#2 Real Madrid vs Monaco, 2004
One of the most predictable fixtures on paper due to the star power in Real Madrid’s line-up. Los Blancos boasted of names like Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos. Hence, what transpired over the next two legs was the stuff of dreams for Monaco.
First leg – Real Madrid 4-2 AS Monaco
(Video Courtesy – Foot Ball YouTube Channel)
The 1st leg took place at Santiago Bernabeu and despite an early hiccup as Sebastien Squillaci scored for Monaco, service resumed as usual when Iván Helguera, Zidane, Ronaldo and Figo scored for the Spanish club to take a comfortable 4-1 lead in the tie.
Monaco, however, managed to score another as Fernando Morientes, who was on loan from Madrid, made the score 4-2. Despite Madrid holding a two-goal lead, that goal would prove costly for Carlos Queiroz’s side in the end.
Second leg – AS Monaco 3-1 Real Madrid
(Video Courtesy – bibi30730 YouTube Channel)
Madrid opened the scoring in the second leg through Raul, making the aggregate score 5-2 in favour of the Spanish club. However, Ludovic Giuly scored just on the stroke of half-time to give Monaco a glimmer of hope. That hope motivated the French side as Morientes scored again before Giuly hit the back of the net to level the aggregate as fans went into a frenzy and the famed Madrid’s Galacticos were knocked out on away goals.
The sheer nature of the result makes it one of the all-time greatest quarter-finals in UCL history but another fixture that happened in the same year prevents this game from taking the top spot.
