2018: Leinster Rugby 15 Racing 92 12

Leinster Rugby became European champions for the fourth time after a narrow 15-12 win over Racing 92 in Bilbao.

Isa Nacewa was the Leinster hero after slotting over two penalties in the final seven minutes to deny Racing 92 a first Champions Cup success.

The French side took the lead on three minutes through scrum-half Teddy Iribaren after Leinster were penalised for a high tackle but that lead lasted just over 10 minutes as Nacewa launched a Leinster attack down the left wing that led to a penalty for the Irish province, with Johnny Sexton slotting through the posts.

Iribaren put Racing 92 in front again from the kicking tee after 21 minutes but Leinster came roaring back and levelled things up just before half-time.

The second half started like the first with Iribaren putting Racing ahead from the kicking tee before Sexton levelled the score after 53 minutes.

Both sides made plenty of changes in the latter stages but it was scrum-half Iribaren who was able to put the French side back in front with a wonderfully executed penalty kick from the touchline with nine minutes to play.

Nacewa – who was playing his last ever Champions Cup match for Leinster before retiring at the end of the season – put the Irish province level for the fourth time on 73 minutes from the tee but the best was still to come from the 35-year-old New Zealander.

Leinster won another penalty in front of the posts with just two minutes to play, and Nacewa made no mistake to put Leinster in front for the first and only time in the match.

2016: Racing 92 9 Saracens 21

Saracens landed a first European title after Owen Farrell booted them to a 21-9 triumph over Racing 92 in Lyon.

Farrell landed seven penalties from seven attempts to earn a deserved victory that saw Saracens become the first side to win all nine games in a Champions Cup campaign.

Saracens took an early lead through the fly-half before Johan Goosen landed a long-range kick to level the scores on 17 minutes.

But McCall’s men began to flex their muscles in the second quarter. Farrell missed a drop-goal but atoned for his error with a penalty to retake a slim three-point advantage. His chip through moments later almost setup a Chris Ashton try, but referee Nigel Owens brought it back for an earlier offence, which Farrell punished with another penalty.

Goosen split the uprights with another penalty to keep Racing in-touch, but Farrell matched his effort to give Saracens a 12-6 half-time lead.

Farrell maintained his 100 per cent record off the tee at the start of the second period to stretch the advantage to 15-6.

Racing responded again through Goosen who converted a simple penalty kick to make it a six-point game, but it was Farrell who made sure the English side who had their name on the trophy with his sixth successful three-pointer after 75 minutes, before wrapping it up a minute from time.

Racing 92 will go in search of a first European crown next weekend when they face Exeter Chiefs in the Heineken Champions Cup final at Ashton Gate. We take a look back at their two previous finals, both resulting in defeats.