# 2003–04 UEFA Champions League
The 2003–04 [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league) was the twelfth edition of UEFA's premier club competition (the forty-ninth if the earlier [European Champion Clubs' Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/european-champion-clubs-cup) is counted), won by [FC Porto](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-porto), who beat AS Monaco FC 3-0 in the final at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on 26 May 2004.[1](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/87739.pdf) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) It was the first season played under a new structure of a single group stage followed by a direct 16-team knockout phase, and it ended with José Mourinho's Porto, holders of the UEFA Cup, reclaiming the European trophy for the first time since 1987.[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Champion | FC Porto, beating AS Monaco FC 3-0 in the final[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) |
| Final | 26 May 2004, Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen; goals Carlos Alberto 39, Deco 71, Alenichev 75[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) |
| New format | One 32-team group stage followed by a 16-team knockout phase, replacing the second group stage[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/) |
| Season totals | 309 goals in 250 matches[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2003/) |
| Top scorer | Fernando Morientes (Monaco), 9 goals; Dado Pršo 7, Walter Pandiani 6[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2003/) |
| Most appearances | Patrice Evra, Paulo Ferreira, and Jérémy Rodriguez, 13 each[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2003/) |
| Notable match | Monaco 8-3 Deportivo La Coruña in the group stage, with four goals from Dado Pršo[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) |
## Format change and calendar
The 2003/04 season dropped the two-group-stage format used since 1999. The competition proper consisted of a 32-team group stage in eight groups over six matchdays, followed by a 16-team knockout phase beginning in February 2004.[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaad93996a6-37d73f08ac96-1000--europe-s-finest-ready-to-go/) • [3](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/) The group stage draw was made on 28 August 2003 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, and the group matches ran from 16 September to 9 and 10 December 2003.[1](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/87739.pdf) • [5](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaad93996a6-37d73f08ac96-1000--europe-s-finest-ready-to-go/) The final was scheduled for the [Arena AufSchalke](https://www.edgepedia.org/arena-aufschalke) in [Gelsenkirchen](https://www.edgepedia.org/gelsenkirchen) on 26 May 2004.[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/)
Qualifying ran through three rounds before the group stage. The third qualifying round included former European champions [AFC Ajax](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-ajax), BV Borussia Dortmund, Olympique de [Marseille](https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille), and SL Benfica, alongside clubs such as Newcastle United FC, PFC Lokomotiv Moskva, and RC Deportivo La Coruña.[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/) The 32 teams drawn into the group stage included eleven former European Champion Clubs' Cup winners and three clubs appearing in a group stage for the first time.[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0194-0e6ab61d2a4a-9c75c8649dce-1000--milan-and-ajax-meet-again/) Holders AC Milan, who had won their sixth European crown in the 2003 final at [Old Trafford](https://www.edgepedia.org/old-trafford), began their defense against AFC Ajax in Group H.[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaad93996a6-37d73f08ac96-1000--europe-s-finest-ready-to-go/)
Two rules in force that season later disappeared from UEFA competition. Knockout ties played extra time under the silver goal rule: if a team led overall after the first period of extra time, the match ended there, and the away goals rule did not apply in extra time.[7](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec200304.html) The away goals rule itself, which counted a goal scored away from home double in a level aggregate tie, still applied to the knockout rounds that season.[8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/027d-17172d2190e2-03070c1a3001-1000--do-away-goals-count-double-in-the-champions-league-europa-/)
## The group stage
The group stage produced some high-scoring results. [AS Monaco FC](https://www.edgepedia.org/as-monaco-fc), coached by [Didier Deschamps](https://www.edgepedia.org/didier-deschamps), topped Group C after thrashing Deportivo La Coruña 8-3 at the Stade Louis II, with [Dado Pršo](https://www.edgepedia.org/dado-prso) scoring four goals in what has been described as the performance of the group stage.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) Porto, drawn in Group F with Real Madrid CF, Olympique de Marseille, and FK Partizan, came through comfortably.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) • [9](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/01a9-0f842538a522-b15b875a8fc3-1000/2003_04_uefa_financial_report.pdf)
