The only thing to be sure about with the Champions League, is that nothing's for sure.
That is at least what Liverpool fans will be telling themselves as Jurgen Klopp's men prepare to try to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti continued his habit of terrorising Liverpool as his team staged a comeback of their own, recovering from 2-0 down at Anfield to run out 5-2 winners.
The LaLiga giants also defeated the Reds in last season's Champions League final, and so the hunger for revenge should be strong, but to come back against a team as strong as Madrid seems fanciful... or so it would seem.
Perhaps the most famous comeback in the competition's history is Liverpool breaking Ancelotti's heart in the final in Istanbul in 2005 as they turned around a three-goal margin in six second-half minutes before beating Milan on penalties, and Stats Perform has taken a look at some of the most notable second-leg Champions League comebacks of all-time to see if there is any cause for optimism for Klopp's team.
Deportivo La Coruna v Milan – Quarter-finals, 2003-04
Speaking of Ancelotti's Milan, they had a strange relationship with the Champions League over a three-year period between the 2002-03 season and that famous night in Istanbul 18 years ago.
The Rossoneri won the 2003 final against Juventus on penalties after an astonishingly dull 120 minutes at Old Trafford, before their agonising defeat to Liverpool at the same stage two years later.
What happened in between might have been the most bizarre of the lot, though.
In the last eight of the 2003-04 season, Milan eased to a 4-1 win against Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna in the first leg at San Siro.
It would turn out to be a strange season for the competition overall, with upsets all over the place, but none as remarkable as Deportivo's turnaround in the second leg at the Riazor Stadium.
Three goals in the first half from Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron and Albert Luque put them ahead on away goals, before substitute Gonzalo Fran sealed a sensational 4-0 win in the second half to take the tie 5-4 on aggregate.
Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain – Last 16, 2016-17
The biggest and arguably most famous comeback in Champions League history, Barcelona looked dead and buried after a 4-0 trouncing at the hands of PSG at the Parc des Princes in the first leg.
Goals from Angel Di Maria (two), Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani looked to have put the tie to bed before the second leg at Camp Nou had even begun.
Luis Suarez scored just three minutes in to provide hope, while a Layvin Kurzawa own goal just before half-time was followed by a penalty from Lionel Messi just after as the impossible suddenly looked possible.
Cavani scored what seemed to be a crucial away goal for PSG just after the hour though as hopes began to fade for the Catalans.
In the closing stages, head coach Luis Enrique raised eyebrows when he turned to Sergi Roberto from the bench, hardly known for his goalscoring exploits at a time when they needed three in a short period.
Neymar made it 4-1 on the night in the 88th minute with what most assumed was just a consolation, before Barca were given a penalty soon after, which the Brazilian also dispatched.
With seconds remaining deep into stoppage time, Neymar lofted a ball into the box to find Sergi Roberto, who applied the finish and sealed an unbelievable 6-5 aggregate win.
Roma v Barcelona – Quarter-final, 2017-18
Of course, what goes around, comes around and Barca were on the wrong end of a dramatic turnaround just a year later.
Their 4-1 home win in the first leg had them full of confidence heading to the Italian capital for the second.
As with Barca's comeback against PSG, the return encounter started with an early goal, with Edin Dzeko finding the net just six minutes in at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Blaugrana held out until half-time without further damage, but Daniele De Rossi scored a penalty to bring Roma to within one goal of going through on away goals.
With eight minutes remaining, Kostas Manolas headed in a corner at the near post to send the home fans into absolute delirium and improbably take the Serie A side through.
It was a chastening experience for Barca, but surely it was just a one-off...
Liverpool v Barcelona – Semi-final, 2018-19
After a 3-0 win against the Premier League challengers at home, Barca had put themselves in a strong position again, but this time with the caution that was necessary after their humbling by Roma.
Yet again, an early goal gave hope to the optimists as Divock Origi bundled in the opener for Liverpool in the seventh minute, but yet again, Barca held out until the break, knowing Liverpool still needed two just to take it to extra-time.
Those two arrived in very quick succession as half-time substitute Giorginio Wijnaldum made it 2-0 in the 54th minute with a sweeping finish before heading in a third less than two minutes later.
