Champions League

Benfica caused an upset when they beat Ajax to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 10 years, and have been given a tough draw ...

#OnThisDayin 2004, Deportivo beat Milan 4–0 to make it 5–4 on aggregate, and reach the Champions League semi-finals. Dynamo Kyiv were at the very peak of their powers in 1999. Watch Walter Pandiani leave Maldini and Dida with no chance for the first. Whenever a team strikes gold and goes on an unexpected run in Europe, there is always excitement. Ajax arguably had the most incredible run of the lot in 2019, going all the way from the second qualifying round to the semi-finals with a young team playing incredible football which resembled the Ajax of old. Here are eight of the best ones. Maxwell Cornet and Moussa Dembele scored either side of a Kevin De Bruyne goal to reach the semi in Lisbon, which was played in front of an empty crowd due to the pandemic. Despite the gutting loss, it was one of the biggest accomplishments in the short history of the club, and Unai Emery’s current side will be aiming to spring a similar upset to beat Bayern Munich to reach the semi-final again. A 4-2 aggregate victory over Valencia in the first knockout round set up a tie against holders Inter Milan. Schalke then did the impossible, smashing Inter 5-2 at the San Siro, before sealing the remarkable victory with a 2-1 home win in the return leg, and progressing to the semi-final. But Deportivo completed one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history, winning the second leg 4-0 to stun the Italians, and it remains one of the greatest days the club has ever seen. One of their greatest campaigns came in 2001, where Leeds smashed their way to the semi-finals before losing to Valencia, but the cup run was a memorable one. Winning a domestic league and cup double with ease, the Ukrainian side beat Arsenal and Real Madrid on their way to the semi-final, where they lost 4-3 to Bayern Munich on aggregate.