The UEFA Champions League has seen a lot of spectacular games over the years. Indeed, club football’s biggest competition has produced plenty of moments to remember. From classic comebacks to individual performances, we had the possibility to experience the best teams, players, and matches.
Many of the matches considered as memorable today came from the European stage. Most are not only memorable for the amazing performances but also for the number of goals scored.
Here we offer you a trip down memory lane as we look at some of the greatest and highest-scoring Champions League games of all time!
What are the Highest-Scoring UEFA Champions League Games?
- Borussia Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warsaw – 2016
- AS Monaco 8-3 Deportivo La Coruna – 2003
- Barcelona 2-8 Bayern Munich – 2020
- Tottenham 2-7 Bayern Munich – 2019
- Villarreal 6-3 Aalborg – 2008
- Paris Saint-Germain 7-2 Rosenborg – 2000
- Manchester City 5-3 AS Monaco – 2017
- Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo – 2015
- Liverpool 8-0 Besiktas – 2007
- Manchester United 7-1 Roma – 2007
10. Manchester United 7-1 Roma (2007)
Starting our list of the highest-scoring matches in Champions League history is Manchester United’s 7-1 victory over Roma at Old Trafford during the 2006/07 season. This is one of the nights that will always be remembered as one the club’s greatest.
Carrick and Cristiano Ronaldo’s braces and the goals of Alan Smith, Rooney and Evra will remain forever in the memory of those who watched the game. It is almost impossible to forget, especially for Roma supporters. The final mistake of Daniele De Rossi meant the game ended with a score of 7-1.
It is fair to say Old Trafford has not seen many nights like this.
9. Liverpool 8-0 Besiktas (2007)
Next up, we’ve got Liverpool’s 8-0 triumph over Besiktas during the 2007/08 group stage.
Back then, Liverpool came into the game with their backs against the wall as they needed to win to continue in the competition.
The first goal came when Edouard Cisse inadvertently tackled Crouch next to his own goal. This gave the Liverpool number 15 the opportunity to score the first goal of the game. Add to this Yossi Benayoun’s hat-trick, Ryan Babel’s brace, a superb team goal finished by Steven Gerrard and a second goal for Crouch and you get the ridiculous scoreline referenced above.
It remains tied with the next game as the biggest win in Champions League history.
8. Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo (2015)
Moving on with the biggest wins in Champions League history, we’ve got Real Madrid facing the Swedish outfit Malmo in the 2015 Champions League group-stage.
The game ended with an 8-0 victory for Los Blancos. Even if everyone expected the away team to leave the stadium with nothing, a similar loss was above any expectations.
Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the match by scoring four goals in 19 minutes while Karim Benzema netted a hat-trick within 74 minutes. Mateo Kovacic also managed to find the back of the net and seal one of the greatest victories in Champions League history.
7. Manchester City 5-3 AS Monaco (2017)
With a total of eight goals, Manchester City and AS Monaco played out an exhilarating game at the Etihad Stadium in the first-leg of their 2017 round of 16 match-up. The game ended with a 5-3 defeat for the French side.
Even if a brace from Radamel Falcao and a strike from Mbappe gave the French team hope to bring home the victory, Man City took over the night thanks to two goals from Sergio Aguero and one each for Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane, and John Stones.
Sure, this was one of the most combatted wins in Champions League history, a match that’ll live long in the memory.
6. Paris Saint-Germain 7-2 Rosenborg BK (2000)
Another high-scoring clash and also the first to involve nine goals was the one between PSG and Rosenborg during the 2000/01 group stage at the Parc Des Princes. In this case, the French side beat the Norwegian team 7-2.
Christer George marked the game for the Danish side with a brace in two minutes, but sadly, it was the only goal Rosenborg scored while the hosts piled on goals.
Between the goal-scorers that brought the French outfit to the victory, we saw a young Nicolas Anelka. He displayed a great performance and scored two goals for the Parisians, one of which closed the 7-2.
5. Villarreal 6-3 Aalborg (2008)
In 2008/09, Villarreal secured an entertaining 6-3 triumph over Aalborg in the group-stage of the Champions League.
Aalborg took the lead in Spain through Marek Saganowski in the 19th minute, but their control didn’t last long. Indeed, Giuseppe Rossi scored Villarreal’s equaliser nine minutes later.
That goal together with successful strikes from Robert Pires, Joan Capdevila and a second half hat-trick from Joseba Llorente sealed the win for the Spanish side at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
4. Tottenham 2-7 Bayern Munich (2019)
This was one of the latest and most iconic results in the history of the UCL: Bayern Munich’s incredible 7-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.
Son Heung-min got Tottenham off to a perfect start with a goal after 12 minutes, but unfortunately for the English outfit, they weren’t able to hold their lead for long.
The German team took all three points in this group-stage game thanks to four goals from Serge Gnabry, a double from Robert Lewandowski, and a brilliant strike from Joshua Kimmich.
A terrific result for Bayern and the start of Mauricio Pochettino’s end as Spurs’ manager.
3. Barcelona 2-8 Bayern Munich (2020)
Going back to Spain, FC Barcelona was once on the wrong side of a 2-8 demolition with the German power Bayern Munich also involved in this one.
Although this isn’t the highest-scoring European game of all-time, it is perhaps the biggest considering the level of the two teams.
Despite a David Alaba own goal for Barcelona and Luis Suarez’s tidy goal, Barca had few chances. Indeed, braces from Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho and goals from Ivan Perisic, Gnabry, Lewandowski and Kimmich sealed an 8-2 victory over the home club.
2. AS Monaco 8-3 Deportivo La Coruna (2003)
The second-highest scoring Champions League game involves AS Monaco and Deportivo La Coruna. This time, the French team beat the travellers 8-3 during the 2003/04 group stage at the Stade Louis II.
This game made Monaco the first team to score eight goals in a Champions League game. Already at half-time, the French were up 5-1, thanks to goals from Jerome Rothen, Ludovic Giuly and a hat-trick from Dado Prso. The definitive success was reached during the second half-time with the strikes from Jaroslav Plasil, Edouard Cisse, and a fourth from Prso.
Although Monaco went on in the competition and played the final, without winning, this match will forever remain in the memory as one of the most incredible in Champions League history.
1. Borussia Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warsaw (2016)
The first place of this ranking goes to the terrific game Borussia Dortmund and Legia Warsaw put on. This set the record for the highest number of goals in a single Champions League match in the 2016/17 group stage.
The result ended 8-4 in favour of Dortmund. Warsaw got off to a flying start with a surprising goal already in the 10th minute, but Dortmund immediately hit back with two goals from Shinji. That brace was followed by a goal feast which led 5-2 at half-time.
The second half saw five more goals being netted in. Marco Reus and Shinji Kagawa scored again before Michal Kucharczyk would pull one back for Legia. Felix Passlack then added a seventh, while the Polish side netted their fourth goal of the night not long after.
A final own-goal of Jakub Rzezniczak made it eight for Dortmund and closed an unforgettable game that would become the highest-scoring in Champions League history.
Did you remember these highest-scoring Champions Leagues matches? Which was the most memorable for you?