10 Champions League classics that were decided by the away goals rule

The away goals rule has been a source of contention ever since it was first used back in the 1960’s.

But regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the rule, it has produced some classic Champions League moments throughout the years and has changed the complexion of plenty of knockout ties with the blink of an eye.

Away goals can mean that all is not lost, even after a 4-1 defeat in the first leg, and can set up some of the greatest of great escapes football can offer.

So, from Roma sinking Barcelona last season, to Andres Iniesta’s late volley at Stamford Bridge in 2008/09, here are 10 Champions League classics that were decided by the away goals rule.

1. Inter Milan v AC Milan – 2002/03, semi-final

(Photo credit PAOLO COCCO/AFP/Getty Images)

As Champions League semi-finals go, it doesn’t get much bigger than a Milan derby to decide who will face fellow Italian giants Juventus in the final.

That was the case in 2003 and, after a goalless first-leg in AC Milan’s ‘home tie’ at the San Siro, they then travelled away to the… San Siro for the second leg.

A glorious Clarence Seedorf pass set up Andriy Shevchenko to give the Rossoneri the lead right before half-time, before Obafemi Martins equalised for Inter in the second half. But despite a late siege on the AC Milan box, Inter were unable to make their pressure tell.

AC Milan went to the final and eventually beat Juventus on penalties at Old Trafford.

2. Monaco v Real Madrid – 2003/04, quarter-final

(Photo credit GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)

After winning the first leg 4-2 at the Bernabeu and extending that lead to 5-2 through Raul on 35 minutes in the second leg, Real Madrid looked to be cruising to the Champions League semi-finals.

However, their all-star cast had obviously not shown ‘plucky little Monaco’ the script and when soon-to-be Barcelona winger Ludovic Guily pulled one back for Les Monégasques, things started to get a little fun.

Fernando Morientes then scored one of the most awkward goals of his career, heading home against his parent club to put Monaco within a goal of completing an incredible comeback – Morientes even celebrated!

Finally, Guily again stunned Los Blancos in the 66th minute and rounded off the most unlikely of comebacks, sending the French side into the semi-final with a 5-5 away goals win.

3. Bayern Munich v Real Madrid – 2006/07, last-16

(Photo credit OLIVER LANG/AFP/Getty Images)

After losing the first leg 3-2 in Madrid, Bayern Munich were up against it but by no means out of their last-16 tie against Los Blancos.

Any chance of Real Madrid parking the bus and sitting on their lead were dashed after just 10 seconds when Roy Makaay scored the fastest ever Champions League goal to put Bayern ahead on away goals, before the towering Brazilian defender Lucio powered a header home on 66 minutes.

However, Real weren’t willing to go quietly and after winning a penalty, which saw Bayern’s Mark van Bommel and Real’s Mahamadou Diarra sent off, Ruud van Nistelrooy slotted home to give the Bavarians a nervous end to the game.

They held out, though, and their two away goals in the first leg looked all-the-more valuable.

4. Chelsea v Barcelona – 2008/09, semi-final

(Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

This fixture is one that lives long in the memories of both sets of supporters for more than just the heartbreaking Andres Iniesta away goal that denied Chelsea a spot in the Champions League final.

For referee Tom Ovrebo, it was probably a night he wishes he could erase from his career after denying Chelsea a penalty on four separate occasions, the most blatant claim being a Gerard Pique handball that he somehow missed.

That didn’t appear to matter, however, with Chelsea leading from the ninth minute thanks to a Michael Essien missile until the game moved into the dying embers of stoppage time.

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Andres Iniesta present for the Blaugrana, there was bound to be a moment of magic at some point and it was the Spanish midfield wizard that provided it, firing home a right-footed shot from the edge of the box to send the Catalonians to another Champions League final.

5. Manchester United v Bayern Munich – 2009/10, quarter final

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

As European rivalries go, they don’t come much more dramatic than Manchester United v Bayern Munich and, in April 2010, it was the German side who came out on top, exacting some sweet revenge for their dramatic Champions League final defeat to the Red Devils back in 1999.

