Champions League debutant quarter-finalists: Atalanta in select group
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
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Atalanta have made the last eight on their competition debut: we look at those that came before.
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Atalanta are in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on their European Cup debut, joining a select list of debutants to have reached the last eight.
We look at the other clubs to have made it at least this far in the UEFA Champions League era.
Leicester City: 2016/17 quarter-finalists
Background
Their 2015/16 Premier League title victory was one of the great upsets in sport and they held on to the core of their squad other than Chelsea-bound N'Golo Kanté. It was only the fourth European campaign for Leicester, all the previous three ending in first rounds, most recently in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup against Crvena zvezda. However, as English champions they had top seeding in the group stage.
Highlight
Kasper Schmeichel's penalty save from Steven Nzonzi ten minutes from the end of the round of 16 return with Sevilla. That moment secured victory in a tie in which Leicester had trailed 2-0 (and were lucky it was not more) 73 minutes into the opener before Jamie Vardy's away goal; title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri was replaced by caretaker Craig Shakespeare the day after the away leg.
Results
Group stage: Club Brugge 3-0h, 2-1a; Porto 1-0h, 0-5a; Copenhagen 1-0h, 0-0a (winner)
Round of 16: Sevilla 1-2a, 2-0h (agg: 3-2)
Quarter-finals: Atlético Madrid 0-1a, 1-1h (agg: 1-2)
Squad included
Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel, Riyad Mahrez
What happened next
Leicester ended the Premier League 12th after flirting with relegation. However, despite the tragic death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in October 2018, this term they are back in contention for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Málaga: 2012/13 quarter-finals
Background
A spending spree gave Málaga a club-best fourth-placed finish in the 2011/12 Liga though a subsequent budget cut meant coach Manuel Pellegrini lost the likes of Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.
Highlight
Coming from 1-0 down to lead Dortmund in the quarter-finals with eight minutes to go (albeit 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 and are currently in the second division.
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 after a season's absence and posted five top-six finishes in a row, also making the semi-finals and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League in that period.
Deportivo La Coruña: 2000/01 quarter-finals
Background
Deportivo cemented themselves as a top Spanish club in the 1990s and, in 1999/2000, the Galicians won the Liga with the help of the goals of Roy Makaay,
Highlight
Recovering from 3-0 behind 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 three relegations. Two were immediately followed by promotion, but they are now in peril of dropping out of the second division.
Lazio: 1999/2000 quarter-finals
Background
A strong Serie A side through the 90s, Lazio were only beaten to the 1998/99 title by AC Milan on the last day. They did, however, lift the last UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The next season, Sven-Göran Eriksson's men 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 squad, though Lazio returned to the UEFA Champions League in 2007/08 and have had several UEFA Europa League campaigns since.
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.
Highlight
The 2-0 win at Sporting CP on matchday three, hot on the heels of a big loss at Monaco, set Leverkusen up for progress,
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 (best 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 as fixtures in the higher reaches of Ligue 1, securing further UEFA Champions League forays in 2002/03 and 2010/11, and winning two more French Cups in 2002/03 and 2004/05. However, they were relegated in 2011/12 and remain in Ligue 2.