French Clubs Feats on the European Stage (Part 1).

Les Exploits des clubs français en Coupe d'Europe.

Un sujet que j'avais "posté" le 16 août 2011 sur le Forum Xtratime (section French Football) et que je vais "reposter" ici sur Football Yesterday & Today, tel quel. Il s'agit d'un sommaire des plus beaux, inattendus,  les deux, des succès des clubs français dans les compétitions européennes, des plus grands matchs, sous une forme sommaire mais néanmoins plutôt détaillée (feuilles de matchs, quelques anecdotes etc.).

Donc c'était en "Anglais" mais pas de panique d'où les guillemets et parce que le texte reste assez simple à assimiler. Et celà commençait comme ça...

A topic I had originally posted on Xtratime Forum, August 16, 2011 (French Football section) that I will re-post here on Football Yesterday & Today, almost in his original form. It is like a timeline, a sum-up but with some details as the match reports, some anecdotes etc.

It started like this...

--------

"Waiting for Paris Saint-Germain brings to France its third European cup (it should be the first for Qatar), here is a reminder of the greatest moments of the French clubs in the three competitions of the UEFA".

As an introduction, maybe it's better to start with the beginnings? So here's the 1955-56 European Cup final game. It's the first edition of this competition invented by some French people (as the World Cup and the European Nations Cup) and a French club, known to play the «Football champagne», faced a terribly ambitious Spanish club that counts among its ranks many elements of value and a south-american player out of the ordinary nicknamed «La Saeta Rubia». Reims had «the Napoleon of football» -according to the English. We are obviously talking of Stade de Reims and Real Madrid, of Di Stefano and Kopa, the two first star-players of the European Cup.

We will remind these great games we were talkin' about in images. So here it is. Let's start with this one:

First European Cup Final: Real Madrid – Stade de Reims.

In spanish please! 

Place: Paris, Parc des Princes

Date: June, the 13th 1956

Attendance: 38239

Referee: M. Ellis

European Cup Final

Real Madrid_4-3_Stade de Reims

Real 0, Reims 1: Michel Leblond 6'

Real 0, Reims 2: Jean Templin 10'

Real 1, Reims 2: Alfredo Di Stefano 14'

Real 2, Reims 2: Hector Rial 79'

Real 2, Reims 3: Michel Hidalgo 62'

Real 3, Reims 3: Marquitos Alonso 67'

Real 4, Reims 3: Hector Rial 79'

Line-ups:

Real Madrid:________Stade de Reims:

Juan Alonso________René-Jean Jacquet

Angel Atienza_______Simon Zimny

Marquitos Alonso____Robert Jonquet (c)

Rafael Lesmes_______Raoul Giraudo

Miguel Munoz (c)____Michel Leblond

José Maria Zarraga____Robert Ziatka

José Iglesias Joseito___Michel Hidalgo

José Ramon Marsal____Léon Glovacki

Alfredo Di Stefano_____Raymond Kopa

Hector Rial___________René Bliard

Francisco Gento_______Jean Templin

-------------------------------------------------

José Villalonga________Albert Batteux

So after a beautiful European campaign with a wonderful confrontation against MTK in quarters (4-2 home 4-4 away, this game was a peak of offensive football from the both sides), Stade de Reims missed to cast his name on the virgin cup. Anyway they were adored by people and this national mania will goes on for some years again. At European level, the win of Real consecrate them in the eye of anyone.

Three years later, «le grand Stade de Reims» encounters again Real wich became a giant. For the final again. Real, this time, done things as simply as possible winning by two goals to nothing. It must be said that they now count Raymond Kopa in their ranks.

Top Scorer 59

 

Place: Stuttgart

Date: June, the 3rd 1959

Attendance: 80000

Referee: M. Dusch

European Cup Final

Real Madrid_2-0_Stade de Reims

Real 1, Reims 0: Enrique Mateos 2'

Real 2, Reims 0: Alfredo Di Stefano 47'

Line-ups:

Real Madrid:________Stade de Reims:

Rogelio Dominguez___Dominique Colonna

Marquitos Alonso_____Bruno Rodzik

José Emilio Santamaria__Robert Jonquet

José Maria Zarraga____Raoul Giraudo

Juan Sansisteban_____Armand Penverne

Antonio Ruiz________Michel Leblond

Raymond Kopa______Robert Lamartine

Enrique Mateos______Michel Bliard

Alfredo Di Stefano___Just Fontaine

Hector Rial_________Roger Piantoni

Francisco Gento_____Jean Vincent

…......................................................

Luis Carniglia______Albert Batteux

Note The Real's coach is the argentinian Carniglia ex-player and coach of Nice, the principal ennemy of Reims!

...

Now we will concentrate on the wins.

Back to 1960 and the first time a French club emerged victorious in a game against Real Madrid.

Between the two Reims' beautiful runs in the European cups 1955-56 and 1958-59, nothing had happened. At least for the clubs, because for its, the selection made a brillant career at World Cup in Sweden. Season 59-60, Nice appears for the second time in the European Cup. Perhaps they are less expected than the popular Stade de Reims...moreover, they had already fail against Real in 1957, in quarter-finals. Anyway, they will win this prestigious victory, wich despite the three goals scored by Nurenberg, without fuss, has entered the French football history.

