The biggest comebacks in European football
Both Liverpool and Tottenham have come back from three-goal deficits to set up an all-English Champions League final. Here we look back at some of the biggest comebacks in the history of European football.
A four-goal advantage squandered
Supporters of FC La Chaux-de-Fonds don't have fond memories of their tie against Leixoes SC in the 1961-62 Cup Winners' Cup. The Swiss won the first leg 6-2 at home, but in the return match, goalkeeper Leo Eichmann (pictured, right - in a match against FC Zurich), didn't have his best night as the Portuguese side won 5-0 - and sent La Chaux-de-Fonds crashing out of the tournament.
The miracle at the Betzenberg
Back in March of 1982 Kaiserslautern were still in the Bundesliga and faced Real Madrid in the quarterfinals oft he UEFA Cup. Having lost 3-1 in Madrid, the Red Devils beat Real, including West German international Uli Stielike (third from left), 5-0 back in Kaiserslautern to advance. The fact that the Spaniards had three players sent off didn't hurt Kaiserslautern's cause.
Just enough for the reversal
December 1985: Borussia Mönchengladbach traveled to Madrid holding a 5-1 advantage from the first leg of their third-round tie in the UEFA Cup, but managed to blow it. Jorge Valdano and Carlos Santillana scored a brace each in the second leg, played in Madrid's Bernabeu stadium to give Real precisely the result they required to advance: 4-0.
Seven goals in Krefeld
Bayern 05 Uerdingen were in the Bundesliga in the 1980s and '90s and even won the German Cup in 1985. This qualified them for the Cup Winners' Cup the following season. In 1986 the West German side lost to Dynamo Dresden in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie, played in East Germany, 2-0. However, they won 7-3 back home in Krefeld. Rudi Bommer (pictured) was one of their key players.
'Euro-Eddy' and a wild night at the Wildparkstadion
Karlsruhe have been in the second division for years, but they too have European memories to look back on. November 1993: Having lost 3-1 to the heavily favored Valencia in the first leg of their UEFA Cup last-16 encounter, Winnie Schäfer's team ran the Spaniards ragged back at their own Wildparkstadion, winning the second leg 7-0 to advance. Edgar "Eddy" Schmitt (photo) had four of the goals.
A rare setback for Bayern Munich
A night to forget for Bayern Munich. May 1999: Bayern were up 1-0 after 90 minutes of the Champions League final in Barcelona. Then disaster struck: Manchester United's Teddy Sherringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer each scored in injury time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Mario Basler, who had put Bayern ahead in the sixth minute, described it as a "bitter pill" to swallow.
A game of two halves
May 2005: AC Milan took a 3-0 lead in the first half and looked to be in the driver's seat of their Champions League final against Liverpool in Istanbul. In the second half, though, the "Reds" were a completely different team, scoring three goals in the space of 15 minutes to even the score. The Merseysiders prevailed on penalties allowing captain Steve Gerrard to lift the trophy.
David takes down Goliath
A classic David and Goliath story: AC Milan had no trouble with the underdogs, Deportivo La Coruna in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in 2004, winning 4-1. However, in the second leg, the Spanish minnows took down the Italian giants, winning 4-0 to advance to the semis.
Four crucial minutes
The numbers in this comeback are not particularly impressive. Borussia Dortmund played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal in Malaga. In the second leg, the Germans won 3-2. However, Malaga had taken a 2-1 lead into injury time. Four minutes and two Dortmund goals later, Borussia had reversed the contest and advanced to the semis.
Left for dead
March 2017. Barcelona looked to be dead and buried after having lost the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash against PSG 4-0 in Paris. In the second leg, Barca quickly scored three before Edinson Cavani pulled one back for Paris. In the final minutes, though, the Catalans came up with three more goals to make the final 6-1 - and advance 6-5 on aggregate.
Roman reversal
Rome, April 2018: Barcelona go into the second leg of their quarterfinal tie against Roma with a 4-1 lead. An Edin Dzeko strike gives the Romans early hope with his goal in the sixth minute. Daniele de Rossi converts from the spot and Kostas Manolas adds a third to make the comeback complete – Roma advance on the away-goals rule. Barca coach Ernesto Valverde can only wonder what has hit him.
More Barca blues
May 7, 2019: Again Barca look to have things wrapped up, having won the first leg of their semifinal against Liverpool 3-0 at the Camp Nou. This time it takes Divock Origi seven minutes to give Liverpool hope. Two goals from Georginio Wijnaldum pull Liverpool level before Origi adds his second from a corner to put Jürgen Klopp's side through to their second consecutive Champions League final.
Hat-trick hero
May 8, 2019: After Hakim Ziyech gave Ajax a second goal in Amsterdam - for a three-goal cushion on aggregate - the Dutch side appeared all but through to the final. But nobody told Lucas Moura. The Brazilian scored two quick goals just before the hour mark to get Spurs back into it. Then he got his third six minutes into injury time to put the North London side through on the away-goals rule.