Top 5: Stunning Champions League semi-final moments involving English Clubs

This week sees the Champions League semi-finals get underway and two English Premier League clubs still have hopes of lifting the trophy in June.

After defeating Manchester City in a thrilling quarter-final, Tottenham Hotspur will play against Ajax in the first of the two last-four ties.

Spurs, who saw off City on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw, have reached this stage for the very first time.

Meanwhile, Ajax’s squad of talented young players have arguably been the tournament’s surprise package to date.

The Dutch giants, who are four-time winners but last reached this stage in 1997, have seen off holders Real Madrid and favourites Juventus to get to this stage.

In the other tie, Liverpool take on FC Barcelona in a clash between two clubs to have each been crowned champions of Europe on five separate occasions.

Despite trying to win their first ever Premier League title, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are also focussed on going one step further in this tournament after last season’s defeat to Real Madrid.

But in order to do so they’ll have to get past Lionel Messi and a Barcelona side which secured their 26th Spanish league title at the weekend.

Surprisingly though, this is the Catalan club’s first appearance in the last-four since they won the competition in 2015.

This stage of the continent’s number one club competition has thrown up some incredible stories down the years and these upcoming clashes are sure to provide even more.

To celebrate this season’s final-four, we have picked out five stunning moments from Champions League finals to have included English clubs….

5. Chelsea Blues (2009)

A goalless draw at Barcelona’s Camp Nou gave Chelsea huge confidence they could reach the final for a second year in a row.

And Michael Essien’s superb strike nine minutes into the second-leg only enhanced the feeling that it would be the English side’s night.

Eric Abidal was sent off for the visitors in the second half a bad heated contest in which the hosts were denied a series of strong penalty claims.

This was made worse in injury-time when Andres Iniesta scored a spectacular goal to take the Catalans to the final and spark chaos on the touchline.

Didier Drogba was subsequently banned for six matches after confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, while Barca went on to beat Manchester United 2-0 to claim their third European crown.

4. Kaka Magic (2007) 

Between 2005-2009, AC Milan star Kaka was quite simply one of the best players on the planet.

And during the Italian side’s semi-final against Manchester United, the Brazilian showed English football fans exactly what the hype was about.

After he’d levelled the scores at 1-1, Kaka magically breezed by United defenders Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra before converting past Edwin van der Sar.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side ended up winning the first-leg 3-2 but Kaka, who later described his second Old Trafford goal as his best ever, starred in a 3-0 second-leg victory.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team would beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final to put some of the demons of Istanbul 2005 to bed.

3. Tooorrrreeeessss! – (2012)

Despite a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the first-leg, Chelsea were still big underdogs going into the return match against Barcelona.

And when they found themselves 2-0 behind and down to 10-men, following captain John Terry’s red card, not many gave them a hope.

But in first-half stoppage time Ramires’ excellent strike meant the Catalans needed to find another goal to progress.

After Lionel Messi hit the bar from the penalty spot and with the hosts throwing everything they had at the Blues, Fernando Torres collected a long hoof forward to round Victor Valdes and make it 2-2 on the night.

As well as scoring the goal which sealed his side’s place in the final, the Spanish striker’s moment is remembered for Gary Neville’s overexcited commentary.

In case you don’t remember, Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea to their first ever Champions League crown in the final as they beat Bayern Munich on penalties in Munich.

2. Captain Marvel (1999)

In the 1990s, Serie A was THE league to be in as all the best players in the world flooded to Italy to play for some of Europe’s best teams.

One of those sides was Juventus but, unfortunately for the Old Lady, they came up against Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United treble chasing side.

After a 1-1 draw in the first-leg at Old Trafford, two goals in the first 11 minutes from Filippo Inzaghi looked to had booked Carlo Ancelotti’s side a place in the final.

But then Roy Keane put in a captain’s display that lives long in the memory of many football fans.

The Irishman headed home a David Beckham corner and dominated the midfield area, despite knowing that he would miss the final after picking up a booking.

Lethal strike duo Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole then each scored to take United to the final where an even bigger miracle was needed against Bayern Munich. But we all know about that. .

1. Garcia’s Ghost Goal (2005) 

Liverpool had defied the odds to reach the last-four with Rafa Benitez’s side only managing to advance from their group by beating Olympiacos in a Champions League classic.

They then defeated Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus before being drawn against the best team in England at that time – Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

Following a tense goalless draw at Stamford Bridge the stage was set at Anfield for a special European night.

Special soon turned into controversial as Luis Garcia opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a toe-poke that the ref deemed to have crossed the line.

Back in 2005 goal-line technology didn’t exist so the debate still goes on to this day whether or not the ball was in.

We’re glad it did otherwise we would never had witnessed Rafa’s team pulling off one of football’s greatest ever comebacks on an unforgettable final in Istanbul.