The UEFA Champions League knockout stages have witnessed some of the most famous and unbelievable comebacks in world soccer annals.
With the best sides in European soccer competing for the most prestigious club trophy in the world, the weight and pressure of the Champions League is unparalleled. It's fitting that the biggest club competition in the sport owns some of the most dramatic and unimaginable come-from-behind wins in history.
Here, we look back at some of the biggest and most iconic knockout phase comebacks in Champions League history, feats that will stand the test of time and endure to become some of the most remembered achievements in soccer. For many, stories of heartbreak, for others, memories of why they fell in love with the sport.
Biggest UEFA Champions League Comebacks: Four-Goal Deficit
La Remontada: 2016-17 Round of 16
- First Leg: Paris Saint-Germain 4–0 Barcelona
- Second Leg: Barcelona 6–1 Paris Saint-Germain
Barcelona became the first and only team in Champions League history to overcome a four-goal deficit in the second leg of the knockout stages.
Paris Saint-Germain dismantled the Catalans 4–0 in the first leg of the round of 16 in 2016-17, but Barcelona persisted and delivered one of the greatest comebacks in soccer history in the second leg.
Goals from Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi and a brilliant brace from Neymar Jr. put Barcelona within one of achieving the impossible. Then, deep into stoppage time, Sergi Roberto made the impossible possible, sealing the biggest comeback in Champions League history.
Prior to the second leg, Luis Enrique famously said "If they scored four, we can score six," and boy was he right.
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Biggest UEFA Champions League Comebacks: Three-Goal Deficit
The Miracle of Anfield: 2018-19 Semifinals
- First Leg: Barcelona 3–0 Liverpool
- Second Leg: Liverpool 4–0 Barcelona
"Corner taken quickly... Origi!"
Liverpool raised their fifth Champions League trophy in 2018-19, but what's most remembered about their title winning campaign is their miraculous comeback vs. Barcelona in the semifinals.
After losing 0–3 in the first leg, the Reds returned to Anfield and delivered one of, if not the greatest performance of the Jürgen Klopp era. Without Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi opened the scoring before Georginio Wijnaldum scored a brace to level the tie.
What happened next is well documented. 10 minutes before the clock hit 90', Trent Alexander-Arnold caught Barcelona's defense napping, quickly taking a corner that Origi fired home to send Anfield into a frenzy and punch Liverpool's tickets to the final.
This remains Barcelona's last trip to the Champions League semifinals.
"The Greek God in Rome": 2016-17 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Barcelona 4–1 Roma
- Second Leg: Roma 3–0 Barcelona
A season before the Miracle of Anfield, Barcelona experienced a similar type of heartbreak.
Roma overcame a 1–4 defeat at the Camp Nou to defeat Barcelona 3–0 in the home return leg to advance to the semifinals because of the away goals rule.
Edin Džeko and Danielle de Rossi put Roma within one, then, Greece international Kostas Manolas headed home a corner to bury the Catalans and advance to the semifinals.
In the famous words of broadcaster Peter Drury: "Roma have risen from their ruins. Manolas, the Greek God in Rome."
Biggest UEFA Champions League Comebacks: Three-Goal Deficit
- First Leg: AC Milan 4–1 Deportivo La Coruña
- Second Leg: Deportivo La Coruña 4–0 AC Milan
- 2004-04 Quarterfinals
Biggest UEFA Champions League Comebacks: Two-Goal Deficit
Manchester United vs. Paris Saint-Germain: 2018-19 Round of 16
- First Leg: Manchester United 0–2 Paris Saint-Germain
- Second Leg: Paris Saint-Germain 1–3 Manchester United
Juventus vs. Atlético Madrid: 2018-19 Round of 16
- First Leg: Atlético Madrid 2–0 Juventus
- Second Leg: Juventus 3–0 Atlético Madrid
Real Madrid vs. Wolfburg: 2015-16 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Wolfsburg 2–0 Real Madrid
- Second Leg: Real Madrid 3–0 Wolfsburg
Bayern Munich vs. Porto: 2014-15 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Porto 3–1 Bayern Munich
- Second Leg: Bayern Munich 6–1 Porto
Chelsea vs. Paris Saint-Germain: 2013-14 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Chelsea
- Second Leg: Chelsea 2–0 Paris Saint-Germain
Manchester United vs. Olympiacos: 2013-14 Round of 16
- First Leg: Olympiacos 2–0 Manchester United
- Second Leg: Manchester United 3–0 Olympiacos
Barcelona vs. AC Milan: 2012-13 Round of 16
- First Leg: AC Milan 2–0 Barcelona
- Second Leg: Barcelona 4–0 AC Milan
Chelsea vs. Napoli: 2011-12 Round of 16
- First Leg: Napoli 3–1 Chelsea
- Second Leg: Chelsea 4–1 Napoli
Monaco vs. Real Madrid: 2003-04 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Real Madrid 4–2 Monaco
- Second Leg: Monaco 3–1 Real Madrid
Barcelona vs. Chelsea: 1999–2000 Quarterfinals
- First Leg: Chelsea 3–1 Barcelona
- Second Leg: Barcelona 5–1 Chelsea
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Biggest Comebacks in Champions League History.
