5 biggest round-of-16 upsets in UEFA Champions League history

#2 APOEL v Lyon (2011-12)

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This may not be the highest profile upset on this list, yet APOEL’s victory over Lyon could be considered one of the most stunning. Cypriot football has never enjoyed a prominent position among the European elite, yet they took a place in the final eight of the Champions League when the minnows stunned opponents who had reached the semi-finals less than 12 months earlier.

Really, there should have been few issues for the Ligue 1 side, particularly after they claimed the first leg 1-0 thanks to a strike from Alexandre Lacazette just before the hour mark.

The advantage looked to be a good one, particularly as OL had not conceded an away goal that could have had the potential to make their life tricky.

Back in Cyprus, however, Gustavo Manduca scored early for the hosts. Although the French side outplayed them thereafter, they could have few complaints about going to extra-time in what had been a surprisingly evenly balanced tie.

Manduca was dismissed during that period, yet APOEL survived to force penalties. The first six takers all converted but Lacazette missed. After Ivan Trickowski scored for the hosts, Michel Bastos had to do likewise to keep Lyon in the tie but fluffed his lines.

In the quarter-finals, Real Madrid made light work of their opponents but were made to work for their win in Nicosia. After Karim Benzema scored 15 minutes from the end, it was largely one-way traffic, with the Spaniards running out 8-2 victors on aggregate.