The Greatest Champions League Comebacks of All Time

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Champions League knockouts are designed for two-legged drama, but a real comeback — a defeat reversed by impossible scoreline — is rare. Across 70 years, there are perhaps 10 truly mythic ones. Here are the five that defined the modern era.

1. Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (Istanbul, 2005 final)

• Down 0-3 at half-time — Maldini opens, Crespo scores twice
• 6 minutes that changed history: Gerrard, Smicer, Alonso all score between 54' and 60'
• Penalties: Jerzy Dudek saves Andriy Shevchenko. Liverpool win 5th European Cup.

The greatest single comeback in the competition's history, and arguably in football's.

2. Barcelona 6-1 PSG (2017 Round of 16, 2nd leg)

• First leg: PSG win 4-0 in Paris
• Second leg: Barcelona need 5+ at Camp Nou with no away goals to lose
• The moment: Neymar's free-kick + penalty in the 88th and 90th minutes. Sergi Roberto's tap-in in the 95th. Barcelona win 6-1, advance 6-5.

The most improbable aggregate flip ever. The phrase "remontada" entered global football vocabulary.

3. Manchester United 3-3 Bayern (1999 final)

• United down 0-1 from 6th minute to the 90th
• Two minutes of stoppage time: Sheringham equalises, Solskjær wins it
• The treble sealed in those 102 seconds. Sir Alex Ferguson called it "football, bloody hell"

4. Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (2019 SF, 2nd leg)

• First leg: Barcelona win 3-0 at Camp Nou (Messi scores a 35-yard free-kick)
• Second leg: No Salah, no Firmino. Origi twice, Wijnaldum twice. 4-0.
• The corner: Trent Alexander-Arnold's quick corner that Origi finishes. The defining moment of the Klopp era

5. Real Madrid 4-3 Manchester City (2022 SF aggregate)

• Second leg, 89th minute: City lead 5-3 on aggregate, look certain to advance
• Rodrygo scores in the 90th and 91st minute to tie it
• Extra time: Benzema penalty wins it. Real Madrid go on to win the final
• Real Madrid's 15th European Cup story has this night in chapter 14

Why comebacks happen

Three structural reasons:

1. Knockout away goal pressure (until 2021): the team behind had to attack
2. : a team can change shape entirely in 30 minutes

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