CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
What is the fastest ever Champions League knockout goal?
After Bernardo Silva lit up the Santiago Bernabéu in the opening minutes against Real Madrid in the first leg of the UCL quarter-final, questions were asked.
Roy Makaay took just 10.12 seconds to score for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in the 2006-07 season, which remains the fastest ever Champions League knockout stage goal. But others have come close-ish.
The Santiago Bernabéu closed its roof to create an intimidating atmosphere for the visitors Manchester City on Tuesday 9 April. But just 108 seconds into the first leg of the Champions League 2023-24 quarter-final, Bernardo Silva had given the English side the lead.
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Madness ensued in the following minutes as Madrid were 2-1 up by minute 14.
Fastest ever Champions League goal
Incredibly, you may remember a couple of years ago when just 90 seconds into the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, City were in the lead. The Etihad Stadium erupted as Kevin de Bruyne, more known for his assist making latched onto a divine cross from Riyad Mahrez to head past his Belgian compatriot, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois.
The exact time of the goal was clocked at 93 seconds from the referee’s whistle and that makes it the fastest ever in a UEFA Champions League semi-final.
In terms of the overall record for the fastest goal ever scored in the Champions League knockout stages though, that honour is still held, as I said above, by Roy Makaay, who took just 10.12 seconds - even Usain Bolt would struggle with that - to put Bayern Munich ahead against Real Madrid in their 2006-07 round-of-16 tie. Los Blancos seem to have a habit of this.