Champions League

REAL MADRID may have more Champions League titles than anyone else, but their prestigious history makes them a prize scalp for any plucky minnow.Sheriff Tiraspol became the latest club to upset the odds in a big way with Tuesday’s 2-1 win at the Bernabeu, courtesy of a late stunner from Sebastien Thill.
Sheriff Tiraspol beat Real Madrid in a huge shock on Tuesday nightCredit: Rex
But Los Blancos are not the only giant to slip on a Champions League banana skin with plenty of others suffering shock turnarounds from seemingly secure positions.
Here, SunSport details seven great European upsets to go alongside the Moldovan side’s heroics.
AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool, 2-3 pens (May 2005)
Carlo Ancelotti’s first thought as his Real side were sunk by Sheriff may have been one of deja vu.
It was the Italian in charge of AC Milan in the 2005 final, which saw the Rossoneri lead 3-0 after a confident first-half.
But Liverpool drew level in seven mad minutes after the break, before Jerzy Dudek’s shootout heroics in what became known as the Miracle of Istanbul.
Liverpool’s 2005 final comeback is arguably the competition’s most legendaryCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

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Celtic 2-1 Barcelona (November 2012)
The dominant Barcelona team of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Co suffered the odd defeat in the group stages.
Shakhtar Donetsk earned a 3-2 win at the Camp Nou in 2008 before Rubin Kazan followed suit a year later.
But Celtic’s triumph came with a minute 11 per cent of possession as Victor Wanyama’s early header was added to by young Tony Watt’s late goal on the counter, sending Parkhead into raptures.
Tony Watt sparked memorable scenes as Celtic snatched a big upsetCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain, 6-5 agg (November 2017)
Only the most famous of games earn their own title and this last-16 triumph was dubbed ‘The Remontada’, or ‘Comeback’, and quite simply had it all.
PSG’s four-goal first leg lead topped the three-goal advantage Milan threw away to Deportivo La Coruna in 2004 and the French side even added an away goal at the Camp Nou to help their chances.
But three very late goals – from Neymar after 88 and 91 minutes, then Sergi Roberto after 95 – knocked Les Parisiens out and symbolised their European struggles since the Qataris flushed the team with cash.
Sergi Roberto was the unlikely hero for Barcelona’s RemontadaCredit: Reuters
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham, 3-3agg (May 2019)
Chocked full of exciting youngsters, Ajax’s dream run to the Champions League final appeared all-but certain after opening up a 3-0 aggregate lead on Tottenham in their semi-final second leg.
But Spurs and Lucas Moura had a fairytale of their own in mind, the Brazilian hitting a second-half hat-trick, finished off in the 96th minute, to send the club to their first-ever Champions League final.
In the other semi, Liverpool overturned their own three-goal deficit by beating Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield in the most memorable fortnight of last-four action to date.
Mauricio Pochettino led the celebrations as Tottenham reached their first Champions League finalCredit: Getty
Monaco 3-1 Real Madrid 5-5 agg (April 2004)
While Porto and the aforementioned Deportivo were off performing their heroics in 2003-04, a Monaco side led by young coach Didier Deschamps were making their own waves.
Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo helped themselves to goals as Real Madrid’s Galacticos bagged a formality 4-2 win at the Bernabeu to open this quarter-final tie.
Yet the unfancied Monegasques and Fernando Morientes, on loan from Madrid, brushed off an early Raul goal at Stade Louis II to secure a memorable comeback and reach the semis, where they also knocked out favourites Chelsea.
Monaco stunned Real Madrid en route to the 2004 finalCredit: Getty
APOEL Nicosia 1-0 Lyon, 4-3 pens (March 2012)
Underdogs can often secure group-stage wins but doing so in the knockouts is another matter.
Cypriot side APOEL were praised for getting out of their group but it was hardly a star-studded affair and Lyon were expected to cruise through in the last-16.
Instead, the French side failed to build on a 1-0 first-leg lead and APOEL won the return by the same scoreline, before sealing a historic quarter-final berth against Real Madrid with a penalty shootout victory.
APOEL Nicosia stunned Lyon to reach the last-eight in 2012Credit: AFP – Getty
Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (May 1999)
There was no denying Manchester United the treble in 1999, even when a goal down as injury time began in the Champions League final.
Behind since the sixth-minute, the Red Devils forced their way into extra-time when Teddy Sheringham poked home a goalmouth scramble.
Even an extra 30 minutes was not required however, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer flicked the ball into the net in a moment that went down in Old Trafford, and European football, folklore.
Manchester United secured a famous title at the Camp Nou
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ED SHEERAN made sure he got a Photograph after meeting Lionel Messi and Mauricio Pochettino last night.The singer-songwriter was in the crowd at the Parc des Princes as Paris Saint-Germain put in a Grade 8 performance against Manchester City in the Champions League.
Ed Sheeran met Lionel Messi after watching PSG beat Manchester City
The pop star was in the Parc des Princes crowd alongside dad John and wife CherryCredit: Splash
He sat alongside wife Cherry Seaborn and dad John – but also managed to get the guests VIP access backstage.
Sheeran, 30, took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to share the pictures with the Argentina duo, posing with Messi and then in conversation with Poch.
He wrote: “Thank you for hosting me and my family x”
The six-time Brit and four-time Grammy winner, whose new album = is out next month, is a huge Ipswich fan and was even included as the No17 in the Tractor Boys’ squad this season.
So there is a chance Sheeran was trying some underhand scouting tactics to try and lure Messi to Portman Road.
On the pitch, PSG’s own A-Team were on fire as they secured a Runaway 2-0 win against The City.

