5 greatest comebacks in UEFA Champions League history
The UEFA Champions League is the premier event of European club football. Formerly called the European Cup, the UEFA Champions League has been graced by 141 different clubs from 33 different UEFA member associations.
Real Madrid (13) lead a group of 22 clubs to have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. 18 other clubs have reached the final of the competition, without managing to lay their hands on the trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo (127) and Lionel Messi (113) are the only players in the tournament's history to have scored over 100 goals. The duo also has the most hat-tricks (eight) of any player in the competition.
Over the years, the Champions League has been witness to many epic comebacks by teams seemingly teetering on the brink of defeat. On Matchday 4 of the ongoing 2019-20 season, Chelsea and Ajax produced only the fourth 4-4 draw in the Champions League, after the English side were 4-1 down in the game with little over half an hour to go.
Let us have a look at 5 of the greatest comebacks in the history of the competition, when teams have bounced back from the brink of elimination or defeat.
#5 Manchester United - 2 Bayern Munich - 1, 1999 final
Chasing their first Champions League/European Cup title in over three decades, Manchester United conceded an early goal against Bayern Munich to trail for large swathes of the 1999 final in Barcelona.
Bayern failed to put the tie to bed with a second ball, and stood to massively rue their profligacy.
Still trailing in the scoreline as the final entered injury time, United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was in the Bayern box as United took a corner. The inswinging delivery from Beckham eluded the leaping Schmeichel but found Giggs, whose right footed effort was turned goalwards by Teddy Sheringham to restore parity.
Moments later United had another corner. This time goalscorer turned provider as Sheringham's knock-down was toe-poked by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to spark wild celebrations in the United camp and leave Bayern shell-shocked.