4 most memorable UCL Semi-Final second legs of the 21st Century
The first legs of both 2021-22 UEFA Champions League semifinals are done as the continental caravan will be proceeding next week for the second legs. Stakes will be placed higher as tickets for Grand Finale at Stade de France will be on the line and we will have our two finalists when the final whistle of both mega clashes will be blown.
The second leg of the UCL semi-finals is one of the most crucial stages of Europe’s greatest club competition. At this point of the stage, all four clubs have already proven themselves throughout the journey hence it all comes down to the nerves. Even the first leg aggregate score advantage doesn’t matter when clubs lose their control at such penultimate moments.
Whether it’s the rise of underdogs or the collapse of heavyweights, everything is possible overnight. Since the 21st century began, we have witnessed many such second leg moments which will be cherished by global football fans forever. Thus Parimatch News brings you this century’s 4 most memorable semi-final second legs of the UEFA Champions League.
4. Tottenham Hotspur vs Ajax (2018-19)
The moment when Lucas Moura took the football world by storm
It remains the greatest European night for Spurs in the history of the North-London based club. They orchestrated an epic comeback against AFC Ajax who was also having a dream run that season by defeating giants Real Madrid and Juventus in earlier knockouts and were on verge of playing their first UCL Final since 1996.
The first leg at the Spurs’ home Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was won by the away side on a 1-0 lead with the help of Donny van de Beek’s 15th-minute strike. It gave an upper hand to the gaffer Erik ten Hag and his boys as the second leg was going to take place at Johan Cruyff Arena and the Godenzonen were defeated only once in that UCL season at their home turf.
Ajax’s dream of travelling to the Wanda Metropolitano for the finals seemed like just around the corner as they were leading by 2-0 (3-0 on aggregate) when both combatants were back to the dressing room for a half-time break. A massive header in the 5th minute from the 19-year-old Ajax skipper Matthijs de Ligt was followed by Hakim Ziyech’s screamer in the 35th minute.
In the absence of star striker Harry Kane, Spurs’ attack was shattering apart but then the Brazilian Lucas Moura came to the rescue of the North-London club. His two strikes (55′ and 59′) in just the span of five minutes gave them hope that their dream of a first-ever UCL Final is still alive. He then went on to score his hat-trick goal in the dying minutes of injury time to level the aggregate scoreline as Tottenham made it to the finals on the basis of away goals.
The Amsterdam-based club was filled with a bunch of youngsters who were performing on such a huge stage for the first time in their careers and they must have taken the defeat as a life lesson. Despite pulling off an unimaginable comeback, Moura was still sidelined from the Grand Finale and only got a game time of 25 minutes in a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool.
3. Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich (2013-14)
Two clubs who are known for their rich culture and tradition have many memories of battling each other on the precious UCL stage but this one still tops due to the heroics of Mr Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos. Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich was marching towards the feat of consecutive treble, having already bagged the League and Domestic Cup title while Cristiano was yet to achieve a continental glory for Royal Whites.
The first leg battle was concluded on a 1-0 scoreline in favour of Madrid, courtesy of Karim Benzema’s 19th-minute strike in front of a packed Santiago Bernabeu crowd. Although the odds of winning the penultimate contest were still favouring the Bavarian side as the returning leg was going to be held at Allianz Arena. But Los Blancos were on a ruthless mission of conquering Germany’s heart and ended up destroying Bayern on their own turf.
It started with the central defender Sergio Ramos’ brace (16′ & 20′) and concluded with the superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace (34′ & 90′). The Bavarians couldn’t even score a single goal against the visiting side and also missed the golden chance of becoming the first-ever club to successfully defend the treble glory. On the other hand, Real Madrid went on to play the arch-rivals Atlético Madrid in the finals as the gaffer Carlo Ancelotti ended their UCL draught of 12 years in his first season at Bernabeu.
2. Barcelona vs Chelsea (2008-09)
The equaliser and celebration will stay in the memories of football fans forever
This encounter is considered one of the most controversial and infamous Champions League of all time for many reasons. We remember this game for Andres Iniesta’s shirtless celebration when he scored the equaliser which sent Barca to the finals but the fixture was filled with plenty of such moments.
The Camp Nou leg underwent without a single goal being scored by both sides who were well-known for their high-profile offensive units. It was quite a big achievement for Chelsea to hold Barca goalless in an away fixture as the Catalan side had a whopping total of 29 goals in the 2008-09 UCL campaign before turning up for that encounter.
The home crowd at the Stamford Bridge was pumped up when the Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien scored a stupendous volley to give them a valuable lead early in the clock. In the latter half of the gameplay, many decisions were given against the London Blues including two handball involvement and possible penalties which were overruled by the referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.
And then the anti-climax for Chelsea fans was orchestrated by the Spanish magician Iniesta who netted the ball from the edge of the box to level the scoreline and barge into the finals. Barca went on to crush another English combatant Manchester United in the Grand Finale at Rome to complete the treble triumph in Pep Guardiola’s maiden season with the first team. While the Blues also took their revenge by eliminating Pep’s Barca in the semifinal stages of the 2011-12 UCL edition.
1. Liverpool vs Barcelona (2018-19)
Injured Mohamed Salah turned up in a ‘Never Give Up’ t-shirt to support his teammates
Whenever the debate of the best Champions League comebacks will be on, this Liverpool-Barcelona saga will always be the rightful contender. A night at Anfield that truly defined Liverpool’s motto “You Will Never Walk Alone” as the whole Red Army stayed behind their team till the last breath when they emerged as winners.
It was the start of the new era for Barcelona who was without the services of the Iniesta-Xavi duo, although the young Barca blood was firing up that season in the absence of other veterans. As expected, the Catalan club took a big lead of 3-0 at the end of the Camp Nou leg as Luis Suarez’s opening goal was followed by two second-half strikes from Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar performed an aesthetic free-kick from a distance of 30 yards to bring up his 600th goal in the Barca colours.
But the reaction from the Reds began when the 2018-19 UCL caravan reached Anfield for the returning leg. The absence of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino opened the way for Divock Origi to step in as the Belgian forward scored the opening goal to initiate the comeback. The Merseyside-based club continued their domination as they quickly came close to the visitors’ tally with the help of two quick goals (54′ & 56′) from the super-sub Georginio Wijnaldum.
Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold tricked the Barca defense by taking the corner quickly and the rest of the work was finished smoothly by Origi. At this point, the Catalan defensive unit seemed totally clueless as the home side crushed Messi and co. by 4-3 to secure the final spot. The Blaugrana side never really recovered from that heartbreak and is yet to make a UCL Semifinal appearance since then while Liverpool emerged victorious in an All English Final with Tottenham Hotspur and sealed their sixth Champions League trophy.