(Attention, note the 3-2 goal is missing in this video).

 

So it was OGC Nice – Real Madrid: 3-2

For the anecdot, Di Stefano didn't played into this game.

At half-time, Fontaine (he's not on the football fields because of injury, he will play again but no much longer), is interviewed. Here are his words: «*Basically, before everything else, football is simply a game...and as they (his ex-partners) have now less ans less chances to qualify, so it's much better to try to play all out*».

His partners have heard him (perhaps the madridists too, the scandalmongers would say) and they finally prevailed.

A week later, in Madrid, the Real reputed invincible at Chamartin, won 4-0. The French-Argentine player De Bourgoing was sent-off at 46' as he was protesting against the referee about a penalty given to Real and the first half was exageratly expended to 54 minutes.

For the anecdot Di Stefano played this game and scored the penalty-shot.

Place: Nice, Stade du Ray

Date: February, the 4th 1960

Referee: M. Da Costa

Attendance: 21422

¼ of the European Cup, 1st leg

OGC Nice _3-2_Real Madrid

Nice 0, Real 1: Chus Herrera 15' (lob-pass by Puskas)

Nice 0, Real 2: Hector Rial 26'

Nice 1, Real 2: Victor Nurenberg 52'

Nice 2, Real: 2: Victor Nurenberg 68' (p)

Nice 3, Real: 2: Victor Nurenberg 84'

Line-ups:

OGC Nice___________Real Madrid CF

Georges Lamia________Rogelio Dominguez

Alphonse Martinez____Alonso Marquitos

'Pancho' Gonzales_____José Emilio Santamaria

André Chorda________Miche

Alain Cornu_________José Maria Vidal

François Milazzo_____Juan Sansisteban

Hector De Bourgoing__Chus Herrera

Jean-Pierre Alba______Hector Rial

Jacques Foix__________Enrique Mateos

Victor Nurnenberg_____Ferenc Puskas

Keita Oumar Barrou___Francisco Gento

Jean Luciano_________Manuel Fleitas

Nice does what Reims didn't performed but haven't reach the final. Real is on the road to his consecutive 5th European Cup victory.

…

So we have now enter the 60s:

Well, it's well-known, in the 60s nothing happened in French football. Or almost nothing.

In the 1963-64 Cup Winners Cup, Lyon, after they have beaten B1913 Odense and Olympiakos, meets Hamburger SV in ¼ . They have a good match in Germany: 1-1, goal by Mignot.

Lyon loves Germany coz in 1960 they beaten Köln away (1-2). But in the first leg the Germans won 1-3 in Gerland. This time they will eliminate their rivals with a 2-0 win at Gerland Stadium (goals by Combin) after this good away draw we mentioned.

Here is the Olympique Lyonnais' Line-up wich had beaten Hamburger SV 2-0: it was already a sort of 4-3-2-1 formation with Di Nallo and Combin swapping in attack and Rambert as a left-winger:

Marcel Aubour

Jean Djorkaeff – Aimé Mignot – Thadée Polak – Lucien Degeorges

Marcel Leborgne – Jean Dumas – Guy Hatchi

Fleury Di Nallo – Angel Rambert

Nestor Combin

They were facing the HSV of Uwe Seeler and Charly Dörfel.

HSV always with Seeler and the Dörfel brothers (Gerd and Bernd now) took his revenge four years later in the same competition in quarter-finals again for three games included a tie-break played in Hamburg. These three games finished on the score of 2-0 with two goals by Di Nallo for the victory in Lyon. Previously, Lyon had eliminated the holder of the Cup Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in Gerland (Di Nallo 75'), 4-3 in White Hart Lane (Greaves 20', Greaves 45' [p.], Di Nallo 54', Jones 55', Rambert 58', Gilzean 69', Bouassa 79').

Jean Djorkaeff - OL

 

After «Le Grand Reims», the France of football will have been excited by the capital of Gauls' club with these two Lyon epics long before OM, PSG or Monaco and... AS Saint-Etienne.

During these 60s, except Nice, at the very beginning of the decade, and Lyon, another team made something.

In 1965, RC Strasbourg eliminates Barcelona at the 1/8 level of the Fairs Cup in three confrontations (RCS-FCB: 0-0, 2-2, 0-0, penalties session won by Strasbourg). Three draws with a 2-2 at Camp Nou. With the away goals rule, Strasbourg had qualify in two games. But it didn't exist yet. So Strasbourg won by coin-tossing in the tie-break game (always at Camp Nou) and reached the quarters this year. Oh, and in the First Round, they eliminated AC Milan (RCS-ACM: 2-0, 0-1).

Here are the Line-ups and goals for RC Strasbourg – AC Milan played in Strasbourg in 1964 (2-0):

RCS: Schuth, Gonzales, Hauss, Devaux, Kaelbel, Merschel, Stieber, Gress, Farias, Hausser, Zsamboki.

ACM: Barluzzi, Noletti, Pelagalli, Bacchetta, Maldini, Trappatoni, Salvi, V. Benitez, Amarildo, David, Germano. [right]Coaches: P. Frantz (RCS), N. Liedholm (ACM).[/right]

Goals: Merschel 76', Hausser 89'.

