Derby clashes in major finals
Derby clashes are always intense and when two close rivals meet in a major final, winning is extra special. Losing is unthinkable.
Such meetings are not frequent, but have occurred over the years in some of the world’s biggest cup competitions.
From the Champions League to the Copa Libertadores and the FA Cup, here is a look at some notable derby clashes in major finals…
Barcelona vs Espanyol (Supercopa de España)
Xavi celebrates a goal for Barcelona against Espanyol in the Supercopa de España in August 2006. (Image credit: Getty Images)The 2006 Supercopa de España pitted 2004/05 La Liga champions Barcelona against that season’s Copa del Rey winners, Espanyol.
The two Catalan rivals met over two legs in August, with Barça comfortable winners thanks to a 1-0 win at Montjuïc and a 3-0 victory at Camp Nou.
Birmingham City vs Aston Villa (League Cup)
Birmingham City in action against Aston Villa in the 1963 League Cup final. (Image credit: Getty Images)Aston Villa were the inaugural winners of the League Cup, taking the title in 1961 with a 3-2 aggregate win over second-tier Rotherham United in the final.
Two years later, Villa made the final again, but lost out to local rivals Birmingham City after a 3-1 defeat at St. Andrews and a 0-0 draw at Villa Park.
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Hearts vs Hibs (Scottish Cup)
Darren Bar of Hearts celebrates a goal against Hibs in the 2012 Scottish Cup final. (Image credit: Getty Images)The 2012 Scottish Cup final was an all-Edinburgh affair and Hearts earned the bragging rights that day with an incredible 5-1 win over city rivals Hibernian at Hampden Park.
That meeting in Glasgow came over 100 years after the two Edinburgh sides met for the first time in a Scottish Cup final, with Hearts also 3-1 winners over Hibs in the 1896 showpiece.
Tottenham vs Chelsea (FA Cup, League Cup)
Tottenham in action against Chelsea in the 2015 League Cup final at Wembley. (Image credit: Getty Images)Tottenham and Chelsea met in the FA Cup final in 1967, with Spurs coming out on top in a 2-1 win over the Blues at Wembley.
The London rivals have also faced off in two League Cup finals, with Tottenham victorious in 2008 and Chelsea the winners in 2015.
Juventus vs Torino (Coppa Italia)
Juventus in action against Torino in December 2012. (Image credit: Getty Images)After winning the second edition of the Coppa Italia in 1936, Torino came up against city rivals Juventus in the final two years later.
The final was played over two matches in Turin, with Juventus winning 3-1 at Torino’s Stadio Filadelfia and 2-1 at their Stadio Olimpico home (named Stadio Benito Mussolini at the time) for a 5-2 aggregate victory.
Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos (Greek Cup)
Olympiacos in action against Panathinaikos in the Greek Cup in February 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos is a huge rivalry in Greece, with the match-up nicknamed “the derby of the eternal enemies”.
Although Olympiacos are from Piraeus, the port city is within the Athens urban area. Up until 2024, there had been 10 finals between the two teams in the Greek Cup, with five wins apiece.
Arsenal vs Chelsea (FA Cup, Europa League)
Arsenal in action against Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final at Wembley. (Image credit: Getty Images)Arsenal and Chelsea are London’s two most successful clubs and meetings between the two teams have become a bigger deal over the years, even if the pair have bigger rivals.
The Gunners and the Blues have met in three FA Cup finals, with the North Londoners coming out on top in each of those – in 2002, 2017 and 2020. But Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the 2019 Europa League final. In the Community Shield, the Gunners have won two of the teams’ three meetings.
AC Milan vs Inter (Coppa Italia)
AC Milan vs Inter at San Siro in March 1996. (Image credit: Getty Images)AC Milan met city rivals Inter in the final of the Coppa Italia in 1997 and the match was switched to the teams’ San Siro home.
Second-half goals from Aldo Maldera and Giorgio Braglia sealed victory for Nereo Rocca’s Milan side in front of over 58,000 fans.
