Comeback. That could be a theme to watch out for ahead of the round of 16 second leg fixtures in the Champions League, starting on Tuesday. After some dramatic action in the opening fixtures of this year’s knockout rounds, two teams will be hoping to complete a turnaround for the ages.
Manchester United, despite their stellar run of form under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, face a 2-0 deficit going to Paris to face PSG — the French giants will be chomping at the bits to go all the way after heartbreaks of recent seasons.
More daunting, is the task ahead for Borussia Dortmund who must overturn a 3-0 first-leg defeat when they host Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.
Only three teams – Barcelona, Roma and Deportivo La Coruna – have managed to overturn a deficit of three goals or more in a knockout-phase tie in the Champions League era.
Given that comebacks could be a theme for the upcoming big fixtures, here’s a look at three of the greatest come-from-behind thrillers in the history of Champions League two-leg knockout fixtures.
Barcelona stun PSG
Round of 16, season 2016/17
First leg: Paris Saint-Germain 4 (Di Maria 18, 55 Draxler 40, Cavani 72) Barcelona 0
Return leg: Barcelona 6 (Suarez 3, Kurzawa 40-og, Messi 50-pen, Neymar 88, 90+1-pen, Roberto 90+5) Paris Saint-Germain 1 (Cavani 62)
Barcelona won 6-5 on aggregate
Barcelona made history as the first team to come back from a four-goal first-leg deficit in the Champions League on a dramatic night at the Camp Nou when Neymar punished his future side PSG with two goals.
If PSG’s demolition of Luis Enrique’s Barcelona in Paris was a shock, the fightback was mind-blowing with the crucial last two goals coming in added time.
Sergi Roberto came off the bench to write himself into Spanish football folklore with Barcelona’s sixth goal in the fifth minute of added time.
“I didn’t know if I was dreaming –- I have never known a noise like that,” said a shell-shocked Roberto after the final whistle.
Barca’s luck runs out in Rome
Quarter-finals, season 2017/18
First leg: Barcelona 4 (De Rossi 38-og, Manolas 55-og, Pique 59, Suarez 87) Roma 1 (Dzeko 80)
Return leg: Roma 3 (Dzeko 6, De Rossi 58-pen, Manolas 82) Barcelona 0
Roma won on away goals
Barcelona’s luck ran out in dramatic style 12 months after their PSG heroics with Edin Dzeko’s away goal at the Camp Nou proving crucial.
The Bosnia striker struggled to express his joy at Roma’s achievement after his sixth-minute goal in the return leg sparked an incredible turnaround by the Italians.
“We did it when definitely nobody believed in us,” said Dzeko.
There appeared to be no way back for Roma after they were routed in Barcelona.
However, after Dzeko’s early goal, a Daniele De Rossi penalty set the scene for Kostas Manolas’s 82nd-minute header to spark wild celebrations led by Roma president James Pallotta, who jumped into Rome’s Piazza del Popolo fountain.
Irureta’s miracle
Quarter-finals, season 2003/04
First leg: AC Milan 4 (Kaka 45, 49, Shevchenko 46, Pirlo 53) Deportivo La Coruna 1 (Pandiani 11)
Return leg: Deportivo La Coruna 4 (Pandiani 5, Valeron 35, Luque 44, Fran 76) AC Milan 0
Deportivo won 5-4 on aggregate
After his side were trounced 4-1 at San Siro, Deportivo coach Javier Irureta admitted there was no rational reason to believe in a miracle.
However, his side roared out of the blocks in the return, holding a 3-0 lead at half-time thanks to goals Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron and Albert Luque.
Substitute Fran Gonzalez added a fourth with 14 minutes to go and, having prayed for success, Irureta honoured his pre-match promise by taking the pilgrim trail to Santiago de Compostela after Deportivo’s unlikely victory. In a season of fairly unbelievable results (remember Porto were champions), this was right up there.
(With AFP inputs)
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!