Ferrario was the scorer at San Siro Stadium (9').

Here are the line-ups and scorers for FC Barcelona-RC Strasbourg in the second leg played in Barcelona in 1965 (2-2):

FCB: Sadurni, J.C Benitez, Olivella, Eladio, Verges, Garay, Rifé, Govyaerts, Ré, Kocsis, Seminario.

RCS: Schuth, Gonzales, Sbaïz, Hauss, Devaux, Kaelbel, Merschel, Gress, Szczepaniak, Farias, Hausser.

Goals: Hausser 15', J.C Benitez 57', Farias 67', Seminario 89'.

It's honest to say the defensive system of RCS worked well. And very well, because it's no less honest to say Barcelona was twice eliminated with a late equalization and two goals conceded home given the away goals rule had existed. They had also three times the occasion to develop some football, twice home. Finally, except the RCS defenders, the heroes were called Gress, the argentinian Farias and Hausser, not the south american stars of the catalan club, those that could be feared in view of their statistics at the domestic level. Hard times for Barça.

Gérard Hausser, RC Strasbourg:

...

The season 1969-70 marks the first good result of AS Saint-Etienne with a victory against Bayern, a new big European club, winner of the cup winners cup 67.

Munchen won the first leg 2-0. Saint-Etienne won the 2nd one 3-0.

Anecdots: before the start of the match, an emissary of Bayern soared under the lights of Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium to show a baner that readt «Munich was excited by the beautiful game AS Saint-Etienne had. Munich greets all the French». Then he put away his baner (under applausements) and happened what happened. Maïer had a great game, Carnus had nothing to do.

Saint-Etienne, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, October, the 1st 1969, second leg of 1/16 of the Champions Club Cup (attendance: 33716).

AS Saint-Etienne 3 – 0 Bayern Munchen

Hervé Revelli 1'

Hervé Revelli 59'

Salif Keita 81'

Carnus_____________Maïer

V. Durkovic________Kopenhoffer

Bosquier___________Beckenbauer

Broissart___________Schwarzenbeck

Camerini___________Pumm

Samardzic__________Olhauser

Herbin (c)__________Roth

Mitoraj____________Schmid

Sa. Keita___________Miehl

H. Revelli__________Müller

Bereta_____________Brenninger. Coaches: Batteux_Zebec

Revelli beats Maïer and a petrified Beckenbauer before the eyes of Keita.

 

They will meet again during these 70s.

Before that, Nice demonstrates to be still a great French club in the season 73-74 eliminating Barcelona from the first round. They won at Stade Du Ray 3-0 and known a loss at Camp Nou but only by 2-0. Then, they have eliminated Fenerbahçe in the next round. In 1/8, after an excellent game home, they were atomized by the FC 1. Köln of Overath in Germany (1-0 for a lot of occasions.../ 0-4).

09-19-73, Nice, Stade du Ray, 1/32 of the UEFA Cup, first leg, attendance: about 11000.

OGC Nice – FC Barcelona: 3-0

goals: Van Dijk 6', Molitor 66', Molitor 79'.

Nice: Baratelli, Grava, Adams, Isnard, Chorda - Huck, Jouve - Ericksson - Van Dijk, Molitor, Loubet.

Barcelona: Sadurni, De la Cruz, Gallego, Torres, Costas - Juan Carlos, Marcial - Juanito (Cos 56') - Carreno, Sotil, Asensi.

For the anecdot, Cruijff wasn't yet about to play for Barça due to administrative/ politic reasons.

Here is Marc Molitor causing problems to Gallego. 'Marco' was on fire and scored 2 of the 3 OGCN goals by the way.

Note the number of the beast marks this game. It's the last time Nice pass a round of an European cup for a long time.

Now the stage will be all the AS Saint-Etienne's one.

 

Season 1974-1975, AS Saint-Etienne wich is French champion for the 7th time, represents France in the Champions Cup. They had already played in this event and even in the Latin Cup, but with little success except the feat against Bayern Munchen in 69 wich had remained unanswered. This time, with a large number of home-grownth players (Revelli's brothers, Lopez, Synaeghel...the young Rocheteau), some experienced internationals (Curkovic, Piazza) and their captain Larqué, «*Les Verts*» would write one of the more beautiful page of French football since Reims and the World Cup 58.

All started with a defeat at the 2nd round in October, 23rd 1974. In Split. Hajduk Split with his unstoppable left-winger Surjak crushes AS Saint-Etienne. 4-1: Jerkovic 24', H. Revelli 32', Zungul 56', Jerkovic 65', Mijac 80'.

2 weeks later, in a homeric game, Saint-Etienne reverse the tendancy with so courage, talent, perhaps a bit of chance also. In any case, the gods were with them and it's even already a bit thanks to this game that they will soon have all of France behind them.

November, the 6th 1974, Saint-Etienne, Geoffroy-Guichard, 1/8 of the Champions Cup, 2nd leg.

AS Saint-Etienne 5___1 Hajduk Split

Larqué 36'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jovanovic 60'

Bathenay 61'

Bereta 71' (p)

Triantafilos 82'

Triantafilos 104'

Curkovic______________Meskovic

Janvion (J. Santini 92')_____Kurtela

Piazza_________________Bujan

Lopez_________________Dozni

Reppelini (Triantafilos 80')_Rozic

Bathenay______________Muzimic

Larqué________________Boljat

C.Synaeghel____________Jovanovic

P. Revelli______________Zungul

H. Revelli_____________Jerkovic

Bereta________________Surjak

…...................................................

