We all know anything can happen in soccer. Most of the time, that’s just hopeful filler before Real Madrid casually win 3-1 again. But the Champions League upsets this season? Oh man—it actually delivered the madness.
From dreamers torching seasoned pros to Dutch teams rising like it’s the 1970s again, 2024–25 gave us underdog drama that Hollywood would’ve rejected as too far-fetched.
Here are the top 10 upsets from this year’s Champions League that turned heads, broke brackets, and made us believe in the impossible.
Upset #1: Stade Brestois 4–0 Red Bull Salzburg (Oct 2024)
Brest’s Counter-Attacking Masterclass
Raise your hand if you had Stade Brestois winning two straight UCL games out the gate. No one?
On a cool October evening in Salzburg, the little club from Brittany turned into berserkers. Abdallah Sima scored twice, and their counters? Absolute art. It was like watching a lower-league team discover cheat codes mid-match.
French outlets called them the “points-hungry pirates,” and honestly, that banner in the away end—“COME ON BREST!”—hit harder after this win.
Upset #2: Aston Villa 1–0 Bayern Munich (Oct 2024)
Villa Park Time Machine to 1982
I don’t care who you support—if Jhon Durán’s breakaway goal didn’t give you goosebumps, you might be made of stone. Villa, back in the UCL after a generational hiatus, took down Bayern with grit, Emi Martínez heroics, and vibes straight out of the ’82 final.
The atmosphere at Villa Park? Electric. You could feel the tension burst when Martínez fingertipped Harry Kane’s header wide in stoppage time. It was like Villa summoned the ghosts of past glory and said, “Let’s go again.”
Upset #3: Celtic 3–1 RB Leipzig (Nov 2024)
Welcome Back to the Celtic Cauldron
If you’ve never experienced Celtic Park on a European night, this one captured it all. Down 0-1? No biggie. Nicolas Kühn, a relative unknown, scores twice in 10 minutes and suddenly the place is boiling. Then Reo Hatate finishes the job with a cherry-on-top goal.
I was watching this one at home, half-asleep… then Kühn’s second goal happened and I actually jumped off the couch. Schmeichel in goal, the fans losing their minds, and Leipzig left wondering what just happened. It was Glasgow chaos—and I loved every second.
Upset #4: Real Madrid 1–3 AC Milan (Nov 2024)
Old Money Meets Old Glory
You read the scoreboard and think, “Okay, not too wild.” But it was. Real Madrid—reigning champs, with Mbappé up top—got schooled in their own house. Milan hadn’t looked this sharp in Europe since the MySpace era.
When Pulisic torched two defenders to set up the second, I nearly dropped my beer. And Giroud’s volley for the third? Vintage stuff. Madrid fans booed at full-time. Mbappé? Missed everything. Soccer, man. No scriptwriter could’ve done this better.
Upset #5: Sporting CP 4–1 Manchester City (Nov 2024)
Lisbon Turns into Oz, City Clicks “Reset”
You ever have a dream where the best team in the world just… breaks? That’s what happened here. Pep’s all-star City side went up 1-0 early and then completely unraveled. Gyökeres turned into prime Ronaldo and bagged a hat-trick. Even Haaland missed a pen.
I watched this with two City fans. Silence. One just stared into his drink. “What just happened?” Honestly, I still don’t know. It was the soccer equivalent of dropping your phone into a toilet and just watching it sink.
Upset #6: Feyenoord 3–0 Bayern Munich (Jan 2025)
Dutch Masterclass, German Meltdown
Let’s be real: when Bayern play Dutch clubs, you expect precision passing and a narrow win—not a 3-0 drubbing. But that’s what happened. Santiago Giménez was on fire, and Feyenoord’s keeper, Justin Bijlow, played like he was auditioning for the Matrix.
Bayern had 30 shots. Thirty. Not one goal. Kompany looked lost, Kane was frustrated, and the Dutch crowd? Party mode. One of my favorite tweets said, “Feyenoord just sent Bayern into an existential crisis.” I felt that.
Upset #7: Club Brugge 5–2 Atalanta (Feb 2025)
Belgium’s Beautiful Beatdown
This one slid under the radar, but Brugge absolutely handled Atalanta. Two legs, total control. Nusa and Lang were everywhere, and Mignolet—yep, that Mignolet—turned back the clock.
Italian media called it a flop. Brugge fans called it Friday night. I call it a blueprint for how to punch above your weight: stay compact, hit fast, finish ruthlessly.
Upset #8: Feyenoord 2–1 AC Milan (Feb 2025)
Back-to-Back Giant-Killing
How do you follow up beating Bayern? You take out Milan. Feyenoord, again, played it smart and snatched a historic aggregate win thanks to Giménez (again). Milan threw the kitchen sink, but Feyenoord’s wall held.
There’s a photo of their fans jumping in unison post-match—pure soccer joy. Milan were gutted. But credit where it’s due: Feyenoord are the dark horse of this year’s tournament
Upset #9: PSV Eindhoven 4–3 Juventus (Feb 2025)
Late Drama? PSV Wrote the Book
This one had it all—VAR drama, stoppage-time equalizer, extra-time winner. PSV were dead and buried at halftime in leg two… then boom: De Jong header in the 95th, Flamingo winner in the 98th.
I was yelling so loud I scared my dog. Juventus fans? Let’s just say, not thrilled. Italian Twitter melted down, and PSV’s socials were feeling spicy. One word: chaos.
Upset #10: Arsenal 5–1 Real Madrid (April 2025)
Declan Rice Becomes a Folk Hero
You ever see a team outclass Real Madrid like that? Me neither. Rice’s two free-kicks in the first leg were magic—like, “Did he just do that again?!” kind of magic. Arsenal fans at the Emirates were floating.
By the time Saka scored in Madrid, it was over. Real’s aura? Gone. Even Mbappé couldn’t save them. And for once, it felt like Arsenal were the big boys at the table. Honestly? They deserve to be there.
Conclusion: What’s Soccer Without Surprises?
This UCL season has reminded us why we watch. Not just for the stars or the trophies, but for nights when unknowns become legends, and giants crumble under floodlights. The new format gave us more games, but also more chaos—and I’m all for it.
I found myself watching some of these matches like a kid seeing soccer for the first time. You know… shouting at the screen, checking the stats in disbelief, then checking my soccer betting strategy for flaws.
Got a favorite moment I missed? Still crying over Bayern’s group-stage soap opera? Let’s talk about it in the comments or on Twitter. Because if this is what the Champions League looks like now, I can’t wait for what’s next.
Which of these upsets blew your mind the most? Did you witness any live? Let’s relive the madness together.
About the Author
Alonzo Solano
The Boss of Betting, Editor-in-Chief & Sports Analyst
Alonzo Solano is an author, sports analyst, Editor in Chief of BossofBetting.com, and host of the 'NFL Latino TV' podcast.
Outside of family, his biggest passion is NFL football. Perhaps he is best known for his podcast 'NFL Latino TV,' where he shares his analysis and perspectives on the game with a worldwide Spanish-speaking audience.
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