The 5 biggest comebacks in Champions League history!

The UEFA Champions League is more than just a competition: it is a showcase of excitement, achievement and, sometimes, the improbable. Considered the biggest club competition in world football, the Champions League brings together the best teams in Europe - with millionaire squads, international stars and passionate fans. With so much talent and investment on the field, the games tend to be balanced and extremely competitive.

However, football is a fascinating sport precisely because it ignores probabilities. According to a study by the University of Oxford (2019), the probability of a team overturning a defeat of three or more goals in the Champions League knockout stages is less than 1%. And yet... it happens.

In this article, we'll look back at five moments when the impossible became reality. Five epic matches that showed that, in the Champions League, the final word is only said after the final whistle.

5 - Deportivo La Coruña 4x0 Milan – 2004

Before becoming a name that was almost forgotten, Deportivo La Coruña had its glory days. In 2004, the Spanish team faced none other than the current European champions: Ancelotti's Milan, with Maldini, Cafu, Pirlo, Seedorf, Kaká, Shevchenko... quite a squad.

In the first leg, at the San Siro, the Italians showed their strength: 4-1, with absolute dominance. Kaká commanded the midfield with mastery, and few believed that there was still hope for the Galician team.

But at the Riazor stadium, Deportivo proved that heart can also win games. The fans cheered the team on with an almost mystical energy. Valerón led the action, Pandiani was tireless, and the team scored a 4-0 victory with authority. The fourth goal, scored by Fran, made the stadium explode and put Deportivo in the semifinals - eliminating giants Milan in one of the most unforgettable nights in Spanish football.

4 - Liverpool 4x0 Barcelona – 2019

In the 2018–19 season, Barcelona won the first leg of the semi-final 3–0 at the Camp Nou. Messi was on fire. The Catalans were dominating, and if Dembélé hadn't missed an incredible late goal, the scoreline could have been even more impressive.

But Anfield is a different place. And that night, Liverpool - even without Salah and Firmino - wrote an epic chapter in their history. With a team driven by intensity, pride and a non-stop chant of fans, the Reds opened the scoring early through Origi. In the second half, Wijnaldum came on like a blaze of lightning and scored two in quick succession.

The fourth goal, however, is a symbol of everything that game was about: genius, boldness and composure. Alexander-Arnold took a quick corner kick, catching the Barça defense completely off guard. Origi finished, and the miracle was done. Liverpool came back to 3-0, scored the fourth and, in the wake of "You'll Never Walk Alone", eliminated Messi and company.

3 - Tottenham 3x2 Ajax – 2019

In the same season as the Anfield miracle, another incredible comeback shook the football world. Ajax were dazzling Europe with their young, attacking and uninhibited football - with De Ligt, Ziyech and Van de Beek in great form. After winning 1-0 in London, the Dutch went 2-0 up in Amsterdam. They were 3-0 on aggregate.

But Tottenham didn't give up. In the second half, Lucas Moura became the hero. First, he took advantage of a tangled play to score. Soon after, he received the ball and shot a cross in the middle of several opponents: 2-2. There was one more to go.

The game was already past the 50th minute of the second half. The Ajax fans were already celebrating. And then, in a final attack, the ball fell to Lucas. He hit it with his left foot, into the corner. Goal. Delight. Tears. A Brazilian was putting Tottenham in their first Champions League final. André Henning's commentary became an eternal symbol of that night: "Lucas... LUUUUUUCAAAAAS!"

2 - Liverpool 3x3 Milan (3x2 on penalties) – 2005

Istanbul, 2005. Milan were the overwhelming favorites. A star-studded team with one of the strongest midfields in history: Pirlo, Gattuso, Kaká, and an attack featuring Crespo and Shevchenko. In the 44th minute of the first half, the score was already 3-0 to the Italians. The final seemed to be over.

But football doesn't follow scripts.

In the second half, Liverpool came back with a new spirit. Gerrard scored a header, which sent the crowd into a frenzy. Smicer struck from outside the area to score the second. Xabi Alonso then equalized after losing and converting the rebound from a penalty. In six minutes, the impossible was before the eyes of the world.

Extra time saw some miraculous saves from Dudek, including a point-blank save from Shevchenko. In the penalty shootout, Dudek became a legend when he stopped Pirlo and Sheva. Liverpool won their fifth Champions League - on one of the greatest nights in football history.

1 - Barcelona 6x1 PSG – 2017

The greatest miracle in the history of the Champions League has no other name: La Remontada.

After going 4-0 down in Paris, Barcelona needed a perfect performance – and yet the world doubted them. No team had ever overturned such a deficit in the Champions League knockout stages. But on that night of March 8, 2017, Camp Nou was a cauldron of hope, passion and faith.

Barça started off flying. Suárez scored a header in the 3rd minute. Then came an own goal. Neymar was fouled, took a great shot and scored the third. But when Cavani scored for PSG, the dream seemed to be over. Barcelona needed three goals in less than 30 minutes. Mission impossible.

But Neymar was possessed. At 88, he took a perfect free kick. At 91, he converted a penalty with nerves of steel. And at 95... the miracle happened. Neymar crossed over the defense and found Sergi Roberto, who stretched, threw himself into the void and completed the goal. The explosion in the stadium was so intense that seismic sensors in the city recorded the moment.

"THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENED!", shouted André Henning. And he was right!

If mathematics says that certain comebacks are unlikely, football insists on proving that the heart speaks louder. The Champions League offers us spectacle, drama and, above all, stories that defy logic. These games are more than just scores: they are eternal chapters in the passion that is football.

And you, do you remember another unbelievable comeback? Tell us about it and don't forget: in the Champions League, the impossible happens!