Liverpool vs AC Milan, Bayern vs Man Utd & the greatest Champions League comebacks

Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool were never favourites to win the Champions League final against a star-studded AC Milan team that included the likes of Kaka and Paolo Maldini, but certainly nobody expected a three-goal deficit by the end of the first half.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side had looked to be on course for their seventh UCL title in Istanbul, but the fight was far from over once the whistle blew for the second half. What followed is the most surreal, dramatic and overwhelming six minutes in football history – Steven Gerrard headed in a swinging ball from John Arne Riise that gave Liverpool one goal back. He celebrated the goal wildly, waving his arms in circles like a deranged butterfly. Vladimir Smicer netted two minutes later to make it 3-2, and then Xabi Alonso stepped up to take a penalty after Gerrard was fouled in the box. His first effort was blocked, but he scored from the rebound, and suddenly the Reds had come back from three goals down to make it 3-3.

Liverpool were victorious in the penalty shootout, winning 3-2 and bringing home their fifth European title.

Of course, Liverpool aren’t the only side capable of staging dramatic comebacks on the biggest stage in European football. Manchester United were losing 1-0 to Bayern at the Camp Nou in the 1999 UCL until Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – brought on as substitutes – scored in the 91st and 93rd minute, respectively.

Mario Basler had given Bayern Munich the lead in just the sixth minute and indeed, his side had thought that they had won the game heading into stoppage time. Bayern fans had already ignited celebratory flames minutes before United’s equaliser, and ribbons in Munich colours had even been strung to the trophy. For the restart, Munich players were distraught on the ground and had to be helped up in order to finish the game.

It was a legendary season for Man Utd, the UCL trophy rounding out their treble success, with the Red Devils securing their second Champions League/European Cup title.

They all said it was impossible. Barcelona won the first semi-final leg at Camp Nou by a resounding 3-0 scoreline, and even if the score was harsh on Liverpool, overturning that lead would simply be out of the question.

Famous last words.

Jurgen Klopp and his team had nothing to lose in the second leg. They had the weight of Anfield on their side, where strange things tend to happen. They had the belief that if there were any team able to do the unthinkable, it would be Liverpool.

The players knew it, too. From kick-off, Liverpool pressed Barcelona like no other, and were rewarded with a Divock Origi goal inside six minutes. Barcelona were startled, alarmed that Liverpool seemed to be so confident even at three goals down on aggregate. The pressing didn’t stop, and that, combined with the support of the fans, saw Liverpool score two goals in two minutes by Gini Wijnaldum, equalising to 3-3. Barcelona were stunned.

So stunned, in fact, that they didn’t even notice when Trent Alexander-Arnold was about to take one of the cheekiest corners in living memory, which Origi converted to nab the winning goal. Never before had a team overturned a three-goal deficit in the semi-finals of the UCL. Liverpool secured their place in the final where they beat Tottenham, and brought home their sixth Champions League title.

Man Utd had to overcome a two-goal deficit for the second leg of their last-16 clash against Paris Saint-Germain away at the Parc des Princes, with Paul Pogba having been sent off in the 89th minute of the first leg.

Things looked to be going the French giants’ way when Juan Bernat equalised to put the home side level after Romelu Lukaku scored early, but Man Utd – with newly appointed Solskjaer of that final against Bayern Munich fame at the helm – still had fight in them. Lukaku scored again before half-time, and Marcus Rashford scored from a controversial stoppage-time penalty to secure progress based on away goals.

When PSG struck four past Barcelona in the first leg of the last-16 tie in 2017, things looked to be all over for the Liga side. Angel Di Maria, Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani all netted to give PSG a comfortable 4-0 lead at Camp Nou for the return leg, but they had no idea what they were in for.

Barcelona scored six goals against PSG and reversed their four-goal deficit – the largest comeback in UCL history – to win 6-5 on aggregate. Luis Suarez scored early in the sixth minute, and a Cavani goal in the second half wasn’t enough for the French visitors. Goals from Lionel Messi, Neymar and Sergi Roberto – as well as an unfortunate own goal – made this one of the most memorable Remontadas of all time.

Barcelona’s collapse against Liverpool in the 2019 semi-finals wasn’t the first time they capitulated so badly in the knockout stage of the European competition. History had repeated itself at Anfield, just a year on from when Barcelona squandered another three-goal lead – this time to Roma.

The Catalan side won 4-1 at Camp Nou in the first leg, and travelled to Rome confident, only for them to unravel dramatically as Roma scored thrice – including one in the 82nd minute – to go through to the semi-finals on away goals.

In doing so, Roma became just the third team in UCL history to overcome a first-leg deficit of three goals or more. Barcelona had won the league comfortably but crumbled spectacularly in Rome. It was clear that they had not recovered from this defeat mentally and psychologically when they went to face Liverpool 12 months later on Merseyside.

Barely 24 hours after Liverpool staged their incredible 4-0 comeback against Barcelona, Tottenham performed similar unexpected magic in their semi-final second leg away against Ajax. The Eredivisie leaders won the first leg 1-0 away at Wembley, and they simply had to avoid defeat at home to advance to the final.

Things were going well for the home side at half-time at 2-0 up, but everything changed dramatically once Lucas Moura was subbed on. The Brazil international scored twice in four minutes in the second half. Even when the score was 3-2 on aggregate heading into stoppage time, Ajax looked to be the team to progress. But Moura completed his hat-trick with the last kick of the game in the 96th minute – breaking Dutch hearts and sending the north Londoners to their first ever UCL final.

There seemed to be no way back for Deportivo La Coruna when they lost 4-1 to AC Milan in the 2003-04 quarter-finals. However, Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron and Alberto Luque found a way to score three goals in the return leg at home, followed by a fourth goal by substitute Fran Gonzalez.

"Miracles often happen, things you might not rationally expect," said Depor coach Javier Irureta.

After winning the first leg of their quarter-final at home 3-1 against Barcelona, Chelsea were just seven minutes of normal time away from progressing to the last four of the competition.

Barcelona, though, staged an incredible comeback to advance to the semi-final. Dani Garcia scored in the 83rd minute to level the tie and then Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert scored in extra time to secure a second-leg 5-1 win.

Real Madrid thought they had wrapped everything up after heading into their second-leg quarter-final to Monaco with a 4-2 lead. Monaco, however, staged a stunning comeback in which they knocked out Los Blancos to secure a semi-final tie against Chelsea.

Real had extended their aggregate lead to 5-2 on the day courtesy of a fine strike by Raul, until Monaco’s Ludovic Giuly boosted spirits before half-time – with Fernando Morientes then making it 2-1. Giuly scored again in the 66th minute to win the game for Monaco 3-1, sending them through on away goals.