Five of the best Champions League last-16 debuts
Monday, February 1, 2016
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Gent and Wolfsburg will make their UEFA Champions League knockout debuts on 17 February. As UEFA.com discovers, inexperience is not always a barrier for success in the last 16.
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2013: Málaga 0-1 2-0 Porto (2-1 on agg)
Competition debutants Málaga topped a group featuring AC Milan, Zenit and Anderlecht, but order looked to have been restored when two-time European champions Porto won the first leg. Isco was on target as Manuel Pellegrini's side overturned the result, though, and only an incredible Dortmund comeback denied Málaga another famous scalp in the quarters.
2012: APOEL 0-1 1-0 Lyon (1-1 on agg, APOEL won 4-3 on pens)
Like Málaga, the Cypriot side lost the first leg away from home, and few believed a banner warning Lyon to 'feel the terror of Nicosia' had much credence. Gustavo Manduca's early strike levelled the tie, though, and the game eventually went to penalties. Dionisios Chiotis saved twice as APOEL became the first Cypriot side to reach the European Cup quarter-finals.
2011: Shakhtar Donetsk 3–2 3-0 Roma (6-2 on agg)
It took Shakhtar 11 attempts to advance to the knockout stages and, having finally ended the wait, Mircea Lucescu's men celebrated in style. A narrow win in Italy laid the foundations for what turned into a second-leg romp, with Willian on target twice in a 3-0 win as Roma were left to rue a missed penalty and Philippe Mexès's first-half red card.
2010: CSKA Moskva 1–1 2-1 Sevilla (3-2 on agg)
A first-leg draw left the tie finely poised, but inspired by Keisuke Honda CSKA were simply too strong in the second instalment against a Sevilla side through to the last 16 for the second time in three seasons. The Japan playmaker scored one and set another up for a CSKA team led as now by Leonid Slutsky.
2006: Villarreal 2–2 1-1 Rangers (3-3 on agg, Villarreal won on away goals)
The Yellow Submarine's star burned bright in a fine debut UEFA Champions League season. Against Rangers the defensive steel that saw them through the group stage with just one goal conceded vanished, but a team led by Manuel Pellegrini (yes, him again) did just enough. There was another away-goals triumph in the last eight before Arsenal edged them out.
Watch highlights of all five games, and a bonus one not listed here ...