Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – There are games won with tactics, others with talent. And then there are those that defy all logic, those in which the clock becomes an enemy, hope seems to vanish, and just when all seems lost, the impossible happens. Real Madrid's comeback against Roma, overturning the score from 1-3 to 4-3 with three goals in the final seven minutes, belongs to this category.
One of those evenings when football reminds everyone why it's the most unpredictable sport: because ninety minutes isn't just a duration, but a promise. And until the referee blows his whistle, no one can consider themselves defeated. The history of football is full of similar feats. Some have decided a match, others a cup, others still have become part of the collective memory of entire generations.
These are just:
If there's one match that best captures the meaning of the expression "believe until the end," it's the 1999 Champions League final. At Camp Nou in Barcelona, Bayern Munich took the lead in the first half through Mario Basler and, for most of the match, seemed to have the cup in their grasp.
Manchester United struggled, unable to find a way to score, and watched the minutes tick by while the Germans edged closer to victory. Then came injury time. When the fourth official signaled that regulation time was practically up, United won a corner. The ball fell to Ryan Giggs, whose sloppy shot was converted by Teddy Sheringham in the 91st minute. Bayern were in shock, and the English side weren't content to reach extra time. Two minutes later, another corner from David Beckham found Sheringham, who played the ball to Ole Gunnar Solskjær. The Norwegian beat everyone to the post and fired it into the net. It was 2-1. In just a few moments, a losing final turned into a historic triumph. Manchester United won their second European Cup and completed the treble, winning the league, cup, and Champions League in the same season. Bayern went from celebration to despair in the space of three minutes.
Reigning European champions AC Milan already seemed to have one foot in the semifinals. In the first leg, at San Siro, the Rossoneri won 4-1 against Deportivo La Coruña. A result that, on paper, left little room for doubt. In the return leg, however, the Riazor Stadium became the scene of one of the most extraordinary feats in European football. Walter Pandiani scored in the first half, then Juan Carlos Valerón doubled the score. Before halftime, Deportivo was already 2-0 up, reopening a qualification that seemed sealed. In the second half, AC Milan attempted to respond, but the Spaniards refused to slow down. Alberto Luque made it 3-0, and Fran, in the 76th minute, completed the masterpiece. The final score was 4-0: Deportivo qualified with an incredible 5-4 aggregate victory and eliminated the European champions.
If Manchester United in 1999 represented the last-gasp miracle, Liverpool in 2005 embodied the comeback that seemed impossible even before halftime. Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan ended the first half 3-0 up, thanks to Paolo Maldini's opening goal and a brace from Hernán Crespo. On the pitch were champions like Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, and Andriy Shevchenko. At the other end, Liverpool seemed destined for an inescapable defeat. But something happened in the locker room that changed everything. In the 54th minute, Steven Gerrard reduced the deficit. Two minutes later, Vladimír Šmicer made it 3-2. In the 60th minute, Xabi Alonso equalized after Dida's rebound from his own penalty. Three goals in just six minutes. A final that seemed over was completely torn open. Milan still had chances to win it, but Liverpool held on until extra time. In the penalty shootout, Jerzy Dudek became the hero of the night, blocking Shevchenko's decisive shot. The Reds won a legendary Champions League title after being three goals down at halftime.
Barcelona's comeback against Paris Saint-Germain is one of the most incredible in European football, because it involves not just one match, but an entire two-legged tie. In the first leg, in Paris, PSG dominated, winning 4-0. To qualify, the Catalans must score at least four goals without conceding, or score five if their opponents score once. At Camp Nou, Barça started strongly, scoring three goals in the 50th minute. But in the 62nd minute, Edinson Cavani scored for the French side: the aggregate score was 5-3, and qualification seemed to be in the hands of the Parisians. At that point, an almost impossible feat would be needed: three goals in less than half an hour. Neymar rekindled hope with a free kick in the 88th minute and a penalty in the 91st. Barcelona poured forward, while PSG fell further and further behind. In the 95th minute, when everything seemed over, Neymar created an assist and Sergi Roberto pounced, beating the keeper. Camp Nou erupted. Barcelona won 6-1 and qualified with an aggregate score of 6-5. It proved that time can become an ally just when it seems like its worst enemy.
And then we come to last night, the match that rekindled the memory of all these exploits. At the Stadio Olimpico, Roma were leading 3-1 against Real Madrid in the 83rd minute. The Giallorossi seemed to have the game in hand, while the Spanish champions found themselves facing a defeat that now seemed inevitable. But against Real Madrid, especially in Europe, the concept of a game over is always relative. In the 83rd minute, Espí scored, reopening the game. In the 85th minute, Endrick equalized with a header. In a matter of moments, Roma saw a hard-earned lead disappear. And just when the draw already seemed an incredible result, the final blow arrived: in the 90th minute, Antonio Rüdiger made it 4-3 with an acrobatic finish from a corner. Three goals in seven minutes. From a possible triumph for the Giallorossi to defeat, from dream to mockery. The peculiarity is that all three decisive goals came from corner situations, with Arda Güler the protagonist in the final pass.
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