Manchester United strode out into Barcelona's Camp Nou for their 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich with omens aplenty weighing on their mind.
The date, 26 May, was Sir Matt Busby's 90th birthday. Peter Schmeichel, captaining the Reds in place of the suspended Roy Keane, was making his final appearance. And from Ryan Giggs' FA Cup semi-final wonder goal against Arsenal to Andrew Cole's title-clinching loft over Ian Walker, the Treble seemed inevitable.
Yet Bayern Munich outplayed them. Mario Basler's cute free-kick inside 10 minutes prompted United's nerves to rise rather than subside, as the Germans comfortably defended their lead.
Mehmet Scholl chipped Schmeichel but hit the post. Carsten Jancker had an overhead kick ping back off the crossbar, while United's great Dane was called upon to deny Scholl and Stefan Effenburg.
George Best had dejectedly left his seat by the time Alex Ferguson summoned the SAS - Sheringham and Solskjaer. And then in a few mad moments, events extraordinarily turned on their head.
Over to you Clive Tyldesley...