All the momentum was with Liverpool, and with an almost inevitable amount of farce, a quickly-taken corner by Trent Alexander-Arnold caught the visitors napping as Origi slammed in a fourth.
Two seasons in a row, Barca had thrown away three-goal leads from the first leg, amounting for half of the four occasions it has happened in the competition's history.
Manchester United v Paris Saint-Germain – Last 16, 2018-19
While this was not a comeback from a three-goal deficit, it is the only example of a tie in which the team that has played the second leg away from home has won despite losing the first leg by more than one goal.
PSG outclassed United at Old Trafford, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe, while Paul Pogba was sent off late on for the hosts.
The dominant nature of the win more than anything else is why few gave United a hope of turning things around in Paris, but once more, an early goal changed the mood as Romelu Lukaku scored in the Parc des Princes with less than two minutes played.
Juan Bernat equalised soon after, but Lukaku restored United's lead on the half-hour mark.
PSG tried to put their English opponents away but in stoppage time, conceded a penalty for handball against Kimpembe, allowing Marcus Rashford to fire home to give the Red Devils a place in the history books.
So where does this leave Liverpool's chances of overcoming a three-goal deficit in Madrid?
Well, Los Blancos have only lost at home by a three-goal margin twice in the Champions League, both in the 2018-19 campaign, going down 3-0 to CSKA Moscow in the group stage and 4-1 against Ajax in the last-16 second leg.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have won an away game in the Champions League by three or more goals on 10 occasions, eight of which have come under Klopp, while they only very recently beat Manchester United 7-0 in the Premier League, albeit that was at Anfield and was swiftly followed by a limp 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.
You could argue that if it were any other team than Madrid, who seem to have a spell over the famous tournament, you would give Liverpool a chance of doing it such is their own record of dramatic appearances in the Champions League.
It seems like an impossible task, but you could also argue that if ever there were an opponent who could do such a thing to Madrid, it may be the Reds, especially given their past with Ancelotti.
It would certainly raise an eyebrow.
Good to be back: Cameron expresses joy, optimism as World Cup Girlz, JFF reconciled
For Tiffany Cameron, the past eight months have been a rollercoaster ride filled with uncertainty and challenges. But as she prepares to step back onto the international stage with Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz, the excitement and anticipation are palpable.
The return of Cameron, and other members of the senior Reggae Girlz 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad, comes after a prolonged dispute with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), which kept her sidelined from international duty.
They last represented the island in the Olympic Games qualifying playoff away to Canada, last September, but later withdrew their services citing a lack of payment and mistreatment from the country’s governing football body among their reasons.
With things now back to some semblance of normalcy, Cameron is eager to get going again, after the lengthy pause, as she also expressed delight at the prospects ahead.
“It always brings joy to my heart to represent Jamaica. It is a special opportunity, and at the same time, international duty is my home away from home,” Cameron told SportsMax.TV from her base in Spain.
“At times it was very difficult for me to accept that sometimes things behind the scenes with our federation and World Cup players were out of my control, but I knew things would fall into place eventually. While away, I still tuned into our (Jamaica’s) games whenever they were streamed online, and I was impressed by some of the young talent we have. It’s important to take note that everyone in our pool of players matters and can contribute in their own way. Having a larger pool of players will make our squad more competitive,” she added.
While her time away from the national team was difficult, Cameron's form at Real Betis in the Liga F has been on the up, as she heads the team’s scoring chart with six goals, despite playing lesser minutes than her strike partners.
In fact, the Canada-born player readily admitted adjusting to the style of play and the language barrier in Spain hasn't been easy, even moreso as her team has experienced a series of changes, both on and off the field. They are currently 12th on the standing.
Still, the experienced 32-year-old, who has paraded her skills in several countries across the world, is grateful, as always, for the opportunity to grow as a player.
“It’s challenging sometimes playing in Europe. As a black professional athlete, I am constantly having to adapt to different cultures and sometimes I miss being around those who share the same cultural background as me. It’s also a lot more challenging to score here because there were so many changes in the summer, eight players left and a whole new staff arrived. We’ve had to practically build a new team, but I believe if we stay in the league, I will score more goals next season and we will be higher in the table,” Cameron shared.