Bayern actually went into this tie with a 2-1 lead from the first leg but set about destroying all of their hard work in spectacular fashion, falling 3-0 behind on the night within 41 minutes.

However, Ivica Olic pulled one back just before half-time and whatever quality Bayern lacked in defence was more than made up for at the other end of the pitch when the talismanic Arjen Robben brilliantly volleyed home a Franck Ribery corner from the edge of the box – Bayern held out for a 4-4 win on away goals, eventually reaching the final.

6. Barcelona v PSG – 2012/2013, quarter-final

(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

A flurry of late goals in the first leg meant that this game was beautifully poised at 2-2 and, when Javier Pastore gave PSG the lead in Barcelona in the second leg, it looked as if PSG were set to announce themselves on the European stage once and for all.

However, Pedro Rodriguez had other ideas and fired home in the 71st minute to send the Catalan giants into the semi-final, where they were humbled in a 7-0 aggregate thrashing by Bayern Munich.

Incidentally, the second leg in Barcelona turned out to be David Beckham’s last ever Champions League appearance.

7. Chelsea v PSG – 2014/15, last-16

After a 1-1 draw in Paris in the first leg, this one had all the main protagonists and antagonists of a Hollywood blockbuster, and that is exactly how it played out.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, ever the centre of attention, got himself sent off just past the half-hour mark and Gary Cahill looked to have given Chelsea the win in the 81st minute.

However, feeling absolutely no sympathy for his former employers, to whom he has ironically returned, Brazilian defender David Luiz headed home a late equaliser to send the game into extra time.

Again, Chelsea thought they had made their extra man count as Eden Hazard tucked away a penalty early into the first half of extra time but, after 114 minutes, Thiago Silva scored with a towering header and ensured that it was two Brazilian centre-backs that did the damage for PSG in the absence of their Swedish goal machine.

8. Bayern Munich v Atletico Madrid – 2015/16, semi-final

(Photo credit GUENTER SCHIFFMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

Just as Bayern had profited from the away goals rule in 2010, it sent them crashing out to Atletico Madrid in the 2016 semi-final.

A first-half Xabi Alonso goal had put Bayern Munich back on level terms, following Atletico’s 1-0 win in the first leg, before Thomas Muller missed a golden opportunity to put the Germans ahead from the penalty spot.

Antoine Griezzman punished Muller for that mistake in the 53rd minute, when he slotted home to give Atletico a precious away goal. Robert Lewandowski’s 74th minute goal was a mere consolation strike and the Spanish side held out in trademark Simeone fashion, with backs to the wall and insatiable tenacity.

9. Monaco v Manchester City – 2016/17 – last-16

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Monaco was supposed to be an easy draw for Manchester City back in 2017, an easy stepping-stone to the quarter-finals – try telling that to Kylian Mbappe and co.

From the first leg, it was obvious that this was never going to be easy for the Citizens and, at one point, they even found themselves 3-2 down before rallying to win the first-leg 5-3 – Monaco’s three away goals, however, meant that this tie was far from finished and that proved to be City’s undoing in the reverse fixture.

Kylian Mbappe and Fabinho raced Monaco into the lead within half-an-hour but that all appeared to be undone when Leroy Sane put City 6-5 ahead on aggregate in the 71st minute.

Monaco, though, have a strange habit of ‘sticking it to the man’ in the Champions League and a 77th-minute Tiemoue Bakayoko goal sent Pep’s men packing in a 6-6 away goals defeat.

10. Roma v Barcelona – 2017/18, quarter-final

(Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

As comebacks go, they don’t get much more dramatic than this.

Even with an 80th minute away goal courtesy of Edin Dzeko, Roma looked to be dead and buried after a 4-1 defeat to Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

However, there was just something in the air in Rome on the night of the second leg, with Dzeko scoring again after just six minutes to set the tone.

Daniele de Rossi made it 4-3 on aggregate from the penalty spot and in the 82nd minute, Kostas Manolas became the most unlikely of heroes, heading home to complete the comeback of all comebacks for Roma against the soon-to-be-crowned Spanish champions.

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