Herbin________________Ivic

 

Here is some footage of ASSE-Hajduk, a game that was not at TV programs:

Summary of what you have seen in the video: on this evening, the public is manic since the start. They do believe their favorites can do it like it was written. But things are not so simple and after the opening-goal by Larqué, Jovanovic equalizes! Definitively not so simple, Saint-Etienne must score four more goals now to qualify! Bathenay scores immediately after the Hajduk's goal on a corner-kick executed by Larqué. Then, 10 minutes later, a penalty-kick is obtained. Bereta converts it. Then the overall equalization is done when the improbable Triantafilos, who doesn't make many times the 11, scores the fourth goal synonymous of extra-time while he entered the pitch since only one minute, punishing the croatians who were (legitimately and legally) making back-passes to their goalie. The supporters are boiling, the players, from the both sides, are cremated. And the evening becomes the night. 104', Hervé Revelli obtains a free-kick at twenty meters from the target. Taken by cramps, Larqué and Bereta just can't kick it. Bereta slightly gives the ball to...Triantafilos who accurately scores in force. 5-1!

Next round, the famous polish club Ruch Chorzow. ASSE is beaten away but scoring two goals (3-2: Masczyk 9', Benigier 36', Bula 46' in the first half then Larqué 64' and Triantafilos 84' in the second half). In the 2nd leg home, Saint-Etienne prevails (2-0: Janvion 3', H. Revelli [p] 84') in front of a superb crowd of 37903 spectators.

Here is the video of Saint-Etienne-Ruch Chorzow, ¼ , 2nd leg:

 

You certainly admired the Larqué's free-kick «à la Juninho» long before the Pernambucano.

Next step is a reunion with Bayern. ASSE-Bayern: 0-0 then Bayern-ASSE: 2-0.

4-9-75, AS Saint-Etienne – Bayern Munchen, 1st leg of the Semi-finals of the Champions Cup: 0-0.

ASSE: Curkovic – Repellini, Piazza, Lopez, Farison – Janvion (then Merchadier 73'), Larqué, C. Synaeghel (then Bathenay 55') – P. Revelli, H. Revelli, Triantafilos. Tr.: Herbin.

Bayern: Maïer – Andersson, Beckenbauer, Schwarzenbeck, Wunder – Kapellmann, Hoeness, Roth – Torstensson, Müller, Dürnberger. Tr.: Cramer.

4-23-75, Bayern Munchen – AS Saint-Etienne, 2nd leg, 2-0.

Bayern: Maïer – Andersson, Beckenbauer, Schwarzenbeck, Weiss – Kapellmann, Hoeness, Roth – Torstensson, Müller, Dürnberger. Tr.: Cramer

ASSE: Curkovic – Merchadier (then Repellini 87'), Piazza, Lopez, Farison – Bathenay, Larqué, C. Synaeghel (then J. Santini 87') – P. Revelli, H. Revelli, Triantafilos. Tr.: Herbin

Video of the game at Olympiastadion with this fantastic goal by Beckenbauer against liquefied «*verts*» (admire the «*Franz-turn*»).

 

Bayern goes to the final wich will be played in Paris at Parc des Princes. Here they will win their second European title consecutively.

Les Verts are always there for the European Champions Cup 1975-1976 as they continue to dominate French football. After they had beaten Copenhagen and Glasgow Rangers with their now strong experience, they meet the formidable Blokhin's Dynamo Kiev. For those who have missed the game against Hajduk the previous season (and they were numerous), Les Verts would serve them the same kind of scenario.

First, Saint-Etienne is defeated in Ukraine. 2-0 (Bathenay o-g or Konkov, Blokhin). The team has inner-problems and there's a sort of crisis. The president wants Herbin to change some players...Herbin maintains the same men and AS Saint-Etienne accomplished what is considered as its highest collective performance in the 2nd leg home, in the «chaudron».

During the first-half, Curkovic was never really worried thanks to a high-pressing made by his teammates. But on the opposite side Rudakov stopped everything and the Dynamo's players were cool. They still were qualified at half-time. 65': some sweats for Curko' on a counter-attack of Dynamo that Blokhin, uninspired, missed to concrete. That is followed by a counter-attack by Les Stéphanois wich resulted in the first goal (scored by H. Revelli and not Piazza as the commentator said, Piazza gave him the ball). Sensational. The second goal is the work of the free-kick master Jean-Michel Larqué after H. Revelli provoked it working as a pivot in attack. Ten minutes later Larqué has been replaced; fatigue was felt (on the both sides, as Dynamo suffered of the pressing and failed to develop some attack, especially since the start of that 2nd half). Ten other minutes pass without a goal and we arrive at 90'. This is obviously not finished because the two teams are not broken overall. Xtratime. 112': the young Dominique Rocheteau, injured the previous season for crucial games, scored here the qualifying goal served by the Revelli younger brother, Patrick, who entered from 46' to enlarge the game (with a real big success). Without any force anymore, but still in better shape than his opponents who had raced without the ball all night long, AS Saint-Etienne qualified to the semis, signing at the same time a masterpiece. «Total-football»? «Hurrah-football», Rocheteau will later tell.

