2003/04 RC Deportivo La Coruña 4-0 AC Milan: Report

RC Deportivo La Coruña's UEFA Champions League ambitions were written off after a 4-1 quarter-final first-leg defeat at AC Milan, only to be resurrected by a staggering comeback.

Only the most optimistic of Depor fans arrived at the Raizor that warm April evening hoping for more than their team merely bowing out with heads held high. Coach Javier Irureta encouraged them to dream, promising to go after the reigning European champions like a hurricane from the first whistle. The players were true to his word, and after surviving a blast from Jon Dahl Tomasson, Walter Pandiani broke the deadlock on five minutes.

Three years earlier, the Uruguayan had inspired Deportivo's most famous European fightback when they recovered from 3-0 down to defeat Paris Saint-Germain FC 4-3 in the second group stage. His strike here inspired a total onslaught on the Milan goal and a deluge of chances for the irresistible Galicians, with Víctor Sánchez tormenting Carlo Ancelotti's side. Ten minutes before half-time, just when they needed it, they gained reward as the unmarked Juan Carlos Valerón buried a rare header.

The Riazor was shaking and so were Milan. Depor sensed their opportunity and duly took it when Alessandro Nesta mistimed his approach to a loose ball in midfield. The predatory Albert Luque pounced, ran 20 metres and drilled a left-foot shot beyond Dida and into the top corner. Depor had not only risen from the dead, they were in the rudest of health; and it was not even half-time.

Back came Milan, Tomasson going close, but no sooner had Ancelotti rolled his last dice, bringing on Serginho, than Fran effectively sealed progress with a vicious right-foot shot which skimmed off Cafu to beat Dida. Depor had sealed a 5-4 aggregate victory, becoming the first side to overcome a three-goal first-leg deficit in the UEFA Champions League.