UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
What does Liverpool’s win over Manchester United mean for the Champions League and Real Madrid?
Liverpool will have to make history all over again if they are to progress in the Champions League at Real Madrid’s expense.
In case you somehow missed it, Liverpool thrashed Manchester United by SEVEN goals to nil in the Premier League on Sunday, which now stands as the Reds’ biggest ever win over their bitter rivals, who have never suffered a heavier defeat in their entire history (that’s their fourth 7-0 loss). Jürgen Klopp’s men appear to have roared back into top form just in time for the ‘business end’ of the season and will fancy their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. But what about this year’s competition? Do Real Madrid need to be afraid…?
In case you’d forgotten, the Spanish side came back from 2-0 down to take Liverpool apart at Anfield in the first leg of their round of 16 clash, a 5-2 victory on Merseyside all but securing Los Blancos’ passage into the quarter-finals. Even the most ardent Liverpool fan won’t be expecting their team to overturn a three-goal deficit at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu…but then they would never have envisaged a 7-0 win against United, one of Europe’s most in-form teams, would they?
So, could Liverpool do it? On the face of it, a three-goal victory in 90 minutes is far from being totally unheard of and who knows what could happen in extra-time and penalties (have I convinced you yet…?)?
History, on the other hand, suggests that there is absolutely no chance of Carlo Ancelotti’s side – who are themselves the Comeback Kings, remember? – not being in the hat for the quarter-final draw.
How many times have clubs overturned a first-leg home defeat in the Champions League knockout rounds?
In Champions League knockout round history, only on five occasions have a team who lost the first leg at home been able to turn the tie around in the second leg. Four have done it after a one-goal home leg defeat:
- Tottenham Hotspur (vs Ajax, 2018-19 semi-finals)
- Ajax (vs Real Madrid, 2018-19 round of 16)
- Inter (vs Bayern Munich, 2010-11 round of 16)
- Ajax (vs Panathinaikos, 1995-96 semi-finals)
What is the biggest away leg comeback in Champions League history?
Only one team has ever overturned a two-goal deficit in a second leg away from home: Manchester United. The Red Devils might have equalled an unwanted record this weekend but they hold this particular one, winning 3-1 at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain to go through to the 2018-19 quarter-finals on away goals after a 2-0 home defeat.
So, Liverpool made history in their dismantling of bitter rivals United on Sunday and they will have to become the first team to ever overturn a three-goal home leg deficit if they are to keep their dreams of winning another Champions League alive.
What is the biggest Champions League knockout round comeback?
Four teams have, however, have achieved that feat after losing the away leg by three goals.
- Deportivo La Coruña were first to do so in the 2003-04 quarter-finals, defeating Milan 4-0 in Spain after losing 4-1 at San Siro.
- Barcelona were then memorably twice on the receiving end in consecutive seasons, first losing 3-0 at Roma after a 4-1 home win in the quarter-finals 2017-18.
- Barça then outdid themselves in the semi-finals the following campaign, when they won 3-0 in the first leg and were then beaten 4-0 in the second leg by…Liverpool.
- The Catalans are, at least, the only team to have gone through after a four-goal first leg defeat, thanks to their 6-1 round of 16 second leg win against Paris Saint-Germain.
So, Klopp’s men have done it before (even if it was the other way round), which will give them hope of pulling off the unlikeliest of unlikely comebacks against the Comeback Kings.