ASSE-Dynamo 76 video:

March, 17th 1976 Saint-Etienne, Geoffroy-Guichard, 1/8 of the Champions Cup, 2nd leg.

AS Saint-Etienne 3_____0 Dynamo Kiev

H. Revelli 64'

Larqué 71' (f.k)

Rocheteau 112'

Curkovic______________Rudakov

Janvion_______________Trochkine

Piazza________________Formienko

Lopez________________Rechko

Farison_______________Matvienko

C.Synaeghel___________Konkov

Bathenay______________Kolotov

Larqué (J. Santini 81')____Burjak (Damine 82')

Rocheteau_____________Blokhin

H. Revelli_____________Onitchenko

Sarramagna (P. Revelli 46')_Veremeev

….............................................................

Herbin_________________Lobanovski

It's a bitter confrontation that Les Verts will know in semi-final against PSV. One more time, they made the difference at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in front of their supporters; 1-0 (on a stunning free-kick by Larqué, another one). Before they finally heroically resist to the PSV attackers in Holland; 0-0.

March, 31th 1976, Saint-Etienne, Geoffroy-Guichard, 1st leg of the Champions Cup's semi-finals:

AS Saint-Etienne – PSV Eidhoven: 1-0 (Larqué [f.k])

ASSE: Curkovic – Janvion, Piazza, Lopez, Farison – Larqué., Bathenay (then Repellini 84'), C. Synaeghel, – Rocheteau, H. Revelli, P. Revelli. Tr.: Herbin.

PSV: Van Beveren – Deijkers, Krijgh, Van Kraay, Poortvielt – Stevens, W. Van de Kerkhof, Van der Kuijlen. – R. Van de Kerkhof, Dalqvist (then Lubse 46'), Edström. Tr.: Rijvers (ex-player of Saint-Etienne 51-53, 55-57 and 60-62).

So Saint-Etienne reaches the final. Against Bayern. Obviously Bayern. It's the third time a french club will play an European Cup final and the second club in history since Stade de Reims.

A summary, very quickly: first, Saint-Etienne plays without three heroes of the previous games: the surprising Gérard Farison who had very well covered his left-side is not in the 11 because of an injury he had in the previous League match. Synaeghel, the «ant of the midfield» is not there too for the same reason. Then, Herbin, for the disappointment of fans, preferred to have Rocheteau on the bench (as an «ultimate weapon » because he was slightly injured? Probably a bit of the two. He has finally endured a surgery, so...). Bayern has his best 11, obviously with Maïer, «Kaiser Franz», «Der Bomber» Gerd Müller, Hoeness and a young player who is not yet the big star he will be: Rummenigge.

In the first-half, «Sainté», with his players that Europe has learned to know all this time, is wonderful to watch playing some good football against these big names we mentionned above. In fact, it's honest to say they had the best opportunities. Twice they could have scored. But their shots found the cross-bar with the Bathenay's long-range shot at min. 34 (+ the surprised Revelli who didn't smashed the ball or control it) and the Santini's header at close-range (39'). Half-time: Saint-Etienne: 2 cross-bars, Bayern: 0 (and a good attempt by Rummenigge brilliantly saved by Curkovic).

At the very beginning of the second half of the match, «Sainté» shows dangerous with a Sarramagna header. Maïer doesn't move, it misses. Maybe the green storm is away now and the Germans only have to wait the right occasion. It's a free-kick scored by «the bull» Franz Roth.

May, 12th 1976, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Champions Club Cup Final

Attendance: 54 684

Referee: M. Palotai (Karoly Palotai, the hungarian ex-player)

FC Bayern Munchen 1___0 AS Saint-Etienne

Roth 57'

Maïer________________Curkovic

Hansen_______________Janvion

Schwarzenbeck________Piazza

Beckenbauer__________Lopez

Horsmann____________Repellini

Roth_________________Bathenay

Dürnberger____________Larqué

Kapellmann___________J. Santini

Rummenigge__________P. Revelli

Müller_______________H. Revelli

Hoeness_____________Sarramagna (Rocheteau 83')

…......................................................................

Cramer______________Herbin

Definitively, AS Saint-Etienne took the dimension of Reims.

Let's go right now for the videos wich concentrate on this final!

Here is a link to a video from a French view:

They didn't bring back the cup but it's still a success.

Damn square posts! (Jacques Santini's header).

Les Verts were playing for the first time in the cup with black shorts instead of the usual white ones, that for the purposes of TV, did I say?

  A beautiful and proud team.

Still champion in France Saint-Etienne plays the 1976-77 European Cup. All is right in the first round as they finally eliminate CSKA Sofia (0-0 away, 1-0 home: Piazza). Only maybe the enthousiasm of the supporters is higher than the players' one.

