European Nights: The Greatest Comebacks in Champions League History
When Real Madrid found themselves trailing Arsenal by two goals after their Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat at the Emirates, the narrative from live football betting and expectations from across the Spanish capital seemed familiar. La Remontada.
The La Liga giants, historically masters of the European comeback regardless of goals and in-game stats, faced yet another mountain to climb at the Santiago Bernabéu. Their reputation for European resurrections had been built over decades of improbable turnarounds.
But football rarely follows the expected script. Instead of another chapter in Madrid’s illustrious European folklore, Arsenal delivered a clinical 2-0 away victory to complete a stunning 5-1 aggregate triumph.
The Gunners’ dismantling of the 16-time European champions served as a powerful reminder that for every legendary comeback, there are dozens of failed attempts that fade from memory.
As Arsenal advance to face Paris Saint Germain in this season’s semi-finals, their comprehensive victory offers a moment to reflect on those rare occasions when football logic is defied and the impossible becomes reality.
The Champions League has provided some of football’s most dramatic reversals of fortune – moments when defeat seemed certain until it wasn’t. Here are some of the competition’s greatest comebacks that, unlike Real Madrid’s recent attempt, succeeded against overwhelming odds.
Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain (2017)
The benchmark against which all modern Champions League comebacks are measured. After PSG demolished Barcelona 4-0 in Paris, the tie appeared settled.
No team had ever overturned such a deficit in European Cup history. What followed at Camp Nou defied logic: Barcelona led 3-0, then conceded to make it 3-1 (5-1 on aggregate), requiring three more goals in the final 30 minutes.
Neymar orchestrated the miracle with two goals and an assist, including a 95th-minute pass that Sergi Roberto converted to complete a scarcely believable 6-1 victory (6-5 aggregate). The image of Lionel Messi celebrating among delirious supporters captured a night when the impossible became reality.
Roma vs Barcelona (2018)
Just one year after engineering football’s most famous comeback, Barcelona found themselves on the receiving end of another miraculous recovery.
Leading 4-1 after the first leg at Camp Nou, Barcelona appeared certain semi-finalists. Roma, however, had other ideas.
Edin Džeko’s early goal at the Stadio Olimpico sparked belief, before Daniele De Rossi’s penalty heightened the tension. When Kostas Manolas headed home in the 82nd minute to make it 3-0 (and 4-4 on aggregate, with Roma advancing on away goals), the Italian capital erupted in euphoria.
The image of Barcelona’s players stunned in disbelief mirrored their own celebrations from 12 months earlier and foreshadowed further damage.
Liverpool vs Barcelona (2019)
Barca’s Champions League trauma continued the following season. After winning the first leg 3-0 at Camp Nou, with Messi scoring twice, including a spectacular free-kick, Barcelona arrived at Anfield seemingly destined for the final, although the Reds had actually played quite well across the first 90.
Liverpool, without injured forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, faced a mission impossible. Divock Origi’s early goal offered hope, before substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice in 122 seconds after half-time to level the tie.
The defining moment came when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quickly-taken corner caught Barcelona’s defence napping, allowing Origi to score his second and complete a remarkable 4-0 victory.
Jürgen Klopp’s “mentality monsters” had produced arguably the greatest night in Anfield’s storied European history, en route to Liverpool’s sixth European Cup.
Tottenham vs Ajax (2019)
The 2019 semi-finals produced not one but two historic comebacks in a single week. After Liverpool’s heroics, Tottenham delivered their own miracle in Amsterdam.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg and 2-0 at half-time in the second (3-0 on aggregate), Spurs seemed finished. Enter Lucas Moura.
The Brazilian forward scored twice in five minutes to restore hope, before completing his hat-trick with literally the final kick of the game to send Tottenham to their first Champions League final on away goals.
The contrasting images of Ajax players collapsed in despair while Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino sobbed with joy encapsulated the thin line between ecstasy and agony in football’s most dramatic competition.
Liverpool vs AC Milan (2005)
Perhaps the competition’s most iconic comeback occurred in its showpiece match. Istanbul hosted a final of two halves that defied explanation.
AC Milan, packed with legends including Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo, Kaká, and Andriy Shevchenko, raced to a 3-0 half-time lead against Liverpool through Maldini and a Hernán Crespo double.
The match appeared over, with Milan’s players reportedly celebrating during the interval. What followed in six second-half minutes changed football history.
Steven Gerrard’s header, Vladimir Šmicer’s long-range strike, and Xabi Alonso’s follow-up from his own missed penalty levelled the match at 3-3. After goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek’s “spaghetti legs” heroics in the penalty shootout, Liverpool completed what became known simply as “The Miracle of Istanbul”.