Real Madrid’s best Champions League comebacks | OneFootball

Real Madrid go into Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal with a mountain to climb after losing 3-0 in the first leg.

In the first leg, two stunning Declan Rice free kicks and a first-time finish from Mikel Merino ensured that Arsenal would be going to the Bernabeu with a big lead.

But even though the Gunners look like they are in a comfortable position, the 15-time Champions League winners are well versed in European comebacks.

Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham says there is an expectation that his side will pull of a huge comeback against Arsenal. Here are some of their most memorable…

Quarter-final vs Wolfsburg 2015/16

First leg: Wolfsburg 2-0 Real Madrid

Second leg: Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg

In only their second ever Champions League run, Wolfsburg faced ten-time winners Real Madrid in the quarter-final, but despite the David and Goliath feel to the fixture, the German side raced in to an early lead.

A penalty from Ricardo Rodriguez and a Maximilian Arnold tap in gave Wolfsburg a two-goal cushion going into the second-leg at the Bernabeu, but the tie was not over yet.

At the home of Los Blancos, it was all about Cristiano Ronaldo.

It only took 17 minutes for Real Madrid to level the tie. A tap in from a low Dani Carvajal cross and a header from a corner just two minutes later, both from the Portuguese forward, rendered all of Wolfsburg’s first-leg work redundant.

And when in the 77th minute of the game Real Madrid’s number seven stood over a free-kick 25 yards out, the outcome felt almost inevitable. He rifled the ball low into Koen Casteels’ bottom right-hand corner to send Madrid to the semi-finals.

Semi-final vs Manchester City 2021/22

First leg: Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid

Second leg: Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City

The two best performing sides in Europe have provided us with some of the most memorable Champions League matches in recent years – including the 2021/22 semi-final.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, David Silva and Phil Foden at the Etihad meant that Manchester City travelled to the Bernabeu with a 4-3 lead, but it was about to get worse for the Madrid side.

Riyad Mahrez fired home in the 73rd minute to make it 5-3 to the Citizens and all but put the game out of sight. Jack Grealish also put the ball inches wide on the counter attack late on and the game seemed to be out of Real Madrid’s reach.

However, in injury time everything turned on its head. Substitute Rodrygo scored to give the Spanish side a lifeline before the Brazilian headed home Carvajal’s cross from the right-hand side to take the game to extra time.

Then in extra time, Benzema went down under a challenge from Ruben Dias in the area before stepping up to roll the ball home and send Los Blancos to the final.

Final vs Atletico Madrid 2013/14

Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid

Although Real Madrid eventually won by a comfortable 4-1 score line, going into the 90th minute of this final it looked as though Atletico had both hands on the Champions League trophy.

Diego Godin scored in the first half to put his side 1-0 up and they held the lead from the 36th minute until the 90th, but in injury time Luka Modric stepped up to take a corner, the final roll of the dice for Los Blancos in their bid to win La Decima.

The Croatian swung the ball in and Sergio Ramos headed home to take the tie to extra time. A header from Gareth Bale then put Real Madrid into the lead before Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the win.

Round of 16 vs PSG 2021/22

First leg: PSG 1-0 Real Madrid

Second leg: Real Madrid 3-1 PSG

Facing a front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe is by no means an easy task and it took all of Real Madrid’s Champions League experience to get through this tie.

Mbappe’s extra time winner at the Parc de Princes meant that Real Madrid went into the second-leg needing to win the match, but it did not start well. In the 39th minute Mbappe scored again to put PSG 2-0 up on aggregate, leaving Madrid needing three goals to progress.

But it was a Frenchman from Real Madrid that stole the show. A 17-minute hat-trick from Karim Benzema was enough to see Los Blancos into the quarter-final. A tap in from a Gianluigi Donnarumma mistake, a deflected strike over the Italian goalkeeper and an outside of the boot strike from the edge of the area were enough to knock PSG out of the Champions League and secure another memorable comeback for Madrid.