In next round they meet PSV again. For the same result of the previous season (1-0: Piazza, 0-0). The Quarters are reached for the third time consecutively. Now, a particulary serious rival is on their road with the Reds of Liverpool who are in constant improvement since their 1976 victory in the UEFA Cup. AS Saint-Etienne's Les Verts proves to be still one of the best teams in Europe winning 1-0 at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. But in France these Reds played bravely, even without their star Kevin Keegan, showing much confidence in themselves with their «fighting-spirit» and their will to score goals. In the 2nd leg despite of a good game by Saint-Etienne and another stunning goal by Bathenay, Liverpool quite clearly wins the game with a quick atonishing goal by Keegan from the corner of the box at min. 2, another one by Kennedy who responds to Bathenay (2-1, Saint-Etienne is still qualified) and a third and qualifying goal by the Toshak' substitute, Fairclough, at min. 84' who crucify Curkovic in front of 8000 supporters of Les Verts.

March, 2nd 1976, Saint-Etienne, Geoffroy-Guichard, quarters of the Champions Cup, 1st leg.

Referee: M. Palotai. At least 38000 spectators.

AS Saint-Etienne 1_0 Liverpool FC

Bathenay 78'

ASSE: Curkovic – Janvion, Piazza, Lopez, Farison – Larqué, J. Santini, Bathenay, Synaeghel – Rocheteau, P. Revelli. Coach: Herbin.

LFC: Clemence – Jones, Hughes, Thompson, Neal– McDermott, Callaghan, Case, Kennedy – Heighway, Toshak (then Smith 80'). Coach: Paisley.

...

March, 16th 1976, Liverpool, Anfield Road, quarters of the Champions Cup, 2nd leg.

Referee: M. Corver. About 70000 spectators.

Liverpool FC 3–1 AS Saint-Etienne

Keegan 2'...............Bathenay 50' 

Kennedy 59'

Fairclough 84'

LFC: Clemence- Neal, Smith, Hughes, Jones – Callaghan, Case, Kennedy – Keegan, Toshak, Heighway.

ASSE: Curkovic – Janvion, Merchadier (then H. Revelli 74'), Lopez, Farison – Larqué, Bathenay, Synaeghel, J. Santini – Rocheteau, P. Revelli.

Here's a condensed of these two games:

«L'Epopée des Verts» although had ended a night of May 76 in Hampden Park. It's definitively the times of the German and the English clubs.

 

Here is a video depicting the ASSE's journey (ah ah) that includes the Larqué's free-kick against PSV wich liberated the «green people».

Here's a summary of «*L' Epopée des Verts*».

1974-75

09/18/1974 1st round, 1st leg

Saint-Etienne - Sporting CP : 2-0

(H. Revelli 15, Bereta 58)

02/10/1974 1st round, 2nd leg

Sporting CP - Saint-Etienne : 1-1

(Yazalde 38 ; H. Revelli 22)

10/23/1974 2nd Round, 1st leg

Hajduk Split - Saint-Etienne : 4-1

(Jerkovic 29, 65, Zungul 57, Mijac 81 ; H. Revelli 35)

06/11/1974 2nd Round, 2nd leg

Saint-Etienne - Hajduk Split : 5-1 a.e.t

(Larqué 36, Bathenay 61, Bereta 71 [p], Triantafilos 82, 104 ; Jovanovic 60)

05/03/1975 Quarters 1st leg

Ruch Chorzow - Saint-Etienne : 3-2

(Maszczyk 10, Benigier 37, Bula 46 [p] ; Larqué 64, Triantafilos 85)

19/03/1975 Quarters, 2nd leg

Saint-Etienne - Ruch Chorzow : 2-0

(Janvion 2, H. Revelli 81 [p])

09/04/1975 Semis, 1st leg

Saint-Etienne - Bayern Munich : 0-0

23/04/1975 Semis, 2nd leg

Bayern Munich - Saint-Etienne : 2-0

(Beckenbauer 2, Dürnberger 69)

1975-76

17/09/1975 1st Round, 1st leg

KB Copenhague - Saint-Etienne : 0-2

(P. Revelli 52, Larqué 71)

01/10/1975 1st Round, 2nd leg

Saint-Etienne - KB Copenhague : 3-1

(Rocheteau 7, P. Revelli 32, Larqué 85 ; B. Petersen 49)

22/10/1975 2nd Round, 1st leg

Saint-Etienne - Glasgow Rangers : 2-0

(H. Revelli 28, Bathenay 89)

05/11/1975 2nd Round, 2nd leg

Glasgow Rangers - Saint-Etienne : 1-2

(MacDonald 88 ; Rocheteau 63, H. Revelli 70)

03/03/1976 Quarters, 1st leg

Dinamo Kiev - Saint-Etienne : 2-0

(Konkov 21, Blokhine 54)

17/03/1976 Quarters, 2nd leg

Saint-Etienne - Dinamo Kiev : 3-0 ap

(H. Revelli 65, Larqué 73, Rocheteau 107)

31/03/1976 Semis, 1st leg

Saint-Etienne - PSV Eindhoven : 1-0

(Larqué 15)

14/04/1976 Semis, 2nd leg

PSV Eindhoven - Saint-Etienne : 0-0

12/05/1976 Final

Bayern Munich - Saint-Etienne : 1-0

(Roth 57)

L'«Ange Vert».

…

1977-1978: the previous season, Nantes (Champion and still at, or near the top in France since some years) and always Saint-Etienne (winner of the cup) won the right to play on the European stage but they will not really succeed in Europe. Nantes is a young club with no international experience and Saint-Etienne is a team arrived at an end. And that's when Bastia appears out of nowhere. Out of Corsica to be exact. The Corsicans are capable of everything and they will prove it.

UEFA Cup, S.E.C Bastia enters the competition against Sporting CP.

The better is to watch it right now.

1/32, Bastia – Sporting CP (09/14/77)

3-2: Jordao 40' (p), Felix* 52', Fraguito 58', Felix* 76', Felix* 84'.

No doubt hey had no idea what they are about to do before the kick-off. Gradually, they get caught up into the game and finally score one more goal than the opponents.

Here's the 2nd leg, Sporting – Bastia (09/29/77): Johnny Rep comes on stage:

1-2: Fernandes 72', Rep* 84', Felix* 86'.

With his audacious way of playing, Bastia wins again and eliminates the Salif Keita and Jordao's Sporting.

They will now all devastate like Desvignes did against Sporting.

 

1/16, Bastia – Newcastle (10/19/77) in front of 8403 spectators: 

Score: 2-1: Cannel 8', Papi* 51', Papi* 89'. Once again the visitors took the lead and Bastia reacted.

1/16, Newcastle – Bastia (11/02/77) : score: 1-3: Rep* 10', De Zerbi* 33', Golling 36', Rep* 67'.

Who said it's impossible to beat the English?

In front of 1500 Torino's fans in Furiani stadium, then in front of a crowd of 62 000 at Stadio Communale, Rep and Bastia will now beat a Torino team wich counts some celebrities as the duo Pulici-Graziani.

1/8, Bastia 2 – 1 Torino (11/23/77) : Pulici 22', Papi* 37', Rep* 62'.

1/8 Torino 2 – 3 Bastia (12/06/77) : Larios 20', Graziani 23', Graziani 47', Krimau* 51', Krimau* 65'.

About 10 000 corsicans were here!

here is a 24 mins long video of Torino – Bastia:

In Quarter-finals it will be the east-germans of Carl Zeiss Jena. Bastia is still on fire.

Quarter-final, Bastia 7–2 Carl Zeiss Jena (03/01/78) : Larios* 4', Papi* 42', Mariot* 57', Rabb 61', Felix* 70', Rabb 73', Felix* 78', Cazes* 81'.

Quarter-final, Carl Zeiss Jena 4–2 Bastia (03/15/78) : Rabb 20', Papi* 26', Lindemann 33', Vogel 64', Krimau* 64', Topffer 68' (p).

Here is a video that sums up the two games against Jena:

In Semis, the Grasshoppers who had a real good team. And one of the kind to cause some problems to Bastia and his unbridled play.

Semi-final, Grasshoppers Zurich 3–2 Bastia (03/29/78) :

goals: Krimau* 18', Hermann 21', Ponte 30' (p), Papi* 36' (p), Montondon 54'.

Semi-final, Bastia 1–0 Grasshoppers Zurich (04/12/78) :

Goal: Papi* 68'

Bastia managed with it without developing a lot of play, this time. But they're now in Final.

And it's not totally by chance. Indeed they count among their ranks a pretty impressive bunch of technicians, and good ones: Krimau, the famous duch striker Rep, Larios, Lacuesta and above all Papi who combines a lot of qualities that make him the legend of the club of which he is obviously the number 10.

Unfortunatelly, all this talent will struggle to express themselves in the Final; for the first round in Corsica is the flood and it is on a soggy field that Bastia will face the experienced PSV Eindhoven.

April, 26th 1978, Stade Armand-Cesari, Furiani, Bastia, 1st leg of the UEFA Cup Final:

S.E.C Bastia 0– 0 PSV Eindhoven. Referee: M. Maskimovic. Attendance: 15000.

Bastia: Hiard – Burkhard, Guesdon, Orlanducci, Cazes – Papi., Larios, Lacuesta – Rep, Krimau, Mariot (then Felix 56'). coach: Pierre Cahuzac.

PSV: Van Beveren – Van Kraay, Krijgh, H. Stevens, Brandts – Poortvielt, Van der Kuijlen., W. Van de Kerkhof. – R. Van de Kerkhof, Deijkers, Lubse. Coach: Kees Rijvers.

May, 9th 1978, Philips Stadion, 2nd leg of the UEFA Cup Final:

PSV Eindhoven 3–0 S.E.C Bastia. Referee: M. Rinau. Attendance: 27000.

Goals: Willy Van de Kerkhof 24', Deijkers 67', Van der Kuijlen 69'.

PSV: Van Beveren – Krijgh, Van Kraay (then Deacy 79'), H. Stevens, Brandts – Poortvielt, Van der Kuijlen., W. Van de Kerkhof. – R. Van de Kerkhof, Deijkers, Lubse. Coach: Kees Rijvers.

Bastia: Hiard (then Weller 75') – Marchionni, Orlanducci, Guesdon, Cazes – Papi., Lacuesta, Larios – Rep, Krimau, Mariot (then De Zerbi 67'). coach: Pierre Cahuzac.

