The most unforgettable UEFA Champions League semi-finals moments
The competition grows more intense as the teams get closer to winning the trophy. The UEFA Champions League is no different. It has witnessed several iconic moments in history, many of which occurred in the semi-finals.Look back on these moments with Sportsbet.io as the upcoming 2024/25 edition’s semi-finals is about to close.
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We selected these moments due to their lasting impact on the UEFA Champions League and how well they are remembered by fans. Here is a summary of what went down in each one:
Liverpool's miracle comeback vs Barcelona, 4-0 (2019)
Liverpool were on the ropes after losing 3-0 to Barcelona in the first leg of their 2018/19 Champions League semi-final, with goals from Luis Suárez and two from Lionel Messi. Facing an uphill battle, Liverpool did the impossible during the second leg at Anfield. They won 4-0 on the night, completing a stunning 4-3 aggregate victory and advancing to the final.
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Divock Origi gave Liverpool an early advantage, scoring within the first seven minutes. Georginio Wijnaldum scored the team's second goal in the 54th minute and added another two minutes later, bringing the aggregate score to 3-3.It came back circling back to Origi to land not just the first but the last goal of the 2nd leg, beating Barcelona with a 4-3 aggregate.
Lucas Moura’s hat-trick heroics (2019)
Tottenham and Ajax had an intense showdown in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final with all odds in favour of the latter team winning the 1st leg, 0-1. In the Johan Cruijff ArenA, the home team dominated early with two goals before half-time by Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech.
They tried with over 20 shots, but it was Lucas Moura who eventually closed the gap for Tottenham. Under pressure from the 3-0 aggregate, Moura scored the visiting team’s first two goals at 55’ and 59’ back-to-back. It’s not over yet because it’s still a 3-2 aggregate, and the 2nd leg was almost over when Moura’s hat trick found the net past André Onana!
The aggregate score between Tottenham and Ajax was 3-3, with Tottenham winning on away goals. Thus, the 2019 final was between two Premier League (EPL) clubs. Liverpool won that season, but it was Moura who allowed Tottenham to win 1st place.
Ronaldo's decisive hat-trick against Atlético Madrid (2017)
It was a derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in the 2016/17 Champions League semi-finals, and it was as intense as anyone could imagine. Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the first leg, netting a stunning hat-trick to give Real Madrid a commanding 3–0 lead on aggregate.
Atlético Madrid fought back and won the second leg of the semi-final 2-1, but lost the tie overall due to Ronaldo’s 3rd goal. It set the stage for Real Madrid’s march to the final—and their eventual triumph as the 2016/17 Champions League champions. That decisive goal was also his 52nd goal in the knock-out stage of the competition and his 7th hat-trick.
Lewandowski’s four goals against Real Madrid (2013)
Real Madrid was among the favourites in the 2012/13 season, and most fans thought they’d dominate the Champions League. Lewandowski begged to differ as he sent the LALIGA giants reeling after scoring four goals in the 1st leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Lewandowski started the 2nd leg match with a goal within the 1st eight minutes of the game. Real Madrid couldn’t respond until Cristiano Ronaldo scored an equaliser in 43’. Lewandowski scored 3 more goals in the second half in 50’, 55’, and a penalty kick on 66’.
Real Madrid couldn’t close the gap, ending the 1st leg at 4-1 aggregate. The 2nd leg was their final chance to stay in the tournament, but they couldn’t cut it. Real Madrid won the 2nd leg 2-0, but the aggregate score is 4-3, securing Dortmund the spot in the finals.
Fernando Torres ends Barcelona's dreams (2012)
On paper, it looked like Chelsea was already winning because they had a 1-0 lead in aggregate score after the 1st leg win. The truth is that 2011/12 was a difficult season for the English team. For most of the Champions League, Barca was at their best with a massive odds difference, especially after a penalty costing Chelsea one man.
It was a 10 versus 11 game after John Terry was given a red card for violent conduct, leaving Chelsea in a tough spot. As the underdog with one man missing, there was little hope for the English team, and Barca fans were sure they had the advantage. With the aggregate at 2-2, Chelsea were set to advance on away goals, but Barcelona continued to press for a winner.
