On april 2025
18 Years Since the Historic 0–3 Win at Leverkusen: When Carlos Cuéllar Opened the Door to a European Dream. This month marks 18 years since one of the most iconic nights in the history of Club Atlético Osasuna. On April 5, 2007, the team from Pamplona stunned Europe with a 0–3 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena, in the first leg of the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) quarter-finals. It was a magical evening for Osasuna—and for Carlos Cuéllar, who scored the opening goal in the very first minute of the match.
That early goal silenced the German crowd and set the tone for a flawless performance by Ziganda’s side, who took a giant step towards the semi-finals with a memorable away win. “That goal in the first minute was special. We knew we had to come out strong, and the team delivered. The atmosphere, the opponent, the fact it was Holy Week in Spain... it was unforgettable for all of us,” Cuéllar recalls with pride.
Osasuna confirmed their place in the semi-finals a week later with a 1–0 win in the return leg at El Sadar, writing a new chapter in the club’s European journey. In the next round, they faced defending champions Sevilla FC, winning the first leg but ultimately being knocked out by a side that would go on to lift the trophy again.
Cuéllar had already played a crucial role earlier that season, scoring the opening goal in the historic return leg of the Champions League qualifiers against Hamburg—the club’s first-ever appearance in the prestigious competition. Two decisive goals. Two iconic moments. One unforgettable season. Eighteen years on, that legendary run continues to live in the hearts of Osasuna fans everywhere
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