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At the first round of group matches of this season's UEFA Champions League, we saw a lot of drama and also late winners from Liverpool and Inter Milan. The Champions League is the most coveted club competition in European football and it is moments like these that help the Champions League stand out from the rest.
This season has just begun and Champions League has a rich history. So, let us take a walk down the memory lane and revisit 5 of the greatest comebacks in the history of the tournament.
#5 Deportivo La Coruna vs AC Milan, 2003/04, QF
1st Leg: AC Milan 4-1 Deportivo La Coruna
2nd Leg: Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 AC Milan
The star-studded line-up of AC Milan which included the likes of Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, Andriy Shevchenko, Dida, Cafu, Paolo Maldini, Rui Costa, Clarence Seedorf thumped Deportivo La Coruna comprehensively in the first leg at the San Siro with Kaka scoring a brace.
However, things took a turn for the worst when Milan squandered a 3 goal lead in the second leg at the Estadio Riazor. Deportivo La Coruna lead by former Athletico Madrid legend Irureta put up an inspired performance humbling the mighty AC Milan 4-0.
This meant that Deportivo moved slightly ahead of AC Milan on aggregate thus knocking out the defending champions.
Deportivo moved on to the semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate
#4 AS Monaco vs Real Madrid, 2003/04, QF
1st Leg: Real Madrid 4-2 AS Monaco
2nd Leg: AS Monaco 3 -1 Real Madrid
The Galacticos won the first-leg of their quarterfinals against AS Monaco at the Santiago Bernabeu with Zidane and Ronaldo both chipping in with goals. However, it still was not enough for Real Madrid.
The story was markedly different in the second leg as Real Madrid lead by Carlos Queiroz faced defeat, the agony of which was compounded by the fact that a player loaned by Real Madrid to AS Monaco, Fernando Morientes, ended up on the scoresheet.
The aggregate turned out to be an even 5-5. However, AS Monaco were a step ahead as they had an away goal more than Real Madrid.
AS Monaco moved to the semi-finals on away goals rule.
#3 AS Roma vs FC Barcelona, 2017/18, QF
1st Leg: FC Barcelona 4-1 AS Roma
2nd Leg: AS Roma 3-0 FC Barcelona
The Catalans led by Ernesto Valverde already had one hand on the La Liga trophy going into their quarter-finals against AS Roma. The team was brimming with confidence from the word go and AS Roma was no match for the Catalans and they ended up winning 4-1 at the Camp Nou.
No one in their wildest dreams would have thought of Barcelona throwing away a commanding 3 goal first-leg lead going into Rome to play the second-leg. However, that is exactly what happened. The Giallorossi seized the initiative and punished a sloppy Barcelona defence by netting in 3 goals and in the process taking the tie on away goals rule and advancing to the semi-finals.
AS Roma moved to the semi-finals on the away goals rule.
#2 FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain, 2016/17, Round of 16
1st Leg: PSG 4-0 FC Barcelona
2nd Leg: FC Barcelona 6-1 PSG
No team had overturned a four-goal deficit going into the second-leg in Champions League history and the odds were heavily stacked against the Catalans. The heavy spending and ambitious PSG thoroughly routed Barcelona in the first leg at Parc des Princes with Angel di Maria scoring twice for the Unai Emery led side.
In one of the greatest Champions League nights, what should have been a day to remember for PSG ended up as their biggest nightmare as the Catalans inspired by the roars of a full-house at Camp Nou thumped the visitors 6-1.
Two goals in added time ensured that Barcelona made amends for their first-leg disappointment and scripted a fairytale result.
FC Barcelona advanced to the quarterfinals 6-5 on aggregate
#1 Liverpool FC vs AC Milan, 2004/05, Final
Score after extra-time Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan
On Penalties: Liverpool 3-2 AC Milan
In what would be described as "The Miracle of Istanbul", Liverpool annulled a 3-goal advantage that AC Milan had going into the second half and took the game on penalties. The talismanic captain of AC Milan, Paolo Maldini scored in the very first minute at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium which was followed by a brace from Argentine forward, Hernan Crespo.
In what was later described by Djibril Cisse as the greatest speech given by a football captain, Steven Gerrard's message set the tone for the second-half. The captain led from the front scoring Liverpool's first goal in the second-half which was followed by goals from Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso.
The game went to extra time and the score remained level. In the ensuing penalties, Liverpool's goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek was the hero as he blocked a shot from AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko to give Liverpool their fifth European crown.
Liverpool won the Champions League
