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The 2022 calendar year has brought a lot of surprises to the ongoing 2021-22 season. Not only have they come in the form of transfer signings but also in the form of results across all competitions.
Some of the top clubs have been outsmarted in Europe's top five leagues. This has not only added more spice to the game but has also provided a lot of entertainment from a neutral point of view.
Top teams have surprisingly lost unexpected games
With stakes very high across all competitions, the margin for error has been very slim. Teams with lesser quality in the squad have managed to show immense character on the pitch.
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Courtesy of their hard work and efforts, such teams have managed to defeat some of the best clubs in the world.
Here, we take a look at the top matches that have produced unexpected results in the football world in 2022 so far.
#5 Chelsea 1-4 Brentford
Chelsea have had an inconsistent season so far and in April, they suffered a major blow in their aspirations to qualify for the Champions League. The Blues hosted newly promoted Brentford at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on April 2.
Given the firepower Chelsea have at their disposal, they were expected to win the fixture easily. After a goalless first half, Antonio Rudiger gave the lead to the Blues with a stunning effort from 30 yards.
What came next was highly unexpected as Brentford managed to score thrice in 10 minutes, before adding one more in the dying minutes. Chelsea lost 1-4 at home, only making it trickier for them to secure their place in the top four by the end of the season.
#4 Eintracht Frankfurt 2-3 Barcelona
The first leg of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt ended in a 1-1 draw. The second leg took place at Camp Nou on April 14 with the Catalan club the favorites to go through.
Frankfurt started the game strongly and scored in the fourth minute through Filip Kostic. It only got worse for Barcelona as they conceded once more before half-time.
The German side were dangerous in their counter attack and added a third goal in the 67th minute, once again through Kostic. Barcelona were able to pull two back in stoppage time but it was too late to salvage anything out of it. The Spanish giants had a terrific chance to win the Europa League but Frankfurt had other plans.
#3 Juventus 0-3 Villarreal
Villarreal were drawn against Juventus in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. After a 1-1 draw in Spain, the Old Lady hosted the Yellow Submarine at the Allianz Stadium on March 16.
The Italian side were dominant but struggled to penetrate past the Villarreal defense. The Spanish side showed commendable resilience and were rewarded for it as they found the opening goal in the 78th minute through Gerard Moreno.
It only got worse for Juventus as they conceded two more to lose the game 0-3 at home. Unai Emery's Villarreal won the fixture 4-1 on aggregate to eliminate the Old Lady in the Round of 16, their third successive season exiting at this stage.
#2 Bayern Munich 1-1 Villarreal
Unai Emery's team are known to be very sturdy at the back and make things difficult for the opposition. Using their defensive approach, Villarreal won the first leg against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on April 6.
After a 1-0 loss away in Spain, the German giants were under pressure to make it count at the Allianz Arena in the second leg on April 12. They started the match brightly and took the lead courtesy of their superstar striker Robert Lewandowski in the 52nd minute.
Just when it looked like the match was heading into extra time, Samuel Chukwueze scored in the 88th minute to register a historic win for Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine now face Liverpool in the semi-finals, continuing their dream run in the competition.
#1 Italy 0-1 North Macedonia
Eight months ago, Italy were crowned the winners of Euro 2020. With that triumph, the Azzurri were expected to be strong contenders for the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Italy faced North Macedonia in the play-off match of the World Cup Qualifiers on March 24. Given their squad strength and quality, they were the clear favorites to win and face Portugal in the finals of the play-offs.
Little did they know what was coming. North Macedonia defended their hearts out as Italy managed to register only five shots from 32 attempts. In the 92nd minute of the game, Aleksandar Trajkovski scored a sensational winner to stun the Italian fans in Palermo.
Despite their best efforts in attack, Italy succumbed to a 0-1 defeat to North Macedonia. The loss saw the Azzurri miss out on a place in the FIFA World Cup for the second consecutive time.
