Football has seen its fair share of revenge moments on the pitch, where players or teams have sought retribution for past incidents or defeats. Here are some examples of revenge moments in football:
- Barcelona vs PSG (2017) – In the first leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, PSG defeated Barcelona 4-0. In the return leg at Camp Nou, Barcelona staged a remarkable comeback, winning the match 6-1 and progressing to the quarterfinals. The victory was seen as revenge for the humiliating defeat in the first leg.
- Manchester United vs Arsenal (2003) – In a Premier League match in 2003, Manchester United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a penalty in the dying minutes of the game against Arsenal. Arsenal players celebrated the miss by taunting van Nistelrooy, which led to a mass brawl on the pitch. In the next meeting between the two teams, van Nistelrooy scored a last-minute penalty to secure a 2-0 victory for United. The win was seen as revenge for the earlier incident.
- Chelsea vs Liverpool (2005) – In the 2005 Champions League semifinals, Liverpool defeated Chelsea on penalties to progress to the final. In the next season, the two teams met in the group stage of the same competition. Chelsea won the match 4-0, with two goals from Frank Lampard, one from Didier Drogba, and one from Andriy Shevchenko. The victory was seen as revenge for the previous year’s defeat.
- Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (2014) – In the 2014 Champions League final, Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1 in extra time to win their 10th European Cup. The victory was seen as revenge for the 2013 Copa del Rey final, where Atletico defeated Real 2-1. The 2014 victory was also significant as it came against their city rivals.
- Liverpool vs AC Milan (2005) – In the 2005 Champions League final, Liverpool famously came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with AC Milan and win the match on penalties. The victory was seen as revenge for the 2003 Champions League final, where AC Milan defeated Liverpool 3-2. The 2005 final is considered one of the greatest comebacks in football history.