Top 10 second-leg comebacks in UEFA Champions League

Champions League knock-out stages always promise to be exciting and entertaining. This year’s round of 16 was no different. It kicked off in a rocking way in the opening week. This edition of the Champions League featured some important clashes, Manchester City vs. Barcelona at Etihad Stadium and Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium.As it was predicted, both Barcelona and Bayern drubbed their respective oppositions 2-0. Neither of those English teams were able to stage a comeback.But as Barcelona and Bayern faced off at the Camp Nou in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, Bayern came out immensely wounded as they were thumped 3-0 despite having kept Barcelona at bay for over 75 minutes.The Germans can regain some hope after going through this list of incredible comebacks made by different teams over the years in the second leg of Champions League knock-out stages.

#1 Juventus 3-1 Real Madrid (2002/03)

Juventus went into the second leg against Real Madrid in a similar position to the one that the Galacticos themselves face now. Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos helped Madrid pull off a 2-1victory over Juventus at home in the2002/03 Champions League semi-final.

In the second leg, Juventus took an early lead thanks to David Trezeguet to put the Italians in a good position. Alessandro Del Piero then put the Old Lady two goals ahead with his strike just before half-time.

Real Madrid rallied in the second half and won a penalty in the 67th minute as Juves tough tackling Paolo Montero broughtRonaldo Nazario down in the box.

Madrids Portuguese star, Luis Figo stepped up but missed the penalty. The dread seemed to settle over Real as it just didnt seem to go for them as Pavel Nedved scored for Juventus in the 73rd minute to put them 4-2 ahead on aggregate.

Zidane scored in the 89th minute against his former club to give Real some hope but it would only be a consolation that would complete Juves comeback as they went on to the final.

#2 Monaco 3-1 Real Madrid (2003/04)

The 2003/04 Champions League finalists, AS Monaco pulled off a miraculous victory against giants Real Madrid in the second leg of the quarter-final clash.

In the first leg, Monaco suffered a 4-2 defeat at the Bernabeu at the hands of the Galacticos. It seemed an incredibly tall order for the French team to overcome the incredibly strong Madrid line-up.

In the second leg, Madrid extended their lead in the first half through Raul Gonzalezs strike in the 36th minute. Just when everything seemed bleak, Giuly scored for the hosts in stoppage time of the first half, but Monaco still had a long way to go.

The second half started exactly as Monaco would have planned it with Morientes scoring for them in the 48th minute to put the game right on the edge.

Monaco then went on at full throttle in search for the winner and they found it in the 66th minute when Giuly struck again to Real Madrids despair. It was now Real Madrids turn to go looking for a goal to put them through but they were unable to find it despite a golden chance forRaul in added time at the end of the second half but his shot was saved.

Monaco finished the game 5-5 on aggregate but went through on away goals.

#3 Juventus 2-0 Real Madrid (1995/96)

Two of the major title contenders of 1995/96 UEFA Champions League, Juventus and Real Madrid met each other in the quarter-finals.

Raul's solitary goal ensured Real's victory at Madrid. With both sides at the peak of their powers, the second leg was a match to look out for.

In a dramatic second leg, Del Piero scored in the first half to level things up between the two sides. From here on it was anyone's game.

Michele Padovano scored in the 59 minute to give the Italians the advantage. The two goals were sufficient to win Juventus the tie as the Old Lady went on to the semi-finals.

#4 Deportivo 4-0 Milan (2003/04)

In the quarter final clash between Deportivo La Coruna and AC Milan, the first leg started off with Deportivo scoring first at the San Siro but AC Milan came back looking like a juggernaut and won the first leg 4-1 leaving Deportivo shocked as they went into the second leg.

The biggest surprise of the tie though was yet to come. The second leg saw Deportivo extinguish the Italians advantage in the first half itself with three goals spread across the half.

The pressure was now on AC Milan and as they failed to respond, Deportivo went on to score another in the 76 minute to ensure their passage to the next round as AC Milan could to little to contemplate what could ahve been.

#5 Chelsea 4-1 Napoli (2011/12)

This one is a tale of two managers as Andre Villas-Boass Chelsea were mauled 3-1 by Napoli as Cavani and Lavezzi ran riot at the Stadio San Paolo with Juan Mata scoring Chelseas solitary goal.

In the second leg, there was no more Andre Villas-Boas, his assistant manager and former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo was now in-charge.

Goals from Didier Drogba and John Terry either side of half-time gave Chelsea the upper hand but the plot was about to thicken.

Gokhan Inler scored on the 55-minute mark to swing the tie back in Napolis favour. The Blues would then get a chance as Dossena handled the ball in his own box and Lampard made the best of it to put both sides level on aggregate and away goals to take the game into extra time.

At the very end of the first half of extra time with the clock showing 105 minutes, Branislav Ivanovic would grab the crucial goal that would set Chelsea on a course that would eventually result in Champions League glory.

#6 Bayern Munich 2-3 Inter (2010-11)

Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan in the year 2010/11. Leonardo was the one who took over as the new club boss.

The defending champions would meet Bayern Munichin the round of 16 stage. Bayern would make an emphatic display against a lacklustre Inter to defeat the Italian giants 1-0 at San Siro.

Bayern, playing the second leg at home had the advantage with the away goal as well.

Samuel Etoo put Inter ahead in the fourth minute before Mario Gomez equalised and Thomas Muller giving them the lead. Which meant that Inter went into the second half trailing by two goals and needing two to go through.

Wesley Sneijder scored in the 63rd minute to spark Italian hopes but it was only in 87^thminute that they would break German hearts to knock them out of the competition.

#7 Arsenal 5-0 Porto (2009/10)

Arsenal went down 2-1 against FC Porto in round of sixteen clash playing away from home.

Coming back to Emirates, The Gunners needed to put in a big performance to win. Arsenal game out all guns blazing and scored five goals past the Portuguese team to progress to the next round.

The five goals included a Nicklas Bendtner hattrick which he completed in added time in the second half from the penalty spot

#8 Barcelona 4-0 Milan (2012/13)

In the first leg at San Siro, AC Milan drubbed Barca 2-0 to take a step forward towards the quarter-finals.

Many had ruled out the Barcelona side despite all their attacking prowess, but the Catalonians had different plans in their mind.

Lionel Messis first half brace put Barcelona on track to beat the Italians. They would only complete the task in the second half with goals from David Villa and Jordi Alba.

Barcelona went on to win the tie 4-2 on aggregate.

#9 Barcelona 5-1 Chelsea (1999/00)

Chelsea pulled off a stunning 3-1 victory in the first leg of the quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge.

Most people cancelled out the Spanish giants. But Barcelona came back dramatically in the second leg matching the 3-1 scoreline in regular time thanks to goals from Dani, Kluivert and the legendary Brazilian, Rivaldo who also missed a penalty during the regulation time.

As Babayaro was sent off for bringing Figo down in the box, Rivaldo this time did not miss from the spot. Following that, Patrick Kluivert finally netted the fifth goal to ensure a semi final berth.

#10 Bayern Leverkusen 4-2 Liverpool (2001/02)

Sami Hyypia helped Liverpool register a 1-0 victory at Anfield in the first leg. But eventual runner-up, Bayer Levekusen came back strongly in the second leg at BayArena.

Michael Ballack gave the home team the lead before Abel Xavier equalised.

Ballack and Dimitar Berbatov then scored two more goals.Jari Litmanen put the Reds on course for a semi-final slot, but with six minutes remaining, in dramatic fashion Lucio netted the winner.