With both Roma and Juventus needing to overturn heavy first leg defeats, Football Italia looks at five teams they could take inspiration from.
The Giallorossi trail Barcelona 4-1 ahead of tonight’s second leg at the Stadio Olimpico, while Juve are 3-0 down to Real Madrid in their Quarter-Final.
While a comeback for either is unlikely, it wouldn’t be unprecedented – here are the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.
With both Roma and Juventus needing to overturn heavy first leg defeats, Football Italia looks at five teams they could take inspiration from.
The Giallorossi trail Barcelona 4-1 ahead of tonight’s second leg at the Stadio Olimpico, while Juve are 3-0 down to Real Madrid in their Quarter-Final.
While a comeback for either is unlikely, it wouldn’t be unprecedented – here are the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.
Barcelona 6-5 Paris Saint-Germain [2016-17]
Barcelona looked to be out of the Champions League last season after a 4-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.
The Blaugrana took a 3-0 lead in Catalonia, but when Edinson Cavani scored in the 62nd minute it left them needing to score six, thanks to the away goals rule.
With 88 minutes played Barça still needed another three goals, and when future PSG man Neymar curled in a free-kick it seemed it would merely be a consolation.
However, they were awarded a penalty just minutes later, setting up a grandstand finish.
With 95 minutes on the clock, Sergi Roberto broke into the box to score with the last kick of the game and send the French side home in disgrace.
Deportivo La Coruna 5-4 Milan [2003-04]
Perhaps Roma can take inspiration from Deportivo La Coruna, who knocked out defending champions Milan in 2004.
Walter Pandiani gave the Spanish side the lead after 11 minutes at San Siro, but Kaka’s double and goals from Andriy Shevchenko and Andrea Pirlo looked to have sealed the tie for the Rossoneri.
Facing a 4-1 deficit though, Deportivo produced a stunning second leg performance to lead 3-0 at half-time, with Fran scoring in the second half to secure a remarkable comeback win.
Manchester United 4-3 Juventus [1998-99]
Juventus dominated European football in the late 1990s, winning the trophy in 1996 and reaching the final in both of the subsequent seasons.
Despite a poor Serie A campaign in 1998-99, the Old Lady still reached the last four in Europe, and drew 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
When Pippo Inzaghi put them 2-0 up 11 minutes in Turin it appeared the Bianconeri were heading for another final.
The Red Devils weren’t beaten though, and goals from Roy Keane and Dwight Yorke gave them the advantage on away goals, before Andy Cole’s 84th minute strike sent them to Barcelona for the final.
Werder Bremen 5-3 Dynamo Berlin [1988-89]
It was east meets west in the first round of the 1988-89 European Cup, as Werder Bremen went behind the Iron Curtain to face East German champions Dynamo Berlin.
The first leg ended in a crushing win for Dynamo, Thomas Doll, Andreas Thom and Frank Pastor securing a 3-0 win.
In the second leg, a Michael Kutzop penalty gave Werder a 1-0 lead but the scoreline stayed that way until half-time.
In the second 45 though Werder really turned it on, and Guenter Hermann and Karl-Heinz Riedle scored to level the tie.
Manfred Burgsmuller put them ahead with 20 minutes to play, before Thomas Schaaf completed the rout in injury time.
It proved to be Dynamo Berlin’s last-ever appearance in the European Cup, and they currently play in the fourth tier of German football.
Real Madrid 6-5 Derby County [1975-76]
Real Madrid have always had an affinity with the Champions League, or the European Cup as it was known pre-1992.
One of their most legendary comebacks in their favourite competition came in the second round in the 1975-76 season, against English side Derby County.
A hat-trick from Charlie George and a David Nish goal gave the Rams an unlikely 4-1 win in the first leg, but it wasn’t enough to see them through.
Roberto Juan Martinez scored after just three minutes in the Bernabeu, with both he and Santillana getting braces in a 5-1 win, Pirri getting the other and George getting a consolation for Derby.