Comebacks

MADRID — Real Madrid fought back from two goals down as Vinicius Jr grabbed a hat-trick in a thrilling 5-2 win over visitors Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday.

In a rematch of last-season's final, Dortmund lit up the game with a two-goal blitz around the half-hour mark from Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens to silence the Bernabeu crowd.

However, the champions were livelier after the break and broke Dortmund's resistance with Antonio Rüdiger's header on the hour before Vinicius equalized with a close-range strike.

These Euro 2024 games have been absolute cinema and provided fans with another classic on Wednesday as Croatia and Albania drew 2-2. 

Albanian substitute Klaus Gjasula had the wildest game as he scored an own goal and his side’s massive equalizer in the final minutes.

In the 72nd minute Albania led 1-0 and Gjasula was brought on to add some more security to his side’s one-goal lead. Two minutes later Croatia would equalize to make it 1-1.

GOAAAALL CROATIA!!!

LEVERKUSEN — Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home against AS Roma on Thursday as they won 4-2 on aggregate and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches.

Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also reached this month's German Cup final as they chase a treble, played their 49th match without defeat to surpass Benfica's record set from 1963–65 but they had to battle for the second leg draw.

49 GAMES

MADRID — Real Madrid striker Joselu was in dreamland after he came on in the dying moments of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and turned the game on its head with two goals to snatch a stunning victory.

Joselu, whose journeyman career has included spells at clubs such as Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover 96, Stoke City and Newcastle United, only touched the ball a few times in their 2-1 second-leg win, but it was a night he is likely to remember for a long time.

LEVERKUSEN — Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen scored a last-gasp equalizer through Robert Andrich to come from two goals down and get a 2-2 draw against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday that extended their record unbeaten run to 46 matches across all competitions.

The Germany international slotted in from eight meters after Florian Wirtz had floated a free kick into the box, to complete their latest comeback after also scoring a stoppage-time goal to snatch a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund last week.

Late Leverkusen goal vs Stuttgart

DORTMUND — Bayer Leverkusen's Josip Stanisic scored a stoppage-time goal for the champions to rescue a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, sparing Xabi Alonso's side from suffering their first loss of the season.

Striker Niclas Füllkrug gave Dortmund the lead in the 81st minute but Stanisic levelled for Leverkusen in the seventh minute of stoppage time, heading home a Florian Wirtz corner.

Stanisic goal vs Dortmund

LONDON — Manchester United survived one of the most astonishing FA Cup semi-final comebacks ever to beat second-tier Coventry City 4-2 on penalties after a spellbinding clash ended 3-3 after extra time at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

United were cruising to a record 22nd FA Cup final thanks to goals by Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes with Coventry barely managing to lay a glove on their illustrious opponents for 70 minutes.

Ousmane Dembele cemented himself as one of Barcelona’s biggest villains on Tuesday during Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-1 victory (winning 6-4 on aggregate) to send the Catalan side out of the Champions League.

The Frenchman and former Barcelona player scored one of PSG’s four goals, drew a penalty and won man of the match to send his previous club packing. He was undoubtedly the most booed and hated player inside the Estadi Olimpic in Barcelona.

Ousmane Dembélé: “Barcelona is a great club. I love it!”.

PARIS — Brazil forward Raphinha scored twice to help Barcelona secure a 3-2 win at Paris Saint Germain in a lively Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, earning the Spanish side their first win in the knockout stage in four years.

PSG forward Kylian Mbappe was nowhere to be found in Parc des Princes as five-times European champions Barca managed to neutralize France's captain, who was often frustrated in his attempts up front.