As Liverpool chase down what would be a remarkable quadruple haul of trophies, they know they have to face Chelsea in the FA Cup final just two weeks before their Champions League final clash with Real Madrid. Only three other teams have ever had to contend both in the same season before.
Winning even just one of these prestigious trophies is something most teams can only dream about, and to compete for both at the same time requires incredible quality, depth and a strong mentality.
With the games usually less than two weeks apart, winning one cannot be properly celebrated until the second game, making it a long mental and physical battle to try and bring both trophies home.
Liverpool have a long few weeks ahead, and they may look to the past to see how the three other teams fared when faced with both cup finals.
Manchester United – 1999
The only team to ever win the treble of the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League, Manchester United’s 1999 side remains arguably their best ever.
They also had the unenviable task of the FA Cup final taking place just four days before their Champions League final in Paris.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side made light work of Newcastle at Wembley, with goals from Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham securing a 2-0 victory before they crossed the channel.
The effects of such a turnaround were clearly felt, as they were behind for 85 minutes of their final clash with Bayern Munich, before Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came off the bench to win the game in injury time.
Ferguson clearly understood the pressure of playing two important games in such a short period, as he made five changes in his lineup after the FA Cup. Solskjaer started at Wembley, but came off the bench in Paris.
When you have as much attacking firepower as United did with Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Sheringham and Solskjaer, competing on multiple fronts isn’t too difficult.
READ: Teddy Sheringham talks replacing Eric Cantona and 11 days in May 1999
Chelsea…
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