Monaco v Real Madrid, Liverpool v AC Milan… The ten best Champions League comebacks
The Champions League is well known for producing some of the most exciting matches in memory.
Goals, controversy and, of course, those amazing moments when teams make it against the odds to overturn a seemingly impossible scoreline.
Here, SunSport looks back at the ten best Champions League comebacks.
Final, 1998-99
Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1
BOTH were vying for the first Treble in their history.
And the Germans dominated proceedings in Barcelona.
Mario Basler opened the scoring on six minutes and after that it was one-way traffic — but Bayern couldn’t find that second goal.
With 90 minutes up, Teddy Sheringham equalised for United, before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer completed the turnaround a minute later.
Quarter-finals, 1999-2000
Chelsea 3 Barcelona 1
Barcelona 5 Chelsea 1
BEFORE the days of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea were not major European players.
Goals from Gianfranco Zola and a Tore Andre Flo saw the Blues race into a 3-0 lead, before Luis Figo gave Barca something to take back to the Nou Camp.
Chelsea were seven minutes from going through after Flo had pulled one back following first half strikes from Rivaldo and Figo.
However, Dani Garcia sent the tie to Extra Time — and first Rivaldo then Patrick Kluivert netted to put Louis van Gaal’s men through.
Quarter-finals, 2003-04
Milan 4 Deportivo 1
Deportivo 4 Milan 0
THE best Champions League comeback of all time.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were the holders — and had even strengthened with the signing of a certain Kaka — when they took their seemingly insurmountable lead to the Riazor.
However, Depor still believed — and were incredibly ahead on away goals by half-time.
And they added another after the interval for good measure.
Quarter-finals, 2003-04
Real Madrid 4 Monaco 2
Monaco 3 Real Madrid 1
ZINEDINE ZIDANE, Raul, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham against Monaco.
It’s a no-contest, right?
Well, it appeared to be after Monaco were taken apart 4-2 in Madrid.
But, the French principality caused one of the biggest shocks in Champs Lge history as they knocked the Spanish giants out.
Even more remarkably, Fernando Morientes — who was on loan from Real Madrid — was the catalyst for Monaco.
Final, 2004-05
Milan 3 Liverpool 3, 2-3 pens
RAFA BENITEZ — who just a year earlier had won the Uefa Cup with Valencia — took Liverpool to their first European Cup final in 20 years.
After controversially overcoming Chelsea in the semi-finals, only Ancelotti’s great Milan team stood in their way.
And the Italians showed why they were considered one of the all-time greats as they raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time.
But, a remarkable turnaround — which saw Liverpool score three times in six minutes — meant the game was level.
Jerzy Dudek’s heroics ensured no more goals were scored in Extra Time.
And, as they always do, Liverpool prevailed in the shootout.
Last-16, 2011-12
Napoli 3 Chelsea 1
Chelsea 4 Napoli 1 AET
EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI struck either side of Edinson Cavani’s goal to put Napoli pole position to reach the quarter-finals.
Come the return leg, and Andre Villa-Boas had been replaced by Roberto Di Matteo as Chelsea boss.
And things were a little bit different.
Goals from Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard sent the tie to Extra Time.
And Branislav Ivanovic completed the Lazarus act just before the interval.
Last-16, 2012-13
Milan 2 Barcelona 0
Barcelona 4 Milan 0
BARCA — who else? — became the first team to overturn a two-goal deficit without the security of an away goal.
Goals from former Portsmouth stars Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari gave Milan a healthy lead to take to the Nou Camp.
But Messi had wiped it out by half-time — before David Villa gave Barca the lead midway through the second half.
Jordi Alba completed the comeback in stoppage time.
Last-16, 2013-14
Olympiakos 2 Manchester United 0
Manchester United 3 Olympiakos 0
THE undoubted high-point of the David Moyes era at Old Trafford.
United produced one of their poorest performances in recent memory as Alejandro Dominguez and on-loan Arsenal man Joel Campbell condemned the Red Devils to defeat in Greece.
But Robin van Persie inspired their best European comeback in 30 years.
The Dutchman netted a superb hat-trick as United went through to the quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals, 2013-14
Paris Saint-Germain 3 Chelsea 1
Chelsea 2 Paris Saint-Germain 0
JOSE MOURINHO’S men were shocking in France .
Eden Hazard’s penalty had given the Blues something to cling on to in Paris — but a last-gasp Javier Pastore goal appeared to put the tie out of reach.
Andre Schurrle opened the scoring in London.
Before substitute Demba Ba sent Chelsea through with an 87th minute winner.
Quarter-finals, 2014-15
Porto 3 Bayern Munich 1
Bayern Munich 6 Porto 1
REMARKABLY, there were reports Pep Guardiola could have lost his job after a poor performance in Portugal.
Chelsea flop Ricardo Quaresma inspired Porto to a famous win — only for Bayern to storm back in Munich.
The Germans were ahead on away goals within 22 minutes.
And added further four to romp into the semi-finals.