Fernando Torres led the charge, taking the ball across the length of the field, dribbling past the goalkeeper, and goal! That last-minute score gave Chelsea a 3-2 aggregate lead, securing their position in the finals. Torres’ daring counterattack is what helped them reach the finals, which they eventually won on penalties against Bayern München.
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Iniesta’s Stamford Bridge stunner (2009)
Barcelona had a strong run in the 2008/09 season, earning recognition as one of the greatest Champions League teams in history. They faced Chelsea in the semi-finals with the first leg ending in a tense 0–0 draw at Camp Nou.
During the 2nd leg, Chelsea took the lead with Michael Essien’s goal in the 9th minute. The pressure is on for Barca, who can’t afford to give up another goal while also trying to score to close the gap. All they needed was to end this game on a draw, so they could win by tie-breaker on away goals. It looked like all hope was lost past 90 minutes until Andrés Iniesta landed a last-second stunner and ended the match 1-1, giving Barca the win at Stamford Bridge!
Favourites to advance in the semi-final after 1st leg
The Champions League 2024/25 season is on its way to the semi-final, and you can anticipate more iconic moments to emerge from its matches. However, who among the quarter-finalists will make it to that intense stage of the competition? Here are the most highly anticipated clubs, especially after 1st-leg wins:
Arsenal
Head coach Mikel Arteta is gunning for the silverware, and this is their best shot in Arsenal’s history. Will this finally be the day they win the Champions League for the 1st time ever? That’s the question in every Arsenal fan’s mind right now, and the signs are positive for the team after 1st leg dominance against the 2024 champions, Real Madrid.
The 1st leg ended with 3-0, which is huge, but history shows it’s not impossible to close that gap. Real Madrid’s lineup consists of Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior, three of the top scorers in LALIGAin 2024/25. It’s still a close competition between two Champions League powerhouses.
Arsenal just got Bukayo Saka back from an injury and is still missing five high-value players for the rest of the season. In the 2nd leg, they’ll need to withstand Carlo Ancelotti’s counter-attacks. Arteta has to stay focused, as Real Madrid could easily overturn a 3–0 deficit if Arsenal leave any openings.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s 2–1 away win in the first leg may seem narrow, but it carries weight considering it came on Bayern Munich’s home turf. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany faces a tough challenge, especially with several key players sidelined.That includes Jamal Musiala, who missed the 1st leg because of a hamstring injury.
Bayern Munich is also missing 3 defenders, namely Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies, and Aleksandar Pavlovic. Inter Milan is in a more well-rounded state, giving coach Simone Inzaghi the tactical advantage.
The challenge this time, however, is that Inter Milan cannot allow the 2nd leg to end with a point for Bayern. One goal is all they need to end the knockout stage on a 2-2 aggregate. Kompany’s club has the upper hand in the tiebreaker, so Inzaghi needs to maintain the lead.
Paris Saint-Germain
The club’s top scorer, Mbappé, transferred to Real Madrid, but that didn’t stop PSG from winning 3-1 against Aston Villa. It’s a steep lead that they secured with 76% ball possession at the Parc des Princes.
That performance drew the attention of TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand, who named them favourites to win the silverware this season. However, early knockout projections do not agree. PSG is the definitive favourite in a head-to-head against Aston Villa but is considered underdogs to Barcelona and Arsenal.
PSG dominated the 1st leg and is the favourite with a 48% probability of winning the 2nd leg. Even if they end the quarter-finals with an even aggregate score, they still have a tiebreaker advantage to lift them to the semi-finals. They cannot be complacent because history has shown underdogs winning against all odds, and it’d be shameful to let that happen now.
Barcelona
All signs point towards Barcelona’s easy lift to the semi-finals this season, especially after a dominant 4-0 win in the 1st leg against Borussia Dortmund. They were also given a 53% win probability for the 2nd leg, showing fans’ confidence in the Spanish team.
However, Barcelona shouldn’t be complacent because they’ve had their dreams to win the silverware broken before. Both of these moments were back in 2012, against Chelsea, and in 2019, against Liverpool.
One of Barca’s biggest challenges this season is Dortmund, a squad known to be a consistent top-placer in the Champions League. However, the German team is currently not in their best form. Under new manager Niko Kovac, who was appointed in January 2025, their Bundesliga form has been patchy, which has lowered expectations. Still, the Champions League often delivers the unexpected, and Dortmund could yet pull off a stunning reversal.
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