Nowadays, the UEFA Champions League feels like a billionaire’s playground dominated by the sheer financial power of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City.
Yet, the true magic of this historic tournament does not always come from the heavyweights. Many unforgettable nights occur when the script is completely torn apart by the “minnows”, resulting in some of the most memorable Champions League upsets in history.
We are counting down the top 6 biggest Champions League upsets of the 21st century, where absolute underdogs brought European giants to their knees.
6. FC Artmedia Bratislava (2005/06)
To even reach the group stages, the Slovakian champions had to start from the very first qualifying round in the middle of summer. In the second qualifying round, they faced Scottish heavyweights Celtic. In a result that sent shockwaves across Europe, Artmedia completely dismantled Celtic 5-0 in the first leg, surviving the return trip to Glasgow to advance and complete one of the earliest modern Champions League upsets.
However, their greatest moment came in the group stages. Drawn against the 2004 Champions League winners, FC Porto, Artmedia traveled to the intimidating Estádio do Dragão. Despite falling behind 2-0, the Slovakians staged a miraculous comeback to win 3-2.
FC Artmedia Bratislava 5-0 Celtic (27 Jul 2005, Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Second qualifying round – 1st leg)
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Juraj Halenár (43′, 76′, 89′), Blažej Vaščák (57′), Martin Mikulič (78′)
FC Porto 2-3 FC Artmedia Bratislava (28 Sep 2005, Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Group stage)
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FC Porto: Lucho González (32′), Diego (39′) | Artmedia: Peter Petráš (45′), Ján Kozák (54′), Balázs Borbély (74′)
5. BATE Borisov (2012/13)
BATE Borisov was a team that frequently punched above its weight, but nobody gave them a prayer when they welcomed Bayern Munich to Minsk in October 2012.
Bayern Munich was an absolute juggernaut that season – a team that would eventually go on to win the historic treble. Yet, on a freezing night in Belarus, the impossible happened.
BATE played with a fearless counter-attacking system, frustrating the German superstars. Goals from Aleksandr Pavlov, Vitali Rodionov, and Renan Bressan secured a breathtaking 3-1 victory. To put this into perspective, Bayern Munich only lost three matches across all competitions that entire season, making BATE’s triumph a legendary “Cinderella story”.
BATE Borisov 3-1 Bayern Munich (2 Oct 2012, Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Group stage)
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BATE: Aleksandr Pavlov (23′), Vitali Rodionov (78′), Renan Bressan (90+4′) | Bayern: Franck Ribéry (90+1′)
3. Sheriff Tiraspol (2021/22)
If you were to write this script for a Hollywood movie, it would be rejected for being too unrealistic.
Sheriff Tiraspol hails from Transnistria, an unrecognised breakaway state within Moldova. When they traveled to the iconic Santiago Bernabéu in September 2021 to face the European kings, it was supposed to be a routine training exercise for Los Blancos.
What unfolded was the mother of all Champions League upsets. Even when Karim Benzema equalized from the penalty spot, Sheriff refused to crumble. In the 89th minute, Sébastien Thill unleashed an absolute screamer from outside the box into the top corner, securing a 2-1 win.
A team from a country that does not officially exist had just conquered Real Madrid.
Real Madrid 1-2 Sheriff Tiraspol (28 Sep 2021, Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Group stage)
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Real Madrid: Karim Benzema (65′ pen) | Sheriff: Jasurbek Yakhshiboev (25′), Sébastien Thill (89′)
2. APOEL Nicosia (2011/12)
Drawn into a highly competitive group, the Cypriot champions were heavily favored to finish last. Instead, driven by the fanatical support of their fans in Nicosia, they shocked the continent by topping the group.
Their ultimate glory came in the Round of 16 against French giants Lyon. After losing the first leg 1-0, APOEL forced the return leg into a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Dionisios Chiotis made two heroic saves, sending the island of Cyprus into absolute delirium and APOEL into the Quarter-finals against Real Madrid.
APOEL Nicosia 1-0 Olympique Lyonnais (7 Mar 2012, GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Round of 16 – 2nd leg)
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APOEL: Gustavo Manduca (9′) (APOEL won 4-3 on penalties after the aggregate score was tied 1-1)
1. FK Bodo/Glimt (2025/26)
Taking the absolute number one spot is an ongoing, real-time miracle that has completely redefined the scale of Champions League upsets. Hailing from a small town located entirely inside the Arctic Circle, FK Bodo/Glimt has transformed from a European curiosity into a terrifying giant-killer in the 2025/26 season.
Their victims are not fading teams; they are the absolute elite of modern football. Using their blistering, high-intensity attacking system and weaponizing their freezing home conditions, the Norwegian champions produced a run of results that defied all logic.
They systematically dismantled Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, out-tacticed the Italian champions Inter Milan, and delivered the ultimate shock by taking down Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
This isn’t just a lucky night; Bodo/Glimt has proven that tactical brilliance and unwavering belief can conquer the richest clubs in the world.
FK Bodo/Glimt 3-1 Manchester City (20 Jan 2026, Aspmyra Stadion, Bodo, League phase)
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Bodo/Glimt: Kasper Hogh (22′, 24′), Jens Petter Hauge (58′) | Man City: Rayan Cherki (60′)
Atletico Madrid 1-2 FK Bodo/Glimt (29 Jan 2026, Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, League phase)
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Atletico Madrid: Alexander Sørloth (15′) | Bodo/Glimt: Fredrik Sjovold (34′), Kasper Hogh (59′)
FK Bodo/Glimt 3-1 Inter Milan (19 Feb 2026, Aspmyra Stadion, Bodo, Play-off round – 1st leg)
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Bodo/Glimt: Sondre Brunstad Fet (20′), Jens Petter Hauge (61′), Kasper Hogh (64′) | Inter Milan: Francesco Pio Esposito (30′)
Inter Milan 1-2 FK Bodo/Glimt (24 Feb 2026, Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Play-off round – 2nd leg)
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Inter Milan: Alessandro Bastoni (76′) | Bodo/Glimt: Jens Petter Hauge (58′), Håkon Evjen (72′)
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