The biggest knockout-stage comebacks in Champions League history
In the Champions League this week, more than half of the last-16 second legs will see one team bid to overturn a deficit of three goals or more.
Across Tuesday and Wednesday’s Champions League slate, no fewer than five teams head into their last-16 second legs with the task of overturning a significant deficit.
Last 16’s lopsided UCL ties
The toughest assignment falls to Atalanta, who trail 6-1 in their tie with Bayern Munich - and must now go to the Bavarian giants’ home stadium, the Allianz Arena.
To reach the quarterfinals, the Italians will have to pull off an unprecedented feat. Since the European Cup began in 1955 - it was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992 - no team has ever won a two-legged knockout tie in the competition after losing the opening leg by five goals.
Meanwhile, four teams are this week charged with wiping out a three-goal first-leg deficit. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are down 5-2 to Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid, respectively, while Manchester City and Sporting CP both lost their opening legs 3-0. City were thumped by a Fede Valverde-inspired Real Madrid, and Sporting became the latest club to be turned over by Norwegians Bodø/Glimt.
While the task facing this quartet is, clearly, mammoth, there is at least some Champions League precedent for three-goal comebacks.
How many teams have overturned a 3-0 first-leg defeat in the UCL?
Over the past 34 years, three teams have qualified for the next round of the tournament’s knockout stages despite a 3-0 or 4-1 first-leg loss. What’s more, a fourth club - Barcelona - has overturned a four-goal opening-leg margin.
Here’s a look back at the biggest second-leg turnarounds in UCL knockout-stage history:
Deportivo la Coruña vs AC Milan, 2003/04
- First leg: Milan 4-1 Deportivo
- Second leg: Deportivo 3-0 Milan
Reigning European champions AC Milan possessed an extraordinarily talented squad in the early 2000s and Carlo Ancelotti’s men were tipped to retain their crown in 2003/04. They fought back from an early setback in the first leg to win 4-1 at San Siro, but suffered an astonishing 4-0 defeat in the second leg, to be knocked out by a thrilling Deportivo side.
Roma vs Barcelona, 2017/18
- First leg: Barcelona 4-1 Roma
- Second leg: Roma 3-0 Barcelona
The LaLiga giants forged a comfortable 4-1 lead in the first leg at Camp Nou, but were humiliated by a comeback for the ages in the Eternal City. With less than ten minutes to go in Rome, Kostas Manolas leaped highest to convert a corner kick and send his side through to the semi-finals with a stunning 3-0 win.
Liverpool vs Barcelona, 2018/19
- First leg: Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool
- Second leg: Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
One year later, there was a similar story for Barcelona, but at the semi-final stage this time around. After a Lionel Messi-inspired 3-0 win on home turf in the first leg, Barça would have been confident of putting away a weakened Liverpool side in the second leg. But Anfield played host to one of those magic European nights and braces from Divock Origi and Gini Wijnaldum secured a spot in the Champions League final.
Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain, 2016/17
- First leg: PSG 4-0 Barcelona
- Second leg: Barcelona 6-1 PSG
The Catalan club may have suffered a three-goal second-leg comeback on two occasions, but they do boast the only four-goal turnaround in the Champions League. Barcelona suffered a chastening 4-0 defeat against PSG in the last-16 first leg in 2017, managing just one shot on target.
They needed a huge swing in the second leg and Edison Cavani’s away goal at Camp Nou appeared to have put the game beyond Barça. But three late strikes by the hosts – two goals and an assist for Neymar – turned the tie on its head and wrote the Blaugrana into the Champions League history books.
2025/26 UCL round of 16 - second-leg schedule:
Tuesday, March 17
- 1:45 p.m. ET: Sporting CP vs Bodø/Glimt (agg: 0-3)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen (agg: 1-1)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Chelsea vs PSG (agg: 2-5)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Manchester City vs Real Madrid (agg: 0-3)
Wednesday, March 18
- 1:45 p.m. ET: Barcelona vs Newcastle United (agg: 1-1)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Bayern Munich vs Atalanta (agg: 6-1)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Liverpool vs Galatasaray (agg: 0-1)
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid (agg: 2-5)
Video: Can Manchester City turn it around against Real Madrid?
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