Leicester's feat: previous debutant quarter-finalists
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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After Leicester City reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on their debut in the senior European club competition, we look back at the others to have achieved that feat.
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Leicester City's run to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on their debut in the senior European club competition has continued a remarkable story in which a team fighting relegation in 2014/15 won the English title the following season.
However, the Foxes are not the first side to enjoy such an adventure on their European Cup bow. We look at the other clubs to have made at least the last eight on their first entry in the UEFA Champions League.
Málaga: 2012/13 quarter-finals
Background
A spending spree gave Málaga a club-best fourth-place finish in the 2011/12 Liga though a subsequent budget cut meant Manuel Pellegrini lost the likes of Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.
Highlight
Coming from behind to lead Dortmund in the quarter-finals with eight minutes to go (however, they were to concede twice in added time).
Results
Play-offs: Panathinaikos 2-0h, 0-0a (agg: 2-0)
Group stage: Zenit 3-0h, 2-2a; Anderlecht 3-0a, 2-2h; AC Milan 1-0h, 1-1a (winner)
Round of 16: Porto 0-1a, 2-0h (agg: 2-1)
Quarter-finals: Borussia Dortmund 0-0h, 2-3a (agg: 2-3)
Squad included
Javier Saviola, Isco
What happened next
Pellegrini departed and they were denied entry to the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League for financial reasons. Málaga have not returned to Europe since.
Villarreal: 2005/06 semi-finals
Background
Pellegrini was also behind Villarreal's unlikely success, taking the helm in 2004 and steering them to third in the league as well as the UEFA Cup quarter-finals (after a second straight UEFA Intertoto Cup triumph).
Highlight
The dominant second-leg display to eliminate Inter in the quarter-finals.
Results
Third qualifying round: Everton 2-1h, 2-1a (agg: 4-2)
Group stage: Manchester United 0-0h, 0-0a; LOSC Lille 0-0a, 1-0h; Benfica 1-1h, 1-0a (winners)
Round of 16: Rangers 2-2a, 1-1 h (agg: 3-3, Villarreal win on away goals)
Quarter-finals: Internazionale Milano 1-2a, 1-0h (agg: 2-2, Villarreal win on away goals)
Semi-finals: Arsenal 0-1a, 0-0h (agg: 0-1)
Squad included
Santi Cazorla, Juan Román Riquelme, Diego Forlán
What happened next
Villarreal continued to be European regulars, also falling to the Gunners in the 2008/09 quarter-finals. Pellegrini eventually moved on, though, and in 2011/12 Villarreal were relegated. Nonetheless they returned to the top flight the next season and have posted three consecutive top-six finishes since then.
Deportivo La Coruña: 2000/01 quarter-finals
Background
Deportivo established themselves as a top Spanish club in the 1990s and in 1999/2000, fired by the goals of Roy Makaay, the Galicians won the Liga.
Highlight
Recovering from 3-0 down to beat Paris.
Result
First group stage: Panathinaikos 1-1a, 1-0h; Hamburg 2-1h, 1-1a; Juventus 0-0a, 1-1h (winners)
Second group stage: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1a, 4-3h; AC Milan 1-0a, 1-1h; Galatasaray 0-1a, 2-0h (winners)
Quarter-finals: Leeds United 0-3a, 2-0h (agg: 2-3)
Squad included
Roy Makaay, Walter Pandiani, Noureddine Naybet
What happened next
Depor remained a top-three Liga outfit until 2003/04, when they also got to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Their fortunes dipped after coach Javier Irureta's 2005 departure, and subsequently they have managed a sole UEFA Cup campaign in 2008/09 and suffered two relegations (both immediately followed by promotion).
Lazio: 1999/2000 quarter-finals
Background
A strong Serie A side through the 90s, Lazio were only beaten to the 1998/99 title on the last day by AC Milan but did win the last UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The next season Sven-Göran Eriksson's team ended a long wait for the club's second Scudetto (after 1973/74) as well as making their debut in the elite European competition.
Highlight
Simone Inzaghi scoring four goals in a 5-1 thrashing of Marseille.
Results
First group stage: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1a, 1-1h; Dynamo Kyiv 2-1h, 1-0a; Maribor 4-0h, 4-0a (winners)
Second group stage: Marseille 2-0a, 5-1h; Chelsea 0-0h, 2-1a; Feyenoord 1-2h, 0-0 away (winners)
Quarter-finals: Valencia 2-5a, 1-0h (agg: 3-5)
Squad included
Juan Sebastián Verón, Pavel Nedvěd, Alessandro Nesta, Marcelo Salas, Siniša Mihajlović
What happened next
Financial problems caused the break-up of that side, though Lazio returned to the UEFA Champions League in 2006/07.
Bayer Leverkusen: 1997/98 quarter-finals
Background
After the first of what would be four second-place Bundesliga finishes between 1997 and 2002, Leverkusen made their European Cup bow, having been revived as an attacking force by Christoph Daum, appointed in 1996.
Results
Second qualifying round: Dinamo Tbilisi 6-1h, 0-1a (agg: 6-2)
Group stage: Lierse 1-0h, 2-0a; Monaco 0-4a, 2-2h; Sporting CP 2-0a, 4-1h (runners-up)
Quarter-finals: Real Madrid 1-1h, 0-3a (agg: 1-4)
Squad included
Jens Nowotny, Ulf Kirsten, Carsten Ramelow
What happened next
Leverkusen carried on being contenders, progressing to the UEFA Champions League final in 2002.
Auxerre: 1996/97 quarter-finals
Background
Auxerre's incredible odyssey under Guy Roux, who took over in 1964 and guided them all the way from the third tier to a 1995/96 domestic double warranted a UEFA Champions League bow. Their tilt at glory was ended by the same opponent that denied them in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup semi-finals, Borussia Dortmund.
Highlight
The matchday five win at Ajax (who had reached the last two finals) that proved crucial in taking Auxerre through.
Results
Group stage: Ajax 0-1h, 2-1a; Rangers 2-1a, 2-1h; Grasshoppers 1-0h, 1-3a (winners)
Quarter-finals: Borussia Dortmund 1-3a, 0-1h (agg: 1-4)
Squad included
Steve Marlet, Lilian Laslandes
What happened next
Auxerre continued to be fixtures in the higher reaches of Ligue 1, securing further UEFA Champions League campaigns in 2002/03 and 2010/11, and winning two further French Cups in 2002/03 and 2004/05. However, they were relegated in 2011/12 and remain in Ligue 2.