The UEFA Champions League pits together the best club sides in Europe and is the stage for football’s finest talent.
There’s been no shortage of glorious goals in the competition and we’ve decided to celebrate one of our favourite niches when it comes to bypassing goalkeepers.
The art of the chip requires delicacy, precision, and a little bit of arrogance. Here are five of the very best scored on the Champions League stage.
Five of the best Champions League chips:
Paul Scholes
Manchester United produced party football to kick off the now defunct second group stage in 2000/01, with Panathinaikos the beaten opposition in the first fixture of the round.
Paul Scholes scored a late double in the 3-1 win at Old Trafford, after Georgios Karagounis’s free-kick had cancelled out Teddy Sheringham’s opener.
Scholes sealed the win in delightful fashion in stoppage time, as the midfielder dinked a delicious finish over Antonis Nikopolidis after a ridiculous 32-pass move from the home side.
On this day in 2000, Paul Scholes did this against Panathinaikos in The Champions League #MUFC pic.twitter.com/QCHXOQMv2a
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) November 21, 2017
Dimitar Berbatov
Perhaps not a chip in its traditional sense, but a goal worthy of a place on this list.
Dimitar Berbatov spent hours perfecting his flawless first touch and the technique of the brilliant Bulgarian was on show for Bayer Leverkusen in 2004.
A flick over one defender and a subtle lob over the goalkeeper saw Berbatov score a classic Champions League goal against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
Berbatov genius on this day in 2004 ????♂️#UCL | @bayer04_en pic.twitter.com/qMh7FaV7bq
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 3, 2020
Frank Lampard
Narrow angle? No problem.
Frank Lampard swivelled to score with some byline brilliance during Chelsea’s clash against Barcelona in 2006.
The west Londoners had fallen behind to Deco’s early goal at the Camp Nou, before Lampard’s ludicrous effort brought the teams level in Catalonia.
He’s no right to score from there.
Nothing short of genius. ✨
Frank Lampard v Barcelona #onthisday in 2006! pic.twitter.com/qLbi6WPHmM
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 31, 2019
Ramires
Another classic Chelsea chip and perhaps the goal for which Ramires will forever be remembered in west London.
Chelsea were in real trouble at Barcelona after John Terry’s first-half red card, as goals for Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta wiped out the Blues’ first-leg lead.
Enter, Ramires.
The Brazilian burst forward and lifted a wonderful finish over Victor Valdes, to put Chelsea ahead in the tie on away goals. Fernando Torres scored a second on the break in stoppage time as Barcelona poured forward, sending Chelsea into the Champions League final.
???????? Happy retirement, Ramires!
That chip in 2012 ????@Rami7oficial || #UCL pic.twitter.com/94NeZJn8NL— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 28, 2022
Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao’s fortunes in the Premier League had perhaps lured Manchester City fans into a false sense of security ahead of their Champions League meeting with Monaco in 2017.
Falcao had struggled badly during loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea over the previous two campaigns, but found his form in France to fire Monaco’s route through the competition.
The Colombian scored a sensational goal as Monaco lost 5-3 at the Etihad in a first-leg thriller, before Leonardo Jardim’s side turned the tie around in the return at the Stade Louis II.
That finish is extraordinary, from one of the finest forwards of his generation.
???????? @FALCAO ????????
Happy birthday, Radamel Falcao! ????#UCL | #HBD pic.twitter.com/Yhn8FGYKy0
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 10, 2020
Read – Iconic Performances: Falcao hits hat-trick to stun Chelsea
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