Best Champions League comebacks of all time

The second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals is upon us, with Real Madrid needing an almighty comeback to overturn a dismal 3-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates last Tuesday.

It may not seem realistic, but the Champions League has seen unbelievable comebacks in the past – here are some of the most memorable in the competition.

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Barcelona 6-5 PSG – 2016/17

The greatest and most unbelievable comeback in the competition, and arguably of all time, is Barcelona’s comeback against PSG in the 2016/17 Round of 16.

The only team to ever overturn a four-goal deficit in the competition, Barca trailed 4-0 after an away defeat in Paris, needing to win the second leg by five or more goals to win the tie.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring for them early in the third minute, with an own goal from Layvin Kurzawa and a penalty from Lionel Messi before 50 minutes, leaving them needing one goal to take the tie to extra time and two goals to win.

However, due to the away goals ruling at the time, it looked as if their fate was sealed when PSG forward Edinson Cavani bagged in the 62nd minute, notching that crucial away goal, meaning Barca needed to outscore their opponents by three in the remaining time to progress.

They were still searching entering the 88th minute when Neymar scored, before scoring again in the 91st minute. Needing just one goal to progress, their last chance was a free kick into the box, which was knocked in by defender Sergi Roberto in the most unbelievable of circumstances.

Barca won the tie 6-5 after their 6-1 win in the second leg, a comeback so memorable it has been coined ‘La Remontada’.

Roma 4-4 Barcelona, Roma win on away goals – 2017/18

The very next year, Barcelona were involved in another of the competition’s greatest ever comebacks – only this time they were on the wrong end of it.

Drawing Roma in the quarter finals of the 17/18 competition, they completed a 4-1 rout of the Italian side in the home first leg, leaving the odds heavily stacked in their favour of progression.

Roma’s goal in the fixture meant they had the all-important away goal, meaning if the aggregate score was a draw following the conclusion of the second leg and Barcelona hadn’t scored away from home, Roma would progress.

However, they still needed to score three goals without reply against a Barcelona team containing Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez. No tall order.

The Italians found themselves 2-0 up in the game after 60 minutes, chasing that crucial third goals, however it was imperative that they didn’t concede as they would lose the advantage of the away goal.

They did find their goal through centre back Kostas Manolas who made a well timed run to the front post from a corner, flicking the ball past Marc Andre ter Stegen, sending the Stadio Olimpico into pandemonium and completing one of the most memorable comebacks of all time.

Liverpool 4-3 Barcelona – 2018/19

Another year, another historical UCL comeback involving Barcelona. Once again, the Catalans found themselves on the wrong side of history as Liverpool delivered Anfield one of its greatest nights to qualify for the 2018/19 Champions League final.

The Reds trailed 3-0, following a first leg destruction from Lionel Messi, who netted a historical brace – the second of which, a peach of a free kick bringing up his 600th goal for the club.

Trailing by three, Liverpool was also without star men Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino but soon had hope after Divock Origi’s seventh minute opener.

They had to wait for their second and third, but they both came quickly as substitution Gini Wijnaldum scored twice in as many minutes, leaving it 3-3 on aggregate.

The tie was tapped off, with a genius moment of invention from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who quickly delivered a corner leaving Divock Origi to tap into an empty net, giving Liverpool progression to the Champions League final.

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