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Five memorable Champions League knockout-stage comebacks

Manchester City facing the stiffest of tasks as they welcome Liverpool to the Etihad

Neymar scores for Barcelona’s fifth goal, this one from the penalty spot, during the remarkable 6-1 comeback victory over PSG at the Camp Nou. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty

Mon Apr 9 2018 - 21:54

After Liverpool routed Manchester City 3-0 at Anfield, Pep Guardiola’s men need to turn the tables in dramatic fashion on home turf and without the aid of an away goal. Here are some of the Champions League’s greatest second-leg reversals.

March 2017 – Barcelona 6 Paris St Germain 1 (Barcelona win 6-5 on aggregate) The Catalan giants became the first team in Champions League history to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit, putting together an all-time European classic in the process.

A 4-0 defeat in France briefly looked like a changing of the guard moment, with PSG lording it over the established giants, but the comeback only served to deepen the Barca mythology.

With 88 minutes on the clock PSG still held a 5-3 lead on aggregate but a free-kick and penalty from Neymar, followed by Sergi Roberto’s last-gasp settler completed a heist for the ages.

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April 2004 – Deportivo La Coruna 4 AC Milan 0 (Deportivo win 5-4 on aggregate) No eyebrows were raised when Serie A giants Milan thumped Deportivo 4-1 in the first leg at San Siro in March, with superstars Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko and Andrea Pirlo living up to their star billing.

But three goals in a remarkable first half at Riazor, sparked by Walter Pandiani’s opener, turned the tie around. The Rossoneri were hanging on until the 76th minute, when Fran sent Deportivo through.

April 2004 – Monaco 3 Real Madrid 1 (Monaco progress on away goals after 5-5 aggregate score) Real Madrid should have read the small print when they sent Fernando Morientes to Monaco on loan in 2003. Annoyingly, he scored against them in the first leg of this quarter-final tie, but they won 4-2.

A healthy lead established, Los Blancos headed for Monte Carlo full of confidence, only for Morientes to once again stick the knife into his employers, with Ludovic Giuly's brace sealing their fate.

March 2014 – Manchester United 3 Olympiacos 0 (Manchester United win 3-2 on aggregate) Patience with Sir Alex Ferguson's successor David Moyes was already wearing thin among the Old Trafford faithful, and a 2-0 defeat to Greek side Olympiacos a month earlier did little to aid the Scot.

But Robin van Persie gave Moyes a little longer in the hot seat by scoring a hat-trick in Manchester to steer United into the quarter-finals, a stage at which Bayern Munich proved too strong for them.

April 2014 –Chelsea 2 Paris St Germain 0 (Chelsea progress on away goals after 3-3 aggregate score) In the same season Chelsea needed to overcome PSG's 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Paris, where Eden Hazard had grabbed a crucial away goal.

Back at Stamford Bridge, substitute Andre Schurrle gave the Blues hope with a first-half goal but nerves remained frayed until Demba Ba, also off the bench, scored the clincher in the 87th minute.

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