5 best UEFA Champions League Round of 16 comebacks of the 21st century

2. Chelsea vs Napoli (First Leg: 1-3; Second Leg: 4-1)

Chelsea FC v SSC Napoli - UEFA Champions League Round of 16

The entire Chelsea fraternity let out a collective groan when Ezequiel Lavezzi's strike smashed the ball past Petr Cech at the Stadio San Paolo. The Blues were down by three goals to one and were facing certain elimination at the hands of their Italian opponents.

It had been a difficult season for manager Andre Villas-Boas, who had arrived at Stamford Bridge from Porto with high expectations. However, a string of inconsistent results, coupled with him alienating the senior players had let him down. Twelve days on from their humiliation at the hands of Napoli, the Portuguese football coach was relieved of his duties by the Blues' hierarchy, with the reigns handed to assistant manager Roberto di Matteo.

Di Matteo started Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, and Didier Drogba in their return leg three weeks later, along with the returning John Terry who had missed the first leg completely. The Blues started positively with Drogba putting the home side one-nil up just before the half-hour mark. Terry added another, minutes into the second half before Gokhan Inler pulled one back for the away side.

With the London outfit still trailing by a goal, Lampard stepped up in the seventy-fifth minute to score a penalty and bring the sides level on aggregate and thus sending the tie into extra-time. Chelsea persisted and with the momentum behind them ultimately found the winning goal in one hundred and fifth minute when Branislav Ivanovic smashed home a pull-back from Drogba. The Blues held on for the final fifteen minutes to seal their passage into the next round.