The 15 Most Miraculous Champions League Group Stage Escapes
Before UEFA scrapped the traditional Champions League group stage, fans grew accustomed to nights of drama, despair, and incredible recoveries. For every dominant side that coasted through, there were underdogs clinging to life, big names on the brink of humiliation, and miraculous turnarounds that defied belief.
These escapes combined late goals, unlikely heroes, and sheer resilience. They reminded us that football at its best is unpredictable — and that the Champions League was never short on heart-stopping narratives. Here are 15 of the most extraordinary group-stage comebacks in the competition’s history.
15. RB Leipzig (2020/21)
Thrown into a brutal group with PSG and Manchester United, Leipzig needed everything to fall perfectly on the final day. PSG hammered Istanbul Basaksehir 5–1 to cruise through, leaving Leipzig and United to battle it out.
Leipzig had been humiliated 5–0 at Old Trafford earlier, but at home they came flying out: Angeliño scored within two minutes, Amadou Haidara doubled the lead inside 13 minutes, and Justin Kluivert added a third. Yet nothing was comfortable. Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from the spot before an Ibrahima Konaté own goal made it 3–2 with 10 minutes left.
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Leipzig held on through waves of pressure, booking their place in the knockouts. This, remember, came after they’d only beaten Basaksehir thanks to a last-minute winner in a wild 4–3. It was tense, chaotic, and unforgettable — exactly what a Champions League escape should be.
14. Atalanta (2019/20)
Atalanta’s debut in the competition began in nightmare fashion: thrashed 4–0 by Dinamo Zagreb, beaten at home by Shakhtar Donetsk, then outclassed 5–1 by Manchester City. Four games in, they had one point and seemed doomed.
Even against City in the return fixture, they trailed until Claudio Bravo was sent off and Kyle Walker had to play in goal. Atalanta grabbed a draw, and suddenly belief flickered. They then beat Zagreb 2–0 and Shakhtar 3–0, stunning everyone by finishing second.
Not only did they qualify, but they went on to smash Valencia 8–4 on aggregate in the round of 16. For a club of their size, it was a miraculous run — and it all started with clinging on against 10-man City.
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13. Tottenham Hotspur (2018/19)
Tottenham advertised their new stadium as the only home for Champions League football in London that season. Yet early defeats to Inter and Barcelona, plus a late equaliser conceded against PSV, left them staring at elimination.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men rallied. They beat PSV and Inter at Wembley, setting up a must-get result away to Barcelona on the final day. Spurs dug deep at Camp Nou, grinding out a 1–1 draw thanks to Lucas Moura’s equaliser.
It was enough to squeeze through, and from there they rode a wave all the way to the final in Madrid. What looked like humiliation turned into one of the club’s greatest European runs.
12. Arsenal (2015/16)
On paper, Arsenal’s group with Bayern, Olympiacos, and Dinamo Zagreb looked manageable. But defeats in Zagreb and Athens, plus a 5–1 thrashing by Bayern, left them on just three points after four games.
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They thrashed Zagreb at home, while Bayern dismantled Olympiacos, setting up a winner-takes-all clash in Greece. Olivier Giroud stepped up spectacularly, scoring all three in a famous 3–0 victory.
Arsenal qualified against the odds, only to fall to Barcelona in the round of 16. Still, Giroud’s hat-trick remains one of the most dramatic rescue acts in group-stage history.
11. Manchester City (2014/15)
With no wins from four games and Bayern Munich looming, City’s prospects were bleak. Even at home to Bayern, they trailed 2–1 with five minutes left. Then Sergio Agüero happened.
The Argentine scored a penalty, added a late equaliser, and snatched a stoppage-time winner after a Jerome Boateng error. Suddenly, City had life. In their final game, goals from Nasri and Zabaleta sealed a 2–0 win in Rome, and qualification was secured.
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Agüero’s heroics defined City’s escape, one of his many clutch performances in sky blue.
10. Celtic (2012/13)
Neil Lennon’s Celtic had already impressed, but their defining night came at home to Barcelona. Despite having just 16.4% possession — the lowest ever recorded in a Champions League win — they triumphed 2–1.
Victor Wanyama headed in the opener, before teenage striker Tony Watt sealed it late. Messi’s injury-time goal was only a consolation.
Celtic still needed to finish the job, which they did with a 2–1 win over Spartak Moscow in their final game, thanks to Kris Commons’ late penalty. It was a fairy-tale run for a team punching far above its weight.
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9. Bayern Munich (2009/10)
With only four points after four games, Bayern were in crisis. Defeats to Bordeaux left them staring at an early exit, and Louis van Gaal’s job was under real threat.
But a narrow win over Maccabi Haifa gave them hope, and they travelled to Juventus needing a result. They didn’t just scrape through — they crushed Juve 4–1, leapfrogging them into the knockouts.
That great escape launched a run all the way to the final, where only José Mourinho’s Inter could stop them.
8. Liverpool (2007/08)
Liverpool had one point from their first three games, but everything changed with an 8–0 demolition of Besiktas — still the joint-biggest Champions League win.
They followed it with a 4–1 win over Porto, scoring three late goals. That set up a showdown with Marseille, where Gerrard and Torres scored early to calm nerves. Kuyt and Babel added more in a 4–0 rout.
From the brink of elimination, Rafa Benítez’s side not only advanced but reached the semi-finals.
7. Olympiacos (2007/08)
Placed alongside Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, and Lazio, Olympiacos were expected to finish bottom. Instead, they shocked Europe by finishing second.
Key wins over Bremen, plus a draw at home to Madrid, carried them through. They advanced five points clear of Bremen, defying all predictions.
It was a shining example of Greek grit and tactical discipline on the biggest stage.
6. Werder Bremen (2005/06)
Bremen needed a miracle on the last day: beat Panathinaikos, hope Barcelona beat Udinese, and overturn a goal-difference swing.
They did their part with a 5–1 demolition of Panathinaikos. For a while it looked in vain, until Barça struck twice in the last five minutes to sink Udinese.
The Germans squeezed through, completing one of the most dramatic group-stage finales ever.
5. Liverpool (2004/05)
Liverpool needed to beat Olympiacos by two clear goals on the final day. Rivaldo’s first-half strike complicated matters, meaning they now needed three.
Substitutes Pongolle and Mellor scored to set up a grandstand finish. Then, with four minutes left, Steven Gerrard unleashed a thunderous strike from distance to make it 3–1.
That escape set the stage for the even bigger miracle of Istanbul later that season.
4. Porto (2003/04)
José Mourinho’s Porto had one point from their first two games after losing to Real Madrid. But they regrouped spectacularly.
Wins over Marseille and Partizan Belgrade, plus a draw with Madrid, carried them through. From there, they shocked Europe by going all the way to win the Champions League.
The group stage escape was the foundation of Mourinho’s first great triumph.
3. Lokomotiv Moscow (2003/04)
Written off in a group with Arsenal, Inter, and Dynamo Kyiv, Lokomotiv Moscow defied expectations.
They hammered Inter 3–0 at home, beat Kyiv, and drew with Arsenal. Those results lifted them above Inter into second place.
It was one of the most unlikely qualifications of the modern era.
2. Arsenal (2003/04)
Arsenal’s “Invincibles” weren’t looking so invincible in Europe. Two defeats in their first three games left them hanging by a thread.
Ashley Cole’s late winner against Kyiv kept them alive, and then came their most dazzling performance: a 5–1 demolition of Inter at San Siro, inspired by a two-goal Thierry Henry.
They sealed qualification by beating Lokomotiv Moscow, finishing top of the group. It was resilience and quality rolled into one.
1. Newcastle United (2002/03)
Newcastle began their campaign with three straight defeats — without even scoring — against Kyiv, Feyenoord, and Juventus. Nobody had ever qualified after such a start.
But Bobby Robson’s men roared back. A 1–0 win over Juventus at St James’ Park, courtesy of Andy Griffin’s effort, sparked belief. They then beat Kyiv away before Craig Bellamy’s last-minute goal downed Feyenoord.
Against all odds, Newcastle became the first team ever to lose their opening three games and still qualify. A miracle in black and white.
