Biggest UCL Group Comebacks

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After four rounds of the 2022/23 Champions League season group stage, we can still find clubs with 0 points, Rangers and Viktoria Plzen. But teams like Leverkusen, Celtic, and Copenhagen are also in difficult situations. Nothing is impossible though as teams producing the biggest UCL group comebacks have already proven. One of them was Tottenham Hotspurs who managed to reach the final after getting only one point from their first three group games. 

Having 0 or only 1-2 points in halftime usually means the end of the Champions League season for the teams, but we can find a few exceptions. The following clubs managed to turn around their situations and moved to the top two places in their groups. They can serve as a great example for some of this season’s clubs like Sevilla, Leverkusen, or even Juventus. After all of them are threatened by being knocked out of this tournament. Of course, it’s not easy to win the last two games and qualify at the last minute. But it’s not impossible either as we can see below. 

Atalanta Produced One of the Biggest UCL Group Comebacks

The Italian side lost all of its first three matches in the group stage in the 2019/20 season and had very little hope of qualifying. But Gian Piero Gasperini’s team managed to do the impossible and reach the last 16. After the team draw with Manchester City and won against Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk. They also knocked out Valencia in the next round but lost against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final. 

Still, it was one of the biggest UCL group comebacks that can inspire another Italian team, Juventus now. After the Zebras are only in third place in their group with 3 points. Five points behind the leaders, PSG and Benfica. But they can still qualify if they win their next matches against them. Online sportsbooks in Germany don’t believe in another miracle though. They offer the odds of 17.00 for Massimiliano Allegri’s team to reach the knockout stage. 

Tottenham almost won the title from the bottom of the group

Tottenham Hotspurs had an amazing run in the 2018/19 season after the club reached its first-ever Champions League final. Probably even their biggest fans could hardly imagine this success after the first three matches on the group stage. Mauricio Pochettino’s team only had a single point at half-time, after losing against Barcelona and Inter Milan. But after a draw with PSV Eindhoven, they won the next two games. And a draw with the Catalans in the last match secured their place in the last 16. Even though they were level on points with Inter, their head-to-head record was better by a single goal. ű

This season the team is managed by Antonio Conte and doesn’t seem to have such problems. Spurs lead their group but nothing is settled yet. After all the other three clubs, Marseille, Sporting, and Eintracht Frankfurt can still qualify. Their odds to do so are 2.00, 2.10, and 3.50. While the London club is favored to go through with an odds of 1.14. Their big rivals, Chelsea are in a similar situation after the Blues lead their group with 7 points. Thanks to winning against the strongest team, AC Milan both home and away. The Italian champions are only in third place with four points. But they can also still qualify if they win their next two games. 

Leverkusen need another big comeback

Bayer Leverkusen is currently in fourth place in Group B, with one win and three defeats. The first match of the new head coach, Xabi Alonso didn’t go too well either after they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home from Porto. Now it seems a very difficult job to qualify. As Leverkusen need to win their last two games against Atletico Madrid and Club Brugge. The Belgian club has already secured a place in the last 16. Causing one of the biggest surprises of the group stage. 

Online gambling sites in Germany mention Porto as the favorite to qualify besides Brugge. They offer the odds of 1.53 for that. While Leverkusen’s odds for the same result are 13.00. But as we know, German teams can’t be underestimated. Leverkusen have also produced a great comeback at this stage in the 2016/17 season when they had three points after three matches. Then a win against Tottenham and Monaco turned things over and meant their qualification for the knockout stage. In the last 16 Leverkusen was beaten by Atletico Madrid. But now they can take revenge for it. 

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