## Knockout phase
**Porto's run.** Drawn against Manchester United FC in the Round of 16 despite a comfortable group-stage passage, Porto started as underdogs. [Benni McCarthy](https://www.edgepedia.org/benni-mccarthy)'s two goals in the first leg at the [Estádio do Dragão](https://www.edgepedia.org/estadio-do-dragao) turned the tie after United had led, and in the return at Old Trafford Costinha's last-minute strike earned a 1-1 draw that sent Porto through 3-2 on aggregate.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) [Olympique Lyonnais](https://www.edgepedia.org/olympique-lyonnais) followed in the quarter-finals, and RC Deportivo La Coruña fell in the semi-finals to a solitary Derlei penalty over two legs, with a defense led by Ricardo Carvalho holding firm.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/)
**Monaco's run.** Monaco eliminated the favorites repeatedly. In the quarter-finals they knocked out [Real Madrid CF](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-madrid-cf), recovering from a 4-2 first-leg deficit, with Fernando Morientes, on loan from Real Madrid, scoring twice against his own club as Monaco advanced on the away-goals rule. They then beat Chelsea FC 5-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) Deportivo, meanwhile, had produced one of the other shocks of the season by knocking out AC Milan in the quarter-finals after losing the first leg 4-1.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/)
## The final
In Gelsenkirchen the goals ran dry for Monaco. Porto played with freedom and won 3-0 through goals from Carlos Alberto (39 minutes), Deco (71), and Dmitri Alenichev (75), with the playmaker Deco providing the creative spark for Mourinho's disciplined side.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) The Porto lineup included Vítor Baía, Paulo Ferreira, Jorge Costa as captain, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Costinha, Maniche, Deco, Derlei, and Carlos Alberto, with Pedro Mendes also starting.[10](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/280820.pdf) It was Porto's second European crown, their first since 1987, and it followed their 2003 UEFA Cup win over Celtic, completing back-to-back European trophies.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/)
## Significance
The season is remembered for the elimination of the favorites one after another and for a final between two clubs outside Europe's established elite.[11](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/209261.pdf) French reporting on later format changes notes that the removal of the two-group-phase format in 2003/04 is what brought the unexpected FC Porto and AS Monaco to the final, the last final to oppose two clubs outside the European hyper-elite.[12](https://www.lemonde.fr/une-balle-dans-le-pied/article/2025/05/22/ligue-des-champions-nouvelle-formule-anciennes-recettes_6607751_6606027.html) The win also announced Mourinho, whose Porto side then ranked among the competition's most surprising champions, and it remains Porto's most recent European Cup.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/) • [13](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/15-players-who-surprisingly-played-in-champions-league-finals)
## References
1. [Calendar for the 2003/04 season, UEFA newsfile](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/87739.pdf)
2. [2003/04: Porto pull off biggest surprise, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0250-0c50f100f076-ecb0d9d85bb1-1000--2003-04-porto-pull-off-biggest-surprise/)
3. [Final hurdle before group stage, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaade6c3b7d-c32cb16dd797-1000--final-hurdle-before-group-stage/)
4. [Season 2003/04, UEFA Champions League, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/2003/)
5. [Europe's finest ready to go, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaad93996a6-37d73f08ac96-1000--europe-s-finest-ready-to-go/)
6. [Milan and Ajax meet again, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0194-0e6ab61d2a4a-9c75c8649dce-1000--milan-and-ajax-meet-again/)
7. [UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup 2003-04, RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec200304.html)
8. [Do away goals count double in the Champions League?, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/027d-17172d2190e2-03070c1a3001-1000--do-away-goals-count-double-in-the-champions-league-europa-/)
9. [2003/04 UEFA financial report, UEFA](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/01a9-0f842538a522-b15b875a8fc3-1000/2003_04_uefa_financial_report.pdf)
10. [26.05.04 AS Monaco FC - FC Porto 0-3, UEFA match report](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/280820.pdf)
11. [UEFA Champions League 2003/04 review, UEFA newsfile](https://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/209261.pdf)
12. [Ligue des champions : nouvelle formule, anciennes recettes, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/une-balle-dans-le-pied/article/2025/05/22/ligue-des-champions-nouvelle-formule-anciennes-recettes_6607751_6606027.html)
13. [15 players who surprisingly played in Champions League finals, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/15-players-who-surprisingly-played-in-champions-league-finals)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › UEFA competitions › UEFA club competitions › European Cup and UEFA Champions League*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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