10 Major ‘Cup Upsets’ in Europe During the 2024/25 Season: Part 2

As the European football season recently wrapped up, Flashscore reflects on 10 of the standout ‘cupsets’ from the 2024/25 campaign.

This is the concluding segment of a two-part feature that revisits the most surprising upsets in cup competitions across Europe during the past season. You can catch up on part one here.

One of the most remarkable stories to emerge this European season was that of third-tier side Biel-Bienne. They made headlines by defeating four professional teams on their way to becoming the first semi-professional team to reach the semi-finals since 1999. Among their impressive scalps was Lugano, a side that had been a finalist for the past three consecutive seasons.

Their adventure continued in the final four, where they were pitted against the reigning league champions Young Boys. Seven years after their last cup clash, where the capital team triumphed in extra time, expectations were low for Biel-Bienne to maintain their current run.

However, the match at Tissot Arena turned out to be anything but predictable. In front of a near-capacity crowd, Biel-Bienne delivered their most astonishing performance of the tournament. Young Boys’ Kastriot Imeri was sent off in the second half mere moments after joining the fray. The decisive moment arrived in the ninth minute of extra time when Maiko Sartoretti converted a penalty to score the only goal of the match.

Biel-Bienne’s fairy tale came to an end in the final, where they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Basel, who went on to complete a domestic double. Nevertheless, their remarkable journey will be etched in the memories of many for a long time.

Another notable cupset occurred in France during the fifth round of the Coupe de France, when fifth-tier side Bourgoin-Jallieu faced off against Olympique Lyon, a team that boasts five victories in the tournament and had recently reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

What transpired was perhaps one of the most humiliating defeats in Lyon’s cup history. Bourgoin-Jallieu struck first with Mehdi Moujetzky scoring in the 20th minute. Lyon equalised just before half-time through Nemanja Matic, but Bourgoin-Jallieu regained the lead in the second half thanks to Georges Mikautadze.

However, their lead was short-lived as Moujetzky found the net again five minutes later. The home side managed to hold out for the final 20 minutes, sending the match to penalties. Ronan Jay thwarted the first two attempts by Lyon, paving the way for a 4-2 victory in the shootout.

The Stade Pierre Rajon erupted with excitement at Bourgoin-Jallieu’s stunning win. They moved on to the round of 16, where another Ligue 1 side, Reims, needed penalties to edge past the fifth-division side. Ultimately, Bourgoin-Jallieu finished fourth in their National 3 group and will be competing in the same division for the 2025/26 season.

Not to be outdone, fellow third-tier club Arminia Bielefeld also reached the cup final, achieving an equally impressive feat by eliminating four Bundesliga teams on their way to Berlin. Their formidable path included victories over Union Berlin, Freiburg, and Werder Bremen, despite suffering consecutive relegations in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons that left them in the third tier.

Bielefeld faced last season’s domestic double winners Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals. Though Die Werkself didn’t match their 2023/24 form, they remained a strong squad, finishing second in the Bundesliga and reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, where they were eliminated by Bayern.

Against this backdrop, expectations for Die Arminen were low. Leverkusen opened the scoring with a Jonathan Tah goal in the 17th minute, but the hosts quickly responded, with Marius Worl equalising just three minutes later. Maximilian Grosser then netted the decisive goal right before half-time, allowing the 3. Liga side to secure a spot in the final.

Unfortunately for Bielefeld, they fell to Stuttgart in the showpiece, losing 4-2. Yet, they made history by reaching their first-ever final and will return to the 2. Bundesliga for the 2025/26 season after winning the third division.

Our final highlight comes from the Kosovar Cup, where second-tier Rilindja 1974 pulled off a sensational upset against Ballkani, the domestic double champions. Xhebrailat, who had enjoyed consistent performances in the Conference League in 2022/23 and 2023/24, were tipped for another deep run in the cup.

However, they hit an unforeseen obstacle in Rilindja, who managed to upset the odds. After Ballkani took the lead, Rilindja levelled in the second half. The match went to penalties after 120 minutes, where Rilindja held their composure. Converting all 10 of their penalties, they triumphed in the 10th round, sending Ballkani crashing out of the cup in a shocking early exit.

The defeat marked a disappointing chapter for Ballkani, whose coach Artim Pollozhani resigned shortly after the match. Rilindja’s triumph was short-lived, as they succumbed to Ferizaj in the round of 16 due to a late goal, capping what had been a difficult domestic season for both clubs.

Honourable Mentions

We wrap up with a couple of honourable mentions. In the previous article, we highlighted O Elvas’ surprising elimination of Vitoria Guimaraes in the Taca de Portugal. They weren’t the only fourth-tier team to create waves in the tournament; Lusitano GC also made headlines, first knocking out Estoril on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes in the third round, and then overcoming AFS with a 3-2 victory in the fifth round, having twice held a two-goal lead. Their next match against Sporting Braga in the round of 16 ended in a 2-1 loss, but they achieved promotion to the third tier.

Our other honourable mention goes to FC Hlucin, hailing from the third tier of Czech football. They made headlines by eliminating Slovan Liberec from the Czech Liga in the third round. Having won their previous two matches against lower league opponents, they faced a tougher challenge this time around.

Yet, an Ondrej Moucka penalty just before the hour mark sealed the game in their favour. FC Hlucin advanced at the expense of Liberec, who narrowly missed out on title playoffs in the top flight. Their journey ended in the next round, suffering a close 2-1 defeat to Teplice, while Hlucin finished mid-table in their domestic league.