The Yellow & Blue didn’t get off to an ideal start in the Europa League Group Stages with one point in the first 3 matches. It’s true, the situation is not simple, but a look back to the history of the Champions League and Europa League shows us that it’s not impossible. Just ahead of the critical match against Astana, let’s look at 4 clubs whose backs were against the wall:
Champions League 2002/03: Newcastle United
The English club’s campaign will go down in history for being the only Champions League team to advance after losing all three of their first round matches. Newcastle began with an away defeat at Dynamo Kyiv followed by a home loss to Feyenoord and then an another defeat at Juventus. However, they didn’t give up and picked up two wins setting up a winner take all situation against Feyenoord with a place in the next round on the line in the last match of the group stages. In the 91st minute Craig Bellamy scored a super dramatic strike to send The Magpies for a date with Inter Milan from the group’s second position.
Bellamy, Photo: Footyfair ()
Europa League 2009/10: Hertha Berlin
The Bundesliga side opened their continental campaign with a draw and a pair of losses almost signaling the end of their European hopes. But 3 straight wins over Heerenveen, Ventspils and Sporting Lisbon sent the German club through to the next round.
Champions League 2012/13: Galatasaray
After the first three Macthdays, no one would have questioned the Turkish club’s fans if they thought that their European run was over after two defeats and a draw. But then came three wins in a row including a 2:1 victory over Braga on the last Matchday. Galatasaray went on to defeat Schalke in the Round of 16 but fell to Real Madrid in the quarterfinals to end their campaign.
Europa League 2014/15: Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
With a loss on Matchday 1 and 3 with a draw sandwiched between the two, it looked bleak for the Ukrainian outfit… but unbelievably they made it to the competition’s final. Seven points sent them to the Round of 32 as the Cinderella story went all the way to the final where they fell 3:2 to Sevilla.