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Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were all involved in the opening goal after just seven minutes, with the ball eventually smashed into the top corner by Idrissa Gueye.
But Messi turned goalscorer on 74 minutes, linking up with Mbappe before curling a rasping effort beyond Ederson for his first PSG goal.
He also posted on Instagram after the game, uploading a snap of the deadly MNM trio celebrating in the dressing room.
Pochettino said: “Usually I don’t celebrate goals, but today I did.
“I’ve spent 20 years watching him score goals from the other side of the opposite pavement and it’s the first time he scores for a team I manage so I had to celebrate.
“You need this type of performance and players like him need to feel the back of the net. 
“He needs to create links within the team after 20 years in Barcelona. He’s feeling different things, there’s a lot of new feelings for him.
“First goal in our side, now that we are on the same side, I enjoyed it a lot and am so happy to be here enjoying Leo’s first goal.
“He’s top class, I know I’m not saying anything new but I think with time he still has room to improve a lot.”
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Messi found the top corner in style to break his PSG goalscoring duckCredit: Getty
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LIONEL MESSI was given the dirty job of laying down behind the wall for Paris Saint-Germain in their clash with Man City.But BT Sport pundits slammed the move as ‘disrespectful’ to the superstar.
Lionel Messi was given the job of laying down behind the wall for PSG against Man CityCredit: AFP

Messi, 34, grabbed his first goal for his new club last night with a sublime finish against Manchester City, finding the top corner emphatically.
But in the 91st minute, the English champs won a free-kick 25 yards out.
And as the unbeatable Gianluigi Donnarumma lined up his wall to stop Riyad Mahrez’s effort, it was the £884,000-a-week hero who draw the short straw.
The idea behind lying down against the back of his team-mates’ heels is to allow them to jump and prevent anyone trying to shoot underneath them.
Ironically, Messi’s brilliance is a large reason teams use the tactic after scoring set pieces by going under the wall.
But Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves were baffled it was the six-time Ballon d’Or winner selected to lie down on the turf – despite being one of the shortest players on the pitch.

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Hargreaves said: “We couldn’t believe it. He’s one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest.
Ferdinand then added: “The moment Mauricio Pochettino asked him to do that at the training ground someone should have gone in there and said, ‘No, no, no, no, this doesn’t happen to Leo Messi.’
“You can’t. It’s disrespectful, I wouldn’t have it.
“If I was in that team I’d say, ‘No, I’ll lay down for you.’
“I couldn’t have him laying down like that. I can’t see it. He doesn’t get his kit dirty. That’s not what Messi does.”
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MANCHESTER UNITED fans have criticised Uefa after Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne escaped a red card against Paris Saint-Germain.The Belgian, 30, received a yellow for catching Idrissa Gueye with his studs – despite Aaron Wan-Bissaka being sent off for a similar challenge.
Kevin De Bruyne received just a yellow for a late tackle on Idrissa GueyeCredit: AP
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off for a similar challenge against Young BoysCredit: Getty
Wan-Bissaka, 23, was shown a red after catching a Young Boys player with a similar challenge in their Champions League clash two weeks ago.
But De Bruyne escaped with just a booking, even though VAR checked referee Carlos del Cerro Grande’s initial decision.
And United fans on social media have slammed Uefa for a lack of consistency, with one tweeting: “Why wasn’t De Bruyne sent off?
“Surely it was no different to Wan-Bissaka’s challenge?”
While another wrote: “How De Bruyne didn’t get a red when Wan-Bissaka did for near enough an identical challenge is beyond me.
“Where’s the consistency?”

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And one supporter asked: “How has De Bruyne not been sent off for that? HOW?
“VAR is so inconsistent! Wan-Bissaka was sent off for a similar tackle, no questions asked. Unbelievable!”
But De Bruyne failed to take advantage of his let off as Man City slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening.
Goals from ex-Premier League star Idrissa Gueye and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi secured all three points for PSG.
The result sees Man City drop to third in their Champions League group after Club Brugge sealed a shock 2-1 win at RB Leipzig.
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MOLDOVAN champions FC Sheriff have produced one of the greatest Champions League shocks after beating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu.The Wasps, who were only founded in 1997, have now won their opening two Champions League matches following their 2-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Sheriff star Sebastien Thill scored a dramatic winner away at Real Madrid in the Champions League
Thill was mobbed by his team-mates after his emphatic strike nestled in the top cornerCredit: Rex
Competing in the European Cup group stages for the first time in their history, Sheriff now sit top of Group D – three points ahead of Los Blancos.
And they are five points ahead of Inter Milan and Shakhtar with the pair both suffering a draw and a defeat from their first two fixtures.
Sheriff can have Sebastien Thill to thank for a famous night in Spain after he banged in one of the finest goals in the Champions League this season in the 89th minute.
The 27-year-old midfielder – on loan from Luxembourg outfit Progres Niederkorn – hammered a left-footed half-volley from outside the box into the top corner past the outstretched arms of Thibaut Courtois.
He instantly took off his shirt and ran to the corner flag where he was mobbed by his jubilant team-mates.
Sheriff had looked like they was going to settle for a point after Karim Benzema’s 65th minute penalty cancelled out Jasurbek Yakhshiboev’s headed opener.

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Madrid fans jeered Sheriff’s players after the full-time whistle over their wild celebrations.
Real have now won just five out of their last 13 European games on home soil.
They lost home and away to Ukrainian side Shakhtar last season that threatened to see then fail to advance to the knockout stages.
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro was left shocked after the match, with Madrid scoring just one from a whopping 31 shots.
Sheriff have won their opening two Champions League group stage matchesCredit: Getty
Carlo Ancelotti’s side also had 76 per cent possession, but they were guilty of squandering huge chances from the likes of Eden Hazard, Vinicius Junior and Benzema.
Casemiro said: “This is soccer. We were in control during the entire match and had many scoring chances.
“They had only two and scored twice.”
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