#4 Barcelona (Overcoming a 4-0 loss in the first leg of Champions League)
Camp Nou is a place where miracles happen. One miracle took place in 1999 when Manchester United scored two last-gasp goals to take the match away from Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Another one occurred on 8 March 2017.
Barcelona faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16. They travelled to Paris for the first leg where they were woefully humiliated 4-0. Everyone wrote the Blaugrana off, even the Cules (Barcelona fans). Everyone but the Barcelona team.
Manager Luis Enrique said that if PSG could score four, they could score six. Players like Neymar, Gerard Pique, and Andres Iniesta believed in their team and the Camp Nou faithful. And it was showtime.
Barcelona kicked things off with a third-minute goal from Luis Suarez after PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa kicked the ball into his net from Iniesta’s effort.
Just into the second half, Lionel Messi put away a penalty and kept the tie alive. But an away goal from Edinson Cavani in the 62nd minute complicated things for the Azulgranas. The goal meant that Barcelona had to score three goals to steal the match away from the Parisians.
In the 88th minute, when all hope was lost, Neymar swirled in a sumptuous free-kick and made the fans believe. He, then again, scored from the spot to even things up. However, PSG were still going through on away goals.
Late into injury time, it was now or never for Barcelona. With almost all the players of both teams in PSG’s box, Neymar lobbed in the ball looking for someone to put it away. It miraculously connected with substitute Sergi Roberto’s extended right leg and hit the back of the net.
The stadium erupted with joy.
Sergi Roberto became an instant hero and sent the Catalans to the quarterfinals. It was probably the greatest comeback in Champions League history as no team had ever overcome a four-goal deficit. However, Barcelona were eliminated by Juventus in the quarterfinals. But that match will forever remain in the hearts of football fans.
