Champions League games of the season: Which was your favourite?

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League is drawing to a conclusion, with the format once again throwing up plenty of intriguing twists and turns as 36 teams battled it out to reach the final.

We have picked out ten games that summed up the drama of European football's elite club competition, looking back at what went down in each. Vote for your favourite below.

Matchday 1: Juventus 4-4 Dortmund

The first night of the league phase spawned a classic in Turin with all eight goals coming in the second half. Karim Adeyemi and Felix Nmecha gave Niko Kovač's visitors the lead twice from outside the box but Kenan Yıldız's stunner and Dušan Vlahović's clinical finish quickly levelled both times. Yan Couto's drive and Ramy Bensebaini's penalty appeared to seal victory for Dortmund but, in added time, Vlahović pulled one back and Lloyd Kelly headed a dramatic equaliser.

Matchday 3: Leverkusen 2-7 Paris

Nine goals, two penalties and two red cards – this one had almost everything. Willian Pacho headed the holders in front but by the time Aleix García equalised in the 38th minute, Alejandro Grimaldo had missed a penalty for the hosts and both sides were down to ten men – Leverkusen's Robert Andrich and Paris' Illia Zabarnyi both dismissed. Luis Enrique's men still had time to score three times before half-time, Désiré Doué grabbing two of them, and they were similarly clinical after the interval with Nuno Mendes, Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha all getting in on the action.

Matchday 5: Olympiacos 3-4 Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé scored four times and Los Blancos needed all of that firepower to claim the points in Piraeus. Chiquinho rounded off a fine move to give the hosts an early advantage but Mbappé then hit a seven-minute hat-trick – the second fastest in Champions League history – to put Xavi Alonso's men on top. Mehdi Taremi nodded the hosts back into contention after the break and even Mbappé's fourth could not truly tame José Luis Mendilibar's charges, who set up a grandstand finish thanks to Ayoub El Kaabi's 81st-minute header.

Matchday 8: Benfica 4-2 Real Madrid

Superlative drama ended with Benfica clinching a knockout phase play-off place, a 98th-minute header from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin lifting the Portuguese team into 24th place. The Eagles looked set to miss out despite recovering from a 1-0 deficit to lead 3-1 courtesy of two goals from Andreas Schjelderup, either side of Vangelis Pavlidis' penalty. Mbappé's second of the game – his 13th league phase goal – pushed them out of the top 24 and there they remained until José Mourinho ordered Trubin forward and, against opponents suddenly down to nine men, the Ukrainian shot-stopper delivered the telling blow.

Knockout phase play-offs, first leg: Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus

The Turkish side squeezed into this stage with ten points in the league phase but showed their true colours in this tie. Teun Koopmeiners' double had the Bianconeri 2-1 up at the interval but Noa Lang's tap-in and Davinson Sánchez's header turned the tide. Juan Cabal's red card hampered Luciano Spalletti's side further with Lang and Sacha Boey taking advantage. The drama did not stop in Istanbul either, with Juventus forcing extra time in the return before Okan Buruk's charges came through 7-5 on aggregate.

Round of 16, first leg: Paris 5-2 Chelsea

No strangers to each other in the knockout phase, these heavyweights served up another classic in their first meeting. Unerring finishes from Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé put the holders ahead twice but Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernández equalised each time and it remained 2-2 until the final 16 minutes. Then Paris stepped on the gas. Vitinha's cute chip edged them if front before substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck two crucial late blows. The Georgian would prove pivotal in the return too, his early opener paving the way to a resounding 8-2 aggregate success.

Round of 16, second leg: Sporting CP 5-0 Bodø/Glimt

The Norwegian side appeared to have an unassailable 3-0 lead from the first leg but one of the great Champions League comebacks occurred at the Estádio José Alvalade. Gonçalo Inácio headed in to get the ball rolling in the first half with Pedro Gonçalves' finish and Luis Suárez's penalty forcing extra time. Bodø/Glimt continued to be overwhelmed though, Maximiliano Araújo quickly firing the hosts ahead and Rafael Nel rifling in the dying moments to complete a landmark turnaround.

Round of 16, second leg: Barcelona 7-2 Newcastle

These sides appeared perfectly matched for three-quarters of the tie. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Anthony Elanga equalised twice in the opening 28 minutes of a barnstorming return. Lamine Yamal's penalty on the stroke of half-time released the brakes on a runaway Barcelona train though. Four goals in 21 second-half minutes followed, Fermín López making it 4-2 and Robert Lewandowski plundering two before Raphinha's second of the evening capped a stunning blitz.

Quarter-final, second leg: Bayern 4-3 Real Madrid

Luis Díaz and Harry Kane had given Bayern a 2-1 first-leg victory but Arda Güler's first-minute goal here set the hare running. Aleksandar Pavlović replied quickly but Arda Güler's free-kick restored aggregate parity again. Kane struck for the hosts but competition top scorer Mbappé made it 3-2 to Madrid at the interval. It stayed that way until the penultimate minute of normal time, when Luis Díaz put Bayern back in front overall shortly after Eduardo Camavinga's dismissal. Michael Olise then added a clincher with the final kick to set the seal on a memorable night of action.

Semi-final, first leg: Paris 5-4 Bayern

Champions League games do not get better than this – 90 minutes of pure end-to-end action. Kane's penalty was cancelled out by Kvaratskhelia and Paris went on to take the lead twice in the first half, a João Neves header and Dembélé spot kick sandwiching a brilliant solo effort from Olise. Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé thumped in further efforts to put Paris 5-2 up before the hour but back came Bayern this time, Dayot Upamecano's header and Luis Díaz's sublime control and finish completed the scoring inside 68 minutes. An all-time classic.

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