“The new coach has helped improve our situation on and off the field and I am very pleased about this. Since he has arrived, we have played six games under him, we won three, tied two and lost one. I’ve also managed to score three important goals in these six games, and I was selected by the league as MVP for two games. Those (MVP awards) meant a lot to me, and it is safe to say that I have proven my value in this environment,” she declared.
After such an intense period, a change of environment is always good for the mind, but Cameron has no intentions of easing up, especially with the Girlz first assignment back being a two-match friendly away to World Cup foes Brazil on June 1 and June 3.
Both teams crossed path at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups where Brazil won the first meeting 3-0, while the Girlz battled gallantly for a goalless stalemate last year, which booked their spot in the Round of 16.
“I’m excited to build from the World Cup because now we have a mix of World Cup players, a few new players and some young talent. It will be interesting to see how we progress, and we know we have two very challenging games ahead. We have to stay patient and disciplined defensively and know when it’s time to threaten Brazil’s backline,” she reasoned.
With Hubert Busby back at the helm as head coach of the Reggae Girlz, Cameron, who is one of 18 players of the World Cup squad called up for the Brazil games, is filled with optimism, and also has high expectations for both the coach and the team.
“In 2020 coach Busby was building a healthier foundation on and off the field for the Reggae Girlz. I expect him to continue to do that and I’m pleased to have him back. In a way this decision holds close to my heart because he was the coach who initially recruited me to play for Jamaica,” Cameron noted.
“He believed in my capabilities and knew I would bring value to the squad. That said, I expect communication and conditions to improve amongst players, staff and the federation moving forward,” she ended.
Italy forward Zaniolo to miss Euro 2024 due to foot injury
Italy forward Nicolo Zaniolo will miss Euro 2024 after suffering a foot injury during Aston Villa's Premier League draw with Liverpool on Monday.
Zaniolo – who joined Unai Emery's side on a season-long loan from Galatasaray last August – came on as a second-half substitute as they fought back from 3-1 down to clinch a 3-3 draw at Villa Park.
That result moved Villa closer to securing Champions League qualification, which was confirmed when Tottenham lost 2-0 at home to Manchester City on Tuesday.
Zaniolo only lasted 14 minutes following his 65th-minute introduction before being withdrawn himself, though, and scans have shown he sustained a microfracture to his foot.
The 24-year-old has now confirmed he will be unable to feature in Italy's title defence at the Euros, with their Group B campaign set to begin against Albania on June 15.
In a post to his Instagram account, Zaniolo wrote: "Thank you for your support in these hours, to you Villans and to the many Italian and Turkish fans. I can't wait to get back on the field stronger than before!
"Unfortunately, I will have to give up my dream of representing my country in a major competition. But that day will come, I'm sure, and it will be beautiful! Come on Azzurri!"
Zaniolo also missed Italy's triumphant run at the delayed Euro 2020 three years ago as he was recovering from a ruptured cruciate ligament.
Arsenal's decision to let Miedema leave 'shocking and outrageous', says White
Arsenal's decision to let Vivianne Miedema leave the club has been described as "shocking" and "outrageous" by former Gunners striker Ellen White.
On Monday, Arsenal announced Miedema – the all-time record scorer in the Women's Super League with 79 goals in the competition – will depart when her contract expires at the end of the campaign.
Miedema helped Arsenal win the WSL title in 2018-19 and clinched the competition's Golden Boot in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. In all competitions, she has scored 125 goals and added 50 assists in 172 appearances for the Gunners since arriving from Bayern Munich in 2017.
She has played just 13 games in 2023-24, however, having undergone knee surgery in March. That came after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered in December 2022 sidelined her for 10 months.
Manchester City have been linked with a move for the Netherlands star, and White believes Arsenal will regret letting her go.
"I think it's an absolutely shocking decision by the club, to be honest," White told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly.
"I just think it's shocking that they haven't shown her the love to want to keep her at the club.
"If she does want to go to someone else in the WSL, I hope she goes to that team and sticks two fingers up at Arsenal and scores a few goals and celebrates hard. It's just outrageous. She is not going to be short of offers."
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