Liverpool vs Everton (FA Cup)
Ian Rush scores for Liverpool against Everton in the 1986 FA Cup final at Wembley. (Image credit: Getty Images)Liverpool and Everton were England’s two strongest sides in the mid-1980s and in 1986, the Merseyside rivals met in the FA Cup final.
Gary Lineker gave Everton the lead, but two goals from Ian Rush and another from Craig Johnston wrapped up a 3-1 win for Liverpool as the Reds completed a league and cup double.
Roma vs Lazio (Coppa Italia)
Lazio celebrate victory against Roma in the 2013 Coppa Italia final at the Stadio Olimpico. (Image credit: Getty Images)The Coppa Italia final has been played in a one-off match since 2008 and that fixture traditionally takes place at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
In the 2012/13 edition, the final was contested by Roma and Lazio, both of whom play their home fixtures at the stadium. In front of 70,000 fans, Bosnian midfielder Senad Lulić scored the game’s only goal to win the Coppa for Lazio.
Benfica vs Sporting CP (Taça de Portugal, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)
Benfica and Sporting CP in action in the Taça de Portugal in February 2019. (Image credit: Getty Images)Along with FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting CP make up Portugal’s big three and the two Lisbon sides share a fierce rivalry.
Benfica and Sporting have met in eight Portuguese Cup (Taça de Portugal) finals, with the Eagles coming out on top in six of those. In the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (Portuguese Super Cup), the two are tied at three wins each from their six meetings.
Celtic vs Rangers (Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup)
Celtic and Rangers in action in the Scottish League Cup final in December 2024. (Image credit: Getty Images)Celtic and Rangers have dominated Scottish football and the two Glasgow giants have met well over 400 times in fierce Old Firm clashes.
By the end of 2024, Celtic and Rangers had faced off in 15 Scottish Cup finals and 17 Scottish League Cup finals, with multiple wins each in those matches.
Manchester United vs Manchester City (FA Cup)
Manchester United’s Luke Shaw is challenged by Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva in the 2023 FA Cup final at Wembley. (Image credit: Getty Images)For the first time in over 150 years of the FA Cup, there was a Manchester derby in the final in 2023.
City came out on in a 2-1 win en route to the treble, with İlkay Gündoğan on target twice at Wembley. The following year, the two teams met in the final again and this time United were victorious by the same scoreline, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scoring the goals for the Red Devils.
Boca Juniors vs River Plate (Copa Libertadores)
Boca Juniors and River Plate in action in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final at the Santiago Bernabeu in December 2018. (Image credit: Getty Images)Boca Juniors vs River Plate is one of the world’s biggest, most intense and passionate derbies and in 2018, the two Buenos Aires giants met in the final of South America’s premier club competition: the Copa Libertadores.
After a 2-2 draw at La Bombonera in the first leg, an attack on the Boca bus ahead of the second match at River’s Estadio Monumental saw that game moved to Madrid amid safety concerns. And River came out on top with a 3-1 win in extra time after a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Juan Quintero and Pity MartÃnez clinching a memorable victory for Los Millonarios.
Galatasaray vs Fenerbahçe (Turkish Cup, Turkish Super Cup)
Galatasaray players celebrate their 5-1 Turkish Cup final win over Fenerbahce in May 2005. (Image credit: Getty Images)Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe are Turkey’s two biggest and most successful clubs, so it is little surprise that the two Istanbul giants have met fairly often in finals over the year.
Gala beat Fener over two legs in the first-ever Turkish Cup final, in 1963, with further victories over their fierce rivals in 1965, 1996, 2005 and 2016. In the Turkish Super Cup, Galatasaray have won four and Fenerbahçe three of the teams’ seven meetings.
Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid (Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España)
Real Madrid in action against Atletico Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final. (Image credit: Getty Images)Real Madrid met Atlético Madrid in the 2014 Champions League showpiece in Lisbon, which was the first European final featuring two teams from the same city.
Madrid won out in extra time and prevailed on penalties when the two teams faced off again in the 2016 Champions League final in Milan. Two years later, Atleti beat Los Blancos after extra time to claim the UEFA Super Cup. In the Copa del Rey, the Rojiblancos have come out on top in four of five finals against their city rivals, with one win apiece in Supercopa de España finals.
