What is the record for the most goals ever scored in a UEFA Champions League game?
Benfica and Barcelona delivered an all-time classic on Tuesday evening, as the two teams played out a thriller in Lisbon.
The hosts took control of the contest early on with the help of some catastrophic Barcelona defending, as Vangelis Pavlidis helped himself to a first-half hat-trick. Benfica boasted a 3-1 lead at half-time, though an eventful opening 45 minutes was just the start.
Raphinha pulled a goal back for Barcelona just after the hour in comical fashion. Anatoliy Trubin’s clearance rebounded back off the Brazilian and over the embarrassed Benfica goalkeeper. But Benfica restored their two-goal cushion when Ronald Araujo turned into his own goal. Again, Barcelona responded. Robert Lewandowski’s penalty – his second of the game – made it 4-3 and Eric Garcia got Barcelona level with four minutes to go.
THE MAGIC OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 😍
Barcelona complete one of the greatest comebacks ever in an all-time classic against Benfica 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WCkLfxf9l5
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) January 21, 2025
Finally, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, came the winner. After surviving a penalty claim, Barcelona blitzed down the other end on the counter-attack. Raphinha cut inside to blast home the decisive goal and conclude a chaotic game.
However, a staggering nine goals The Estádio da Luz is only enough to place the clash joint-fourth for the highest scoring Champions League games ever.
That honour belongs to Borussia Dortmund vs Legia Warszawa, as the German side came out on top in a 12-goal game at the Westfalenstadion in 2016. Shinju Kagawa and Marco Reus were on target twice for Dortmund, who beat their Polish opponents 8-4 in a record-breaking barnstormer.
Most goals in a Champions League game
Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warszawa, 22/11/2016 – 12 goals
Bayern München 9-2 GNK Dinamo, 17/09/2024 – 11 goals
Monaco 8-3 Deportivo La Coruña, 05/11/2003 – 11 goals
Barcelona 2-8 Bayern, 14/08/2020 – 10 goals
Paris Saint-Germain 7-2 Rosenborg, 24/10/2000 – 9 goals
Lyon 7-2 Werder Bremen, 08/03/2005 – 9 goals
Villarreal 6-3 Aalborg, 21/10/2008 – 9 goals
Tottenham 2-7 Bayern, 01/10/2019 – 9 goals
Manchester City 6-3 Leipzig, 15/09/2021 – 9 goals
Paris Saint-Germain 7-2 Maccabi Haifa, 25/10/22 – 9 goals
Benfica 4-5 Barcelona, 21/01/25 – 9 goals
Read – Five iconic individual Champions League performances
See more – Iconic Performances: When R9 destroyed Man United and got clapped off at Old Trafford
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