UEFA Champions League: 7 Biggest Wins In The Competition’s Illustrious History

Europe’s most elite cup competition, the UEFA Champions League, announced itself in its longest-ever avatar on September 17, featuring a whopping 36 teams. Matchday 1, which spanned from Tuesday to Thursday (September 17-19) for the first time ever, lived up to the hype, delivering drama, chaos, and, most importantly, goals, in abundance.

There were some big victories on Matchday 1, with Celtic claiming a 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava, Bayer Leverkusen inflicting a 4-0 loss over Feyenoord, and, most notably, Bundesliga Bayern Munich crushing Dinamo Zagreb 9-2.

It is undoubtedly one of the most emphatic victories the competition has ever seen, but is it the ultimate display of domination? Join us as we explore the seven biggest wins in Champions League history.

#7 Valencia 7-0 Genk (2011-12)

Spanish outfit Valencia blew Group E opponents Genk out of the water when they met in Matchday 5 of the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League season. Valencia claimed a record 7-0 victory over the Belgian side, Roberto Soldado (13′, 35′, 39′) leading the charge by scoring a stunning hat-trick. Jonas (10′), Pablo Hernandez (68′), Aritz Aduriz (70′), and Tino Costa (81′) scored the other four goals.

Unfortunately, the massive victory was not enough for Valencia to qualify for the Round of 16. The Spanish side finished third in their group, behind Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen, and dropped to the UEFA Europa League. They reached the semifinals in Europa before losing to Atletico Madrid on aggregate.

#6 MSK Zilina 0-7 Marseille (2010-11)

One of the most decorated teams in Ligue 1 history, Marseille secured their greatest victory in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 4 of the 2010-11 season. They claimed a thumping 7-0 win over Group F opponents MSK Zilina. Andre-Pierre Gignac led the way with a hat-trick (12′, 21′, 54′), Lucho Gonzalez (52′, 63′) scored a brace, and Gabriel Heinze (24′) and Loic Remy (36′) scored one goal apiece to seal the victory away from home.

Marseille qualified for the Round of 16 after finishing second in Group F, after Chelsea. However, the French side could not cross the first knockout hurdle, as Manchester United secured a 2-1 win over to legs to send them packing.

#5 Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Praha (2007-08)

Premier League heavyweights Arsenal produced their most commanding Champions League showing against Slavia Praha on Group H Matchday 3 of the 2007-08 season. The Gunners walked away with a massive 7-0 win in the late October fixture, with Cesc Fabregas (5′, 58′), Theo Walcott (41′, 55′), Alexander Hleb (51′), and Nicklas Bendtner (89′) on the scoresheet. David Hubacek also contributed to Arsenal’s cause by scoring an own goal.

Arsenal brushed aside AC Milan in the Round of 16, claiming a 2-0 aggregate win. However, they could not overcome English rivals Liverpool in the quarterfinals. They exited the competition after losing 5-3 to the Reds on aggregate.

#4 Juventus 7-0 Olympiacos (2003-04)

Serie A giants Juventus may not have won the UEFA Champions League in the 21st century, but they have a lot of impressive results to show for their efforts. Their best result in the competition’s history came against Olympiacos on Matchday 6 of Group D in the 2003-04 Champions League season. The Bianconeri bagged a massive 7-0 win over the Greek outfit in Turin, with David Trezeguet (14′, 25′) scoring a brace and Fabrizio Miccoli (19′), Enzo Maresca (29′), Marco Di Valo (62′), Alessandro Del Piero (67′), and Marcelo Zalayeta (79′) all chipping with a goal each.

Juventus shockingly exited the Champions League in the Round of 16 after losing 2-0 on aggregate to La Liga outfit Deportivo La Coruna.

#3 Bayern Munich 9-2 Dinamo Zagreb (2024-25)

The 9-2 Matchday 1 victory over Dinamo Zagreb is the greatest result Bayern Munich has enjoyed in the UEFA Champions League. Talisman Harry Kane (19′, 57′, 73′, 78′) scored four goals, including three penalties, Michael Olise (38′, 61′) bagged a brace, and Raphael Guerreiro (33′), Leroy Sane (85′), and Leon Goretzka (90+2′) all added a goal each to take Bayern to the record-breaking win. Bruno Petkovic (49′) and Takuya Ogiwara (50′) scored consolation goals for the visitors at the Allianz Arena.

It is too early to guess where the Bavarians will end up, but Vincent Kompany seems to be doing a good job so far. If his players can keep firing on all cylinders, they will be one of the favorites to go the distance.

#2 Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo (2015-16)

Real Madrid hosted Swedish side Malmo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium for their final Group A game of the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League season. The most successful team in the competition’s history toyed with the opposition, walking away with a club-record 8-0 victory. Cristiano Ronaldo (39′, 47′, 50′, 58′) scored four times, Karim Benzema (12′, 24′, 74′) bagged a hat-trick, and Mateo Kovacic (70′) found the back of the net in the early December victory.

Real Madrid lifted their 11th Champions League at the end of the 2015-16 season. Under the tutelage of Zinedine Zidane, who took charge on January 4, 2016, Los Blancos beat Atletico Madrid on penalties in the hotly contested final.

#1 Liverpool 8-0 Besiktas (2007-08)

On November 7, 2007, Liverpool welcomed Turkish side Besiktas to Anfield Stadium for their UEFA Champions League Group A Matchday 4 clash. The hosts ran circles around the visitors and came away with a record 8-0 victory. Yossi Benayou (32′, 53′, 56′) scored a hat-trick, Peter Crouch (19′, 89′) and Ryan Babel (78′, 81′) each bagged a brace, and Steven Gerrard (69′) scored once as the Reds marched on to glory.

Liverpool reached the semifinals of the 2007-08 Champions League season, but could not best Premier League rivals Chelsea over two legs. They crashed out of the competition after losing 4-3 on aggregate over two legs.