Matthaus was part of the Bayern Munich side that faced Glasgow Rangers in the group stages of the competition 17 years ago.
Lothar Matthaus
When asked by The Scottish Sun about what he remembers from facing Rangers in the Champions League 17 years ago, it was not the scuffle with Gers midfielder Barry Ferguson that German legend Lothar Matthaus recalls distinctly, but rather the spine-chilling atmosphere that 49,960 fans created inside Ibrox when Bayern Munich visited.
The two sides were drawn together in the group stages of the competition and met in Glasgow in the second round of fixtures.
Incredibly, it was the Light Blues who took the lead in the game as Jorg Albertz scored midway through the first-half to stun the side that had come within two minutes of winning the competition the previous year, only for Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to famously spoil the party.
Jorg Albertz had given Rangers the lead in the game
On this night however, it was the Bavarian side that spoiled the party as Michael Tarnat scored in stoppage-time to ensure that the points were shared.
But despite the dramatic result, it wasn’t really events on the pitch that stuck with Matthaus, though he does appear to remember the man he tangled with during the game.
“Yes, I remember playing once against Rangers in Glasgow. The atmosphere, it was incredible,” he told The Scottish Sun.
“Yes, the Rangers midfielder was Ferguson, that’s right. He was a good player.”
Barry Ferguson was involved in a tangle with Matthaus
Tarnat’s goal would prove to be a key one as when the pair prepared to face off against each other in the final round of group fixtures, the Gers were a point clear of Bayern and on course for a place in the second group phase.
However, a 1-0 victory inside the Olympic Stadium Munich sent the German side through and saw Rangers finish third in the group and fall into the UEFA Cup.
But with the Scottish side now returning to the top flight after several years away, current boss Mark Warburton will be desperate for his team to return to the summit so he can experience the Ibrox atmosphere that still lives with Matthaus to this day.