The greatest comebacks in European football history.
Valencia beat FC Basel 5-0 last night to overturn a 3-0 first leg deficit and progress to the Europa League semi-final.
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But where does the Spaniards’ victory rank in the list of all-time great European comebacks?
10. Chelsea 5-4 Napoli
Chelsea’s staggering run to victory in the 2012 Champions League final looked in doubt at various stages but arguably never more so than midway through their last-16 double-header with Napoli. The Blues trailed 3-1 after the first leg in Naples but trigger-happy owner Roman Abramovich sacked boss Andre Villas-Boas before the return leg. Still in his honeymood period, new boss Roberto Di Matteo led the Blues to a 5-4 victory on aggregate and a place in the quarter-finals. The rest is history.
9. Real Madrid 5-5 Borussia Monchengladbach
After recording a 5-1 win over European giants Real Madrid in the first leg of the 1985 UEFA Cup third round, Borussia Monchengladbach fans went potty. Back at the Santiago Bernabeu, though, the Germans’ party was spoiled. Los Blancos scored four, with Jorge Valdano and Santillana netting braces to draw the tie level and send Real through on away goals. The Spaniards went on to win the competition.
8. Bayer Uerdingen 7-5 Dynamo Dresden
When Dynamo Dresden beat fellow Germans Bayer Uerdingen 2-0 in the first leg of the 1986 in the European Cup quarterfinals, before racing into a 3-1 lead away from home in the second, it looked a foregone conclusion that the East German giants would triumph. But after Wolfgang Funkel converted a penalty, Bayer’s comeback was astonishing and they ended up 7-5 winners overall.
7. Manchester United 4-3 Juventus
Given the drama of United’s 1999 Champions League final with Bayern Munich, their run to the showpiece event is often forgotten. But in the semis, United’s staged a comeback almost as legendary as their eventual triumph. After Juve managed a 1-1 draw and a precious away goal at Old Trafford, United quickly went 2-0 down in Turin, as Flippo Inzaghi struck twice. But Roy Keane sparked an amazing three-goal swing to lead United to the final and one of their greatest ever victories.
6. Middlesborough 4-3 Steau Bucharest
After staging an impressive comeback against FC Basle in the quarter-finals, Steve McLaren’s Middlesborough again found themselves with a mountain to climb in the semis after going 3-0 down on aggregate to Steau Bucharest. But the Teesiders staged another crazy comeback, with a Massimo Maccarone header making it 4-3 in the 88th minute. Boro were spanked by Sevilla in the final but McLaren went on to get the England job, largely on the back of this win. If you do nothing else today, make sure to watch the above video. The commentary is legendary.
5. Deportivo La Coruna 5-4 Milan
After losing 4-0 in at the San Siro in the first leg of the 2004 Champions League semi-final, there seemed no hope for La Liga outfit Deportivo. The Rossoneri boasted a legendary back four containing the likes of Paolo Maldini, Cafu and Alessandro Nesta and seemed unlikely to concede one let alone three. But an astonishing 4-0 win back at the Estadio Riazor sealed passage to the semifinals. Walter Pandiani set the tone for pandemonium in the stands that night as Milan saw their lead wiped out with three goals in the first 43 minutes. Substitute Gonzalez Fran added a fourth to ensure Deportivo didn’t even go through on away goals.
4. Valencia 5-3 FC Basel
The 2004 UEFA Cup winners Valencia stunned last year’s Europa League semi-finalists Basel with a 5-0 victory over the nine-man Swiss after to progress to the last four. The Spaniards lost 3-0 in the first leg in Switzerland but two goals from Paco Alcacer either side of an Eduardo Vargas header made it 3-0 to the hosts at the Mestalla and took the tie to extra time. The visitors then had Marcelo Diaz and Gaston Sauro sent off and crumbled with nine men, Alcacer completing his hat-trick before Juan Bernat sealed a memorable 5-0 triumph on the night.
3. Barcelona 5-6 Metz
French minnows Metz stunned the world in 1984 by staging a David vs Goliath comeback against Barcelona in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final. After the French side lost the home leg 4-2 on aggregate, the trophy almost certain to end up in Catalonia, with the Barca players starting their celebrations early and French TV not even bothering to televise the return leg. Despite going behind at the Nou Camp, Metz scored four to win 6-5 on aggregate.
2. Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich
One of the finest night’s in Manchester United’s history was looking grim for around 80 minutes after Bayern Munich’s Mario Basler netted a sixth minute free kick. But United clung on, largely thanks to goalkeeper Peter Schmeichael and subs Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both scored in injury time to seal an history treble for the Red Devils. United fans who left early to beat the traffic have never forgiven themselves.
1. Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan
So amazing was Liverpool’s victory over favourites AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final that ‘the spirit of Istanbul’, the venue of the greatest ever European comeback, has become a byphrase for immense character and spirit. Trailing 3-0 at half time to Paolo Maldini’s early header and a Hernan Crespo double, Liverpool were revitalised by Rafa Benitez’s introduction of Did Hamman for Harry Kewell. Steven Gerrard, Vlad Smicer and Xabi Alonso scored to take the game to penalties, where Jerzy Dudek was the hero.