The both legs (+ a short retrospective):

Bastia had some problems with Zurich on the semi-final stage, they naturally knew more diffculties with PSV in Final especially in the 2nd leg since they were weary of their season when the Duch had fnished their championship since some weeks. It was particulary easy for them to preserve the 0-0 in the first game. In Holland, they completed the work cleanly (and flawless).

Obviously, for they have reached the final, it's still a great performance made by Bastia and a strong sign send to the whole french football.

More than 16 players actually participated to this crazy-run. The legendary squad is the goalkeepers Hiard, Petrovic and Weller (yes no less than three goalies), the defenders Orlanducci, Cazes, Burkhard, Guesdon, Marchionni, the mids Franceschetti, Larios, Lacuesta, Desvignes and the forwards Papi, Krimau, Mariot, De Zerbi, Aussu and Rep.

One almost forget (but certainly not a Ch'ti) is that on this same football season, in the same competition, another french club accomplished what we can considerate a real big feat...

RC Lens – Lazio. Or «When the unexpected arrives».

 

6-0! Festival in extra-time!

The line-ups etc.:

November, 27th 1977, Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens, 2nd leg of the 2nd Round of the UEFA Cup:

RC Lens – Lazio: 6-0 (1st leg Lazio 2, Lens 0). Ref.: M. Correia. Att.: 27704.

Goals: Six 45', Six 57', Bousdira 109', Six 115', Djebaïli 118', Djebaïli 119'.

Lens: Tempet – Hopquin, Flack, Leclerq, Joly – Sab (then Djebaïli 94'), Bousdira, Krawczyck (then Elie 75') – Marx, Françoise, Six.

Lazio: Garella – Ammoniaci (then Peggin 15'), Wilson, Manfredonia, Ghedin – Cordova, Lopez, D'Amico, Badiani – Agostinelli (then Garlaschelli 82'), Giordano.

After they were beaten 2-0 in Stadio Olimpico, Lens, supported by a hot as hell crowd (as usual) scores six to Lazio in Bollaert. Six, like Didier Six, the author of a «Hat-trick» this night.

In the next round, Lens is eliminated by Magdeburg with a loss 4-0 in East-Germany against an useless win 2-0 in the second leg.

Bravo Lens and again, bravo Bastia!

 

…

Season 1979-1980: Nantes and Saint-Etienne are still the two biggest clubs at a local level. It's with them we had to count to make something on the European stage when RC Strasbourg knew some diffculties to confirm after its title of champion won with less wins but more draws than Nantes, 2nd and Saint-Etienne, 3rd (with 3 points a win Nantes would have been champion...on goal-average).

On this season, AS Saint-Etienne reached the Quarters of the UEFA Cup and FC Nantes the Semis of the Cup Winners Cup.

In the 1st Round of the UEFA Cup, the Platini-Rep's Saint-Etienne beats the Boniek's Widzew Lodz (WL-ASSE: 2-1; 0-3, 3 goals by Rep in the second leg). Then it's an old acquaintance of Saint-Etienne that comes on its way at the 3rd Round. And so it is for Rep who played the UEFA Cup Final 78 against them with Bastia.

Once again «Les Verts» prevail -with a large score this time- and Rep could have here a sort of revenge. 6-0: first free goals scored in 2'22'' (1'23'' effective time played) during the 5 first minutes of the game... then the game was mastered and we arrive at min. 50. Platini scores on free-kick. The crowd chants his name. Then 2 more goals in the end with Roussey who was making his ome-back after a wicked injury and fifteen months of unavailability and Finally Rep on penalty-kick.

This night «Le Chaudron» was about to explode. PSV is completely K-O. What a game it was!

November, 7th 1979, 2nd leg of the 2nd Round of the UEFA Cup:

AS Saint-Etienne – PSV Eindhoven: 6-0

Goals: Larios 3', Platini 4', Santini 5', Platini (f.k) 50', L. Roussey 88', Rep (p) 89'.
The 6-0 in moving picture:

ASSE: Curkovic – Janvion, Santini, Lopez, Farison – Platini. ( then L. Roussey. 74'), Oleksiak, Elie – Rep, Larios, Zimako. Coach: Herbin.

PSV: Van Beveren – Wildschutt, Stevens (then Coster 24', then Postuma 61'), Van Kraay, Brandts – Poortvielt, W. Van de Kerkhof, Van der Kuijlen. – Valke, Lubse, R. Van de Kerkhof. Coach: Krijgh.

Next round, it's Aris (Aris-Asse...3-3; Asse-Aris: 4-1). Saint-Etienne is now in Quarterfinals. It will be M'Gladbach. Something quite similar to what Saint-Etienne had inflicted to PSV happened (even worse: BM-ASSE... 2-0; 4-1) so we will not dwell on that subject too much.

Especially about the 2nd leg's game, Larios (ex-Bastia like Rep) will tell: «Platini and I played center forward and it has worked beautifully. Against M'Gladbach, perhaps it would have been not necessary to continue with the same system: they were four in midfield.» and he added «The failure was especially resented that it was a good team, nothing more...».

On his side, just after the game, Larqué said: «These Verts there, are not like us».

 

The best performance this year (in terms of progress in an European cup) is to be to credited to FC Nantes. The main contender of Saint-Etienne since 15 years could have had here its first deserved European exposure. «Could have had» we say.

This is how it turned out for them:

A 1st