Another term of Europe's top club competition has come to a shocking close. Despite having all the odds stacked against them, Italian champions AS Roma stunned the world with their incredible run to the final, narrowly pipping Borussia Dortmund to their first ever UEFA Champions League trophy in history. Let's take a look back and recap the year.


THE CHAMPIONS
Someway, somehow, AS Roma managed to fight their way to their first ever Champions League trophy in their long, illustrious history. Led by the likes of Clement Grenier, Alvaro Morata, and youngster Andrea Bertolacci, the Giallorossi and their legendary player-manager, Francesco Totti, have brought their team, club, and city the greatest honor possible.

THE SURPRISE
Tottenham Hotspur were undoubtedly the biggest shockers of the tournament, aside from AS Roma themselves. Jorge Jesus's men, led by the goalscoring antics of Roberto Soldado and the incredible wingplay of Argentinian Erik Lamela, the North London side surged to their best ever finish in the tournament, losing valiantly to German giants Borussia Dortmund.


Tottenham Hotspur's superstar right winger Erik Lamela was voted UEFA Champions League Player of the Year after putting in some absolutely outstanding performances over the course of the competition, finishing with 7 goals, 7 assists, and a 7.62 average Opta rating. The ex-Roma star was undoubtedly Spurs' most important player in their surprise run to the semifinal and is developing into one of the world's best footballers.


Another Tottenham representative won this year's Golden Boot in the form of Roberto Soldado, who scored 10 goals over the course of the season. Though the Spaniard never quite adjusted to Premier League football after his big-money move from Valencia three years ago, he's certainly taken a liking to European competition and was a big reason that the English side made it so far this year.


The Team of the Season was filled with some standout performers, especially from the three big teams of the competition; Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, and Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs' two personal accolade winners were both included, while Dortmund and Roma generally dominated the back line and midfield, asserting their power in this prestigious tournament. Robin van Persie made it as the lone representative of the underwhelming Manchester United due to his wondrous goalscoring record, as expected, while Joe Hart surprised quite a few pundits with his inclusion as the goalkeeper.

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So that's all for this year, folks. Football, in Europe and her highest domestic divisions, is officially done for the season. Now, the long, summer transfer window looms before we start from scratch again next year. Until then, AS Roma will surely be celebrating their first ever UEFA Champions League trophy, captured under the guidance of their greatest ever player and perhaps manager; Francesco Totti.

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Yes!

Real Madrid put in a £85m bid for Roberto Soldado.

Great update :)Congrats on the UCL win again

Just caught up with this story and i love the layout, writing style etc, can see why it is joint SOTM. Congratulations on completely dominating the league and the multiple cups! It really shows from the various teams of the season/tournament that your defensive line up is second to none... the question is, how do you top this season now?

Good luck and great story, can't wait to see what next season brings!

2014-09-03 13:55#193056 LFC :

LMFAO this is brilliant. Cutting out player faces to fit on their new kits is like, genius, I swear.

Good to see Jedvaj doing well!

AaronHJFT96: Yes indeed!

LFC: LOL yeah I'm not really sure how Soldado did so well. He only scored 9 goals or so in the Premier League, as well Thanks!!

Ziechael: Wow I'm stunned and honored you managed to catch all the way up! Thank you for the praise, and yeah defensively I always try to be very solid. Topping this season will be very difficult, but it's possible!

ConcertoVerde: Love that graphic haha!

Justice: Tin Jedvaj is absolutely brilliant, despite his young age. He and Samuel Umtiti have really stepped up, displacing even the likes of Mehdi Benatia from the lineup!

It has been one hell of a start to Francesco Totti's managerial reign. Having just completed his 24th season as a first team player for AS Roma, Totti has also spent the last 3 years as a manager, and what astounding success he has brought to his hometown club; three straight Scudetti, two Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana, and, the crowning jewel this season, the club's first ever UEFA Champions League.

Not only has Totti brought silverware, he's created a vibrant, young, exciting team that plays a very attacking brand of football. Reinventing the diamond to a more fluid and overlapping style, Roma have won endless plaudits for the style that they've brought to the fore of world football.

These youngsters haven't done it all alone, however. Roma's two home grown heroes, Totti himself and vice-captain Daniele De Rossi, have given experience and vital leadership to their youthful colleagues, urging them forward to bigger and better things and trophies galore. These two legends, who have combined for 984 Serie A appearances, have benefited greatly from these years, forging a great latter stage for their careers.

Totti, however, has vowed that this is not going to be a flash in the pan. After winning the Champions League, the Gladiator told reporters, "This is the greatest moment of my life, and the greatest moment in our great club's history. However, it doesn't end here. We want to become one of the greatest clubs in the world, and that means that this is only the beginning."

...but for us, it is the end.

It is my painful duty to inform to you all that this is the end. It's been an absolutely incredible three season journey with AS Roma, with over 850 replies and 60,000 views from all of my amazing fans, culminating in a shocking UEFA Champions League and FMScout Story of the Month double!

Even as Totti's reign enters just the start, only three years into what will surely be a timeless, ageless dominance of European football, I know that this is the right time to end the story. Four trophies last season, as well as FM15 creeping up on the horizon, the game is telling me it's time to call it quits.

Now, the wait begins. For, when FM15 finally, finally is released, I will be back, eager and stronger than ever to write the greatest story this site has ever seen for all of you. Again, thank you all for the incredible support you've shown this story!

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I suppose the end was always around the corner but it still hurts so much! This story will go down with your Inter one as one of the greats of FM Scout!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

What a story, by what a writer. Neal, I can honestly say, without a glimmer of a doubt that in my opinion, due to the sheer consistently and quality of every update, you have been the best writer on this site over the last 12 months. Your stories, firstly Inter and now this, have both captured the whole site's attention and will go down as two of the best. What you managed to achieve with Roma is very impressive, and the way you told its story to us was incredible. It is fully deserving of its many accolades, and maybe there is one more in store
I will be checking every day for your new FM15 story

What a legendary story, one of the best and one of the first I ever read, Bergomi was incredible but Totti really cemented you as a legend. Good luck for FM15 Nealao!

Having only recently returned to the site I made it my mission to catch up on the big stories of the time... I am already looking forward to your fm15 story, any hints about what it might be??

RIP Francesco Totti - Il Gladiatore di Roma

Justice: It has been wonderful writing this for you all, and indeed, No Totti, No Party!

TVDLC123: Thanks TV, it's a source of great satisfaction for me to receive such high praise from such a talented writer. It has certainly been an incredible journey I've taken here with Roma, but now on to bigger and better things in FM15, whenever that comes out

AaronHJFT96:

Feliks: Cheers Feliks, I think both my Bergomi and Totti stories are two achievements of mine that will rank high in the end, something that will be undoubtedly difficult to top next year, but I will try!

Ziechael: I also am looking forward to FM15 and my corresponding story...as for a hint, however, I am more-or-less certain there will be an American heavily involved

2014-09-24 02:44#194823 Neal :
Ziechael: I also am looking forward to FM15 and my corresponding story...as for a hint, however, I am more-or-less certain there will be an American heavily involved

Brian McBride is coming back?!