5 most embarrassing defeats in the UEFA Champions League

Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League
Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League

#3 Tottenham Hotspur 2-7 Bayern Munich 2019/20

Tottenham Hotspur v Bayern Muenchen: Group B - UEFA Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v Bayern Muenchen: Group B - UEFA Champions League

This is perhaps the game that was the final nail in Mauricio Pochettino's coffin as far as his Spurs stint is concerned. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager's 5-year rebuild at Tottenham had started running out of steam since the beginning of the 2019-20 season. But getting thrashed by 7 goals in the Champions League was a new low.

It was Tottenham who got the lead in the game through Son Heung-min. Joshua Kimmich equalized for the Bavarians in the 15th minute of the game and Lewandowski gave them the lead right before half-time.

In the second half, Bayern absolutely bullied Tottenham into submission. They were running rings around Pochettino's men and it was men against boys for the second 45 minutes.

Serge Gnabry scored 4 goals in the second half, two of which came in quick succession shortly after the restart. Kane would bring it back to 3-2 in the 61st minute of the game before Bayern put the hammer down and ran away with it.

Gnabry would then score twice again in the closing 10 minutes on either side of another Robert Lewandowski goal to round off an embarrassing night for the Premier League side who were the runners-up in the previous edition.

#2 Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain 2016/17

Barcelona celebrate after Sergi Roberto scored the winner in the dying embers of the game against PSG
Barcelona celebrate after Sergi Roberto scored the winner in the dying embers of the game against PSG

Paris Saint-Germain were lauded and hailed as the best attacking unit in Europe after they beat Barcelona 4-0 in the opening leg of the Round of 16 game in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League.

Despite having the MSN leading the line, turning a 4-0 deficit around still seemed impossible. But that's what great players do. They turn up when their team need them the most. Suarez opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 3rd minute of the game.

Neymar and Messi both went close from range but it was Laywin Kurzawa's own goal in the 40th minute, after Paris Saint-Germain defenders made a mess in their own box, that gave Barcelona their first glimmer of hope.

Neymar started putting on a show in the second half and there seemed to be no stopping him. He won a penalty in the 50th minute and Leo Messi slotted the ball home from the spot.

With the aggregate score at 4-3, it looked like Barcelona might just end up walking away with it. But the odds turned in PSG's favour as Edinson Cavani scored an unlikely PSG goal. Needing 3 goals now in order to cancel out PSG's away goal advantage, Barcelona rallied and fought against the odds.

Neymar scored an absolute peach from a 30 yard freekick in the 88th minute of the game to give Barcelona hope when everything seemed lost. Just 2 minutes later, Suarez would win a penalty after the referee decided that he was brought down in the area.

Neymar would then convert to make it 5-1 on the night. But Barcelona needed one more goal. The Brazilian then telegraphed a lobbed ball into the box in the dying embers of the game for Sergio Roberto to hook it home and send the Catalans into dreamland and PSG into eternal embarrassment after having squandered a 4-0 lead from the first leg.

#1 Bayern Munich 8-2 Barcelona 2019/20

Coutinho scores against Barcelona
Coutinho scores against Barcelona

Bayern Munich have been absolutely brilliant this season and have been in great freescoring form. They were also the odds-on favourite to win the quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich but nobody was prepared for what unfolded last night.

Bayern Munich were playing inside Barcelona's box all game long like it was a Sunday league fixtu. The Bavarians opened the scoring with Thomas Muller, who turned up with his poaching prowess in the 3rd minute of the game. David Alaba's freak own goal restored parity in the game.

Ivan Perisic's left-footed thunderstrike clipped Ter Stegen's knee on the way to the top corner of the net in the 21st minute. Serge Gnabry would then extend Bayern Munich's lead 6 minutes later with a cool and composed finish. Muller popped up in the right place at the right time once again to poke a low cross home only 4 minutes later.

Barcelona then scored through Suarez in the 57th minute to make it 4-2. However, there was no stopping Bayern after that. Joshua Kimmich tapped in at the end of an excellent solo run from Alphonso David from the left wing to extend the lead to 5-2.

To rub salt in Barcelona's wounds, Philippe Coutinho came on and assisted Robert Lewandowski for Bayern's 6th in the 82nd minute with a neat through ball before scoring twice in the 85th and 89th minute to cap off a win that Bayern Munich fans will talk about for years. As for Barcelona, the less said the better.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith