and Club Brugge2. Camp Nou
With a capacity of almost 100,000, the Camp Nou has been an iconic football stadium since it opened in 1957. Not only is it the home of FC Barcelona, it also acts as the beating heart of Catalonia.
It has been host to some of the most iconic games in Champions League history and it richly deserves its place on this list. As well as being the venue for Barca's remarkable come back against PSG where the second leg 6-1 to stay alive in the competition, it was host to another remarkable comeback when Manchester United won the 1999 Champions League final with two late goals.
If you're a team that is in need of a big comeback, it seems that the Camp Nou is the best place to do it in European football.
A view of Barcelona's Nou Camp Stadium1. Westfalenstadion
There isn't a more iconic sight in European football than seeing the "The Yellow Wall" packed to the rafters with Dortmund fans displaying their colourful tifo to the world. Opened in 1974, Signal Iduna Park (as it is also known) has a capacity of over 80,000.
The Die Südtribüne or "Yellow Wall" is the largest free-standing grandstand in Europe with a capacity of 25,000. Only the most die-hard fans get the chance to experience it and it's become a staple of Champions League nights.
Some of the iconic games to take place at the stadium include: the 2006 World Cup semi-final between Italy and Germany, Dortmund's dramatic comeback against Malaga in the 2013 Champions League quarter-final and their 4-1 thrashing of Real Madrid, which announced Robert Lewandowski to the world.
Borussia Dortmund fans in the stands
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Pepsi Max is a proud partner of the UEFA Champions League. On the 29th February, Off The Ball will be running a skills challenge in association with Pepsi Max as we’ll have the Champions League trophy in Dundrum Shopping Centre with David Meyler and Damien Delaney judging the skills. The two former Irish internationals will also be in the Pavilions Shopping Centre on the 1st March for another skills challenge with the trophy, come down either day for your chance to win a signed football from Lionel Messi as well as other spot prizes! Maximum Taste. No Sugar #ForTheLoveOfIt
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