Five times teams overturned three-goal deficits in Champions League knockout history
2026-03-16 - 13:07
The knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League has produced some of the most dramatic moments in football history. After the first leg of the current 2025/2026 campaign, English sides Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur find themselves with a huge mountain to climb after suffering 5–2 defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid, respectively. Over the years, several teams have produced stunning second-leg performances to progress after seemingly impossible first-leg losses. Here are five of the greatest comebacks between the first and second legs. Barcelona 6–1 PSG (2017) In the round of 16 of the 2016/17 season, Paris Saint-Germain stunned FC Barcelona with a 4–0 victory in the first leg in Paris. Two goals from Ángel Di María and one apiece from Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani handed the French champions a comfortable advantage. In the second leg at the Camp Nou, Barcelona produced a miracle performance now famously known as La Remontada, winning 6–1 to progress 6–5 on aggregate, with Sergi Roberto’s stoppage-time goal sealing what many regard as the greatest comeback in Champions League history. Liverpool 4–0 Barcelona (2019) After losing 3–0 at the Camp Nou in the 2018/19 semi-final first leg, Liverpool faced a daunting task to qualify for the final. Two second-half goals from Lionel Messi, including a stunning free kick, had put Barcelona firmly in control of the tie. However, the second leg at Anfield produced one of the competition’s most famous nights. Liverpool stormed to a 4–0 victory, with Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum scoring twice between them to overturn the deficit and reach the final. Roma 3–0 Barcelona (2018) In the 2017/18 quarter-finals, AS Roma were beaten 4–1 by FC Barcelona in the first leg. Barcelona’s goals came through an own goal from Daniele De Rossi, another own goal by Kostas Manolas, plus strikes from Gerard Piqué and Luis Suárez. Edin Dzeko scored Roma’s only goal. In the second leg, Roma produced a stunning comeback in the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico, winning 3–0. Goals from Dzeko, De Rossi and Manolas completed a dramatic turnaround as the Italian side advanced on away goals. Deportivo La Coruña 4–0 AC Milan (2004) In the 2003/04 quarter-finals, defending champions AC Milan defeated Deportivo de La Coruña 4–1 in the first leg and looked certain to progress. However, the Spanish side delivered one of the competition’s earliest great comebacks in the return leg. Goals from Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valerón, Albert Luque and Fran González powered Deportivo to a stunning 4–0 victory, eliminating Milan 5–4 on aggregate. Tottenham 3–2 Ajax (2019) After losing 1–0 at home and trailing 2–0 at halftime in Amsterdam, Tottenham Hotspur looked completely out of the tie against AFC Ajax in the 2018/19 semi-finals. Spurs were effectively 3–0 down on aggregate before staging one of the most dramatic recoveries in Champions League history. Lucas Moura scored a sensational hat-trick, including a stoppage-time winner, to send Tottenham into the final on away goals. Vanguard News