The Champions League is often dominated by big clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Barcelona. But every now and then, smaller or underrated teams defy the odds and put up an impressive performance that surprises everyone. From Porto’s incredible run under José Mourinho to Chelsea’s victory with Roberto Di Matteo, here are stories of underdog teams that have performed far beyond expectations in the European competition.
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Porto 2003-2004
Porto’s win in 2004 shocked many football fans. Although the Portuguese team had won the UEFA Cup in the previous season, no one really gave them a chance against stronger opponents in Europe’s top competition. Porto did well in the initial stages, finishing second in a group consisting of Real Madrid, Marseille, and Partizan Belgrade.
But their toughest challenge came in the round of 16, where they faced Manchester United. Managed by a young, charismatic José Mourinho, Porto defeated the English giant 3-2 on aggregate and beat Lyon in the quarterfinals. The Portuguese club then eliminated Deportivo la Coruna 1-0 in the semi-finals. In the final, Porto played against another underdog, AS Monaco, defeating them 3-0 to lift the trophy.
Inter 2009-2010
No one expected Inter Milan to win the Champions League in 2010. They came second in a tough group that had Barcelona, Rubin Kazan, and Dynamo Kyiv. In the round of 16, Inter beat Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate. They then won CSKA Moscow 1-0 in both legs of the quarterfinals. Inter’s biggest test was against Barcelona in the semi-finals. Despite losing 1-0 at Camp Nou, the club progressed into the final thanks to a 3-1 victory at San Siro. In the final, Inter defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 to win the European title again after 45 years.
Chelsea 2011-2012
Chelsea pulled off one of the most surprising wins in the 2011-2012 season. The Blues topped their group, which consisted of Bayern Leverkusen, Valencia, and Genk. In the first leg of their round 16 clash, Chelsea lost 3-1 to a strong Napoli side. But they turned the tie around in the second leg with a 4-1 victory at Stamford Bridge. In the quarterfinals, the London side then beat Benfica 3-1 to set up a meeting with Barcelona. Surprisingly, Chelsea won 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final and even came from behind to draw 2-2 with Barcelona at Camp Nou. In the final, Chelsea faced Bayern Munich, who coincidentally were playing on their home ground. Thomas Muller scored first for the German club, but Didier Drogba equalized in the 85th minute to take the match to extra time. Chelsea later triumphed 4-3 in a penalty shootout, winning the competition for the first time in their history.
APOEL Nicosia 2011-12
APOEL Nicosia reached the last eight in the 2011-12 season. The Cypriot club came first in a group that consisted of FC Porto, Zenit Petersburg, and Shakhtar Donetsk. They then eliminated Lyon through penalties after a 1-1 aggregate score. However, APOEL’s impressive run came to a disappointing end in the quarterfinals when they faced Real Madrid. Although the Cypriot team scored two great goals at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid won the tie 8-2 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund 2012-13
Borussia Dortmund was so close to winning the UEFA Champions League in 2013. The German club finished first in a “group of death” that had Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Ajax. In the round of 16, they played against Shakhtar Donetsk, winning 5-2 on aggregate. Dortmund then eliminated Malaga in the quarterfinals to book a clash with Real Madrid in the semifinals. In the first leg, they beat Real Madrid 4-1 in their own stadium, with Robert Lewandoski scoring all four goals. Although Dortmund lost the return leg 2-0, that could not deny them a place in the final. Unfortunately, they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in the final, crushed by Arjen Robben’s goal in the 89th minute.
Monaco 2016-17
Monaco had one of the most incredible runs in the 2016-17 Champions League season. The French club was first its group consisting of Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur, and CSKA Moscow. In the round of 16, Monaco played against Manchester City. Although they lost 5-2 in the first leg, a 3-1 victory in the return leg allowed Monaco to advance to the next stage. They then beat Borussia Dortmund both home and away in the quarterfinals. However, Leonardo Jardim’s side were knocked out in the semifinals by Italian giants Juventus.
Ajax 2018-2019
No one expected Ajax to go so far in the 2018-19 Champions League season. The Dutch club came second and was unbeaten in a group that had Bayern Munich, Benfica, and AEK Athens. In the round of 16, Ajax was drawn against Real Madrid and lost the first leg 2-1 at home. But the club overturned this deficit with a stunning 4-1 victory over the Spanish giant at Santiago Bernabeu. Ajax then beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate in the quarterfinals. However, it was not to be for Erik ten Hag’s side as they crashed out in the semifinals after a 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, with the London club progressing on the away goal rule.
Conclusion
These underdog stories are part of the reasons why we love football. It’s a beautiful game where the weakest team sometimes defeats the strongest. The impressive performance of these underrated clubs was not only exciting but also made many gamblers who visit online sports betting platforms a lot of money.
Disclaimer: If you’re thinking about placing a bet through a sportsbook or even an online casino (like the Pragmatic Play casinos reviewed on casinos.com), only bet with an amount you can afford to lose. Doing so is especially wise when backing an underdog against a tougher opponent in the Champions League.
