The time has come! Congratulations to all the fans that waited patiently, the new season of Champions League is starting.
Since this is the beginning of a new era for the Champions League, with a completely new format, it is an ideal time to remember the best moments from previous seasons.
Thanks to Sofascore exclusive Historical data, all matches from season 2003/2004 are now statistically analyzed to the smallest detail. So, let’s honor the greatest Champions League moments that will never be forgotten. Here is our TOP 5 list.
5. Incredible solo run
Beautiful solo runs from almost half the court are obviously ‘’The Argentinian special’’. Maradona did it best, but Leo Messi perfected it. One of the most memorable is from 2011, first semi-final leg against their biggest rivals – Real Madrid.
It was a goalless match, but when Pepe got a red card, things opened for Barcelona. Two late goals from the Argentinian wizard gave Barcelona a big enough advantage before the second leg, but what Messi did in the 87th minute will stay in the Champions League history books.
He got a ball from Busquets in midfield (probably the easiest assist Sergio Busquets ever had) and started his solo run. Diarra, Ramos, Albiol and Marcelo were left behind and Casillas on goal was the last one to beat for his second goal of the match in a crucial 2:0 victory on away soil.
Messi finished that match with a high 9.3 Sofascore Rating and fans in Madrid had to accept the fact that he was playing the best football of his career. A total of 12 goals in 13 matches that season, with three added assists. It was his year in which he led his club to the Champions League trophy.
Messi’s incredible solo run, one of the best moments in Champions League history.
4. Comeback for the ages
But not even Messi could help Barcelona in 2019 when Liverpool did probably the most memorable comeback in history.
It was the first semi-final leg, played in Barcelona, when the home team won easily – 3:0 for Blaugrana. Messi scored twice, Suarez once and it was only a matter of formality to go and play the second leg in Liverpool. Everybody thought so. Everybody, except The Reds.
Even after the first half, nobody thought a miracle could happen. Liverpool had a 1:0 lead but Barcelona was firmly in control. And then, the second half happened. In a matter of minutes – Wijnaldum scored twice, and Liverpool was leveled.
And then, Anfield exploded. One of the most iconic goals, when Trent Alexander-Arnold performed a quick and unexpected cross from corner and Divock Origi scored unmarked for one of the biggest comebacks. Barcelona was out and Liverpool was in the final, eventually winning the trophy.
Oh, did we mention that The Reds did it without Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino? In their absence, others took over the helm. Origi was the highest rated player on the pitch with 8.4, as well as Alisson on goal who did wonders against mighty Barca’s offense.
Liverpool’s comeback for the ages, one of the best moments in Champions League history.
3. Amazing bicycle-kick goal
It wouldn’t be a real TOP 5 Championship League list without Cristiano Ronaldo, right?
Out of all the things Ronaldo did in the Champions league and after all the records he broke, it is hard to pick what was the most memorable? But one move stands on the very top of his accomplishments. Sorry for the bad memories, Juventus fans.
It was the first leg of the 2018 quarterfinal fixture against Juventus, played in Turin. Ronaldo already scored once in the match, but his second goal was a pure beauty. In the 64th minute of the match, Dani Carvajal placed a cross near the penalty spot, a little bit behind Ronaldo’s back. But nothing is a problem for him.
He placed himself perfectly, rose above all the defenders and scored an amazing overhead, bicycle kick goal.
The numbers of that goal are out of this world – Ronaldo’s right boot connected with the ball at the height of 2.38 meters. His body was in a horizontal position above the pitch for 1.4 meters. And he did all of that at the age of 33. It was a perfect example of athleticism and a goal that will stay in the history books forever.
Ronaldo finished the match with an incredible 9.6 Sofascore Rating, as the highest rated player on the pitch. Real Madrid won that match 3:0 and controlled the second leg fixture for a placement in the semifinal. They went on to win the Champions League that season, mostly thanks to Ronaldo, who finished the campaign as the highest rated player (8.11), with 15 goals scored in 13 matches.
Ronaldo’s amazing bicycle kick goal, one of the best moments in Champions League history.
2. Surprising underdog winners
Football can write the most emotional underdog stories. One of them was written in season 2003/2004, when the Champions League got a surprising winner. It was Porto with its manager, José Mourinho, who was relatively unknown by then and was far from his nickname – The Special One.
Nobody saw Porto so far in the competition before it started, but a team that had Deco, Costinha, Derlei, Maniche, Ricardo Carvalho… had their own plans.
In a group with Real Madrid, Marseille and Partizan, they finished second, only three points behind Real Madrid. And when the knockout draw placed them opposite of Manchester United, they predicted a quick exit for the Portugal side. But Porto went through that fixture with a 3:2 win over Man United. They were saved by the late goal by Costinha in the last minutes of the second leg, and never looked back.
They did have some luck in the knockout draw after that, avoiding all the biggest names in European football, but nobody can take away from them their wins against Lyon, Deportivo and Monaco in the finals. It was a bit of a strange season with Porto, Deportivo and Monaco in the semifinal and only Chelsea among them, as a top-tier club.
Porto didn’t amaze on the charts with numbers. They had only one player in TOP 15 highest rated of the whole season (Deco, 8.07), they weren’t among the TOP 10 rated clubs of the season, they didn’t have a TOP 10 goal scorer, player with most accurate passes or anything worth mentioning from the statistic’s side. But they did have a team of perfectly orchestrated individuals that executed the music their conductor José Mourinho composed.
After that title, José Mourinho came into the football spotlight and started his successful career, first at Chelsea and then moving to Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United etc.
It was Porto’s second European Cup / Champions League title but the one nobody expected. And it was one more evidence that this beautiful game of football is ‘’anybody’s game’’.
Porto as the most surprising underdog winners, one of the best moments in Champions League history.
1. Istanbul miracle
Football comebacks are a beautiful thing. But football comebacks in the finals are a thing for the history books. And every true Champions League fan will remember what happened in 2005 in Istanbul.
It was a Champions League final between Milan and Liverpool. Milan was in their prime season with one of their best generations. Shevchenko, Crespo, Kaká, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso, Nesta, Maldini… all led by Carlo Ancelotti. They had a dominant season and came to Istanbul as favorites against Liverpool.
And they had a great first half, Maldini scored in the first minute, Crespo added two more goals before half time, and they went into the dressing room with a comfortable feeling that with 3:0 in their pocket, another European trophy was on their way.
But then came the second 45 minutes. Liverpool started playing better and better and started nibbling Milan’s lead. Steven Gerrard scored in the 54th minute and when Smicer scored two minutes later, the English side of Olympic Stadium in Istanbul started dreaming. Their dream came true only four minutes after that, when Xabi Alonso leveled the match at 3:3.
It was Milan’s blackout in which Liverpool scored three times in only a six-minute span.
The match went into extra time, and then in the penalty shootout in which Liverpool had more concentration and won the trophy in the most memorable final’s match in CL history.
Liverpool’s captain Steven Gerrard was the highest rated player on the pitch with 8.7, and their goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek played a great match, and even though he conceded three times in the first half, his perfect penalty shootout performance gave him a high 8.0 Sofascore rating.
Istanbul miracle, one of the best moments in Champions League history.
We hope you agree with our TOP 5 choice and who knows, maybe this upcoming season interferes with the selection and some other memorable moment enters the list. New format, new rules, but same old emotion – For all history in the making!