UEFA President, Aleksander Ceferin, hailed the “glorious unpredictability” of the sport after both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur overcame three-goal deficits to qualify for the Champions League final this week.
Liverpool won 4-0 at Anfield after trailing Barcelona 3-0 from the first leg while Tottenham’s second half comeback at Ajax Amsterdam erased a 3-0 aggregate lead that allowed the London side to level it at 3-3 and advance on away goals.
“The fantastic matches in Liverpool and Amsterdam gave ample proof of the game’s glorious unpredictability,” Ceferin said in a statement.
He added: “Liverpool and Tottenham deserve the highest praise for the way in which they overcame three-goal aggregate deficits and fought back against the odds.
“The two teams’ achievements showed that anything is possible in our beautiful game… The two matches were marvellous advertisements for the calibre and appeal of the UEFA Champions League.”
Ceferin also praised Chelsea and Arsenal after they qualified for the Europa League final on Thursday.
For the first time, four clubs from the same country will feature in the finals of Europe’s two club competitions.
He added: “The meeting of the two London clubs in the final promises to be a very special occasion, not only for their fans but also for the hosts, Azerbaijan.”
The Europa League final in Baku is on May 29 while the Champions League final will be held in Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on June 1.
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