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In Europe's premier club competition, the UEFA Champions League, no team has enjoyed more dominance than Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have won the Champions League a record 13 times and even completed a three-peat under manager Zinedine Zidane recently.
Much of Real Madrid's success in the tournament can be attributed to the world-class players and managers they have had over the years. Led by the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, Los Blancos have pulled off many incredible performances with their backs up against the wall.
In the absence of their record goal-scorer, however, the LaLiga champions must find a way to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Manchester City in the ongoing Champions League Round of 16 tie. Ahead of the high-octane clash, we take a look at Real Madrid's 5 greatest Champions League comebacks of all time.
Note: The European Cup, which was renamed as the UEFA Champions League in 1992, has not been considered.
#5 Real Madrid vs Sporting Lisbon (2016/17 Group Stage)
After winning the 2015/16 Champions League in dramatic fashion against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties, Real Madrid entered the next campaign as the firm favourites and were drawn with Portuguese team Sporting CP.
In their first group stage game against Jorge Jesus' side, a goal from Bruno Cesar shortly after the half-time break left Real Madrid trailing. Cristiano Ronaldo was often the only source of inspiration for the Spanish side and after hitting the bar with around ten minutes to go, the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner was fouled just outside the box in a dangerous position.
The Portuguese international stepped up against his former side, and dispatched the free-kick into the right top corner past the despairing dive of Rui Patricio. In the dying embers of the game, substitute Alvaro Morata rose high to head James Rodriguez's inviting delivery to seal the win for Zinedine Zidane's men.
In the same season, Real Madrid became the first-ever team in the Champions League era to successfully defend their crown.
#4 Real Madrid vs Manchester United (2012/13 Round of 16)
In the 2012/13 Champions League, Real Madrid were drawn in a fairly tricky group that featured Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax.
Although they picked up only 1 point from their two games against the German giants, who went on to reach the final of the tournament, Jose Mourinho's men did enough to finish 2nd in the group.
In the Round of 16, they were drawn against Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, who took an early lead through Danny Welbeck's 20th-minute strike at the Santiago Bernabeu. Former Red Devil Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished as the top-scorer in the competition with 12 goals, equalised 10 minutes later with a towering header.
With the tie poised delicately heading to Old Trafford, Real Madrid found themselves down when Sergio Ramos diverted Portuguese winger Nani's cross into his own net. Staring at elimination, Los Blancos needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat at the Theatre of Dreams, and they were aided by Nani's sending off for a high boot.
Mourinho rolled the dice by bringing on Luka Modric, who levelled the scores in the 66th minute with a beautiful curled finish from outside the box. Ronaldo scored Real Madrid's second away goal just three minutes later, putting Gonzalo Higuain's delicious ball across the face of David de Gea's goal in the back of the net from mere yards out.
Real Madrid made it past Galatasaray comfortably in the quarter-finals, but a historic 4-goal performance from Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski dumped them out of the tournament at the semi-final stage.
#3 Real Madrid vs Manchester City (2012/13 Group Stage)
In the same season as their Round of 16 comeback over the Red Devils, Real Madrid pulled off a heist against the other half of Manchester. In the first game of the group stage against the Cityzens, Jose Mourinho's men found themselves down to an Edin Dzeko strike in the 68th minute.
Left-back Marcelo soon equalised, but Aleksandar Kolarov's free-kick from distance missed everyone in the box to sneak in past Iker Casillas at the far post. With only 5 minutes of regular time to find an equaliser and a winner, Real Madrid turned to their Galacticos to produce the goods, and boy did they deliver.
Angel Di Maria danced past a couple of challenges to find Karim Benzema in a pocket of space, and the French striker turned smartly to caress the ball into the bottom right corner. With seconds left on the clock, Cristiano Ronaldo cut in onto his right from a tight angle and unleashed a shot that dipped wickedly in front of Joe Hart to bamboozle the City keeper.
Roberto Mancini stared on in disbelief, as Jose Mourinho pumped his fists towards the heavens in utter jubilation in what is one of the most iconic manager celebrations of all time.
#2 Real Madrid vs Wolfsburg (2015/16 Quarter-Final)
When Real Madrid were drawn to face Wolfsburg in the 2015/16 Champions League quarter-final, most football fans had written the Bundesliga team off. But in the first leg at home, Wolfsburg pulled off a massive upset, with goals from Ricardo Rodriguez and Maximilian Arnold giving the Germans a 2-0 advantage to bring to the Spanish capital.
Before the second leg, talisman Cristiano Ronaldo announced to the world that Real Madrid will go through, but it seemed like a tall ask even for him.
"Tuesday will be perfect, it'll be a magical night; with your help the players will give the maximum on the pitch and we will go through to the next round. Hala Madrid!"
In the space of 90 seconds at the stroke of the quarter-hour mark, Ronaldo delivered. He first poked a Dani Carvajal cross that took a fortuitous deflection past Diego Benaglio, before powering a thumping far-post header from Toni Kroos' precise corner.
With the scores now level, Real Madrid asserted their control over the game until they won a free-kick with around quarter of an hour left to play. The Portuguese legend stepped up to take the set-piece, and found a gap in the wall to seal his hat-trick and the team's progression to the semi-final stage.
Zidane's men went on to win the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on penalties, with none other than Cristiano Ronaldo dispatching the tournament-winning spot-kick.
#1 Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (2013/14 Final)
The 2013/14 Champions League final might just be Real Madrid's biggest win in history. Not only was it La Decima, their 10th Champions League crown, but it was also the win that paved the way for the European dominance that was to follow.
In the final, against that season's LaLiga champions and city rivals Atletico Madrid, Los Blancos were staring down the barrel after Diego Godin capitalised on captain Iker Casillas' mistake to put his team 1-0 up. Real Madrid struggled to break down Diego Simeone's resolute defense, with their usual approach of full-back-dominated crossing not bearing much fruit.
Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't impose himself on the game, while Gareth Bale was guilty of missing a couple of gilt-edged chances. With the minutes winding down on their European dream, centre-back Sergio Ramos rose high to head Luka Modric's corner past Thibaut Courtois in the Atleti goal in what is one of the most iconic moments in Champions League history.
Los Colchoneros' wind was taken out of their sails, and they crumbled in extra-time. Bale's header put Real Madrid ahead, before further goals from Marcelo and Ronaldo put the final past Atletico's reach.
Carlo Ancelotti brought home Europe's most prestigious trophy to the Bernabeu, while Real Madrid, led by his assistant coach Zidane, would go on to win three more Champions League trophies in the next four years.
Also Read: 5 reasons why Real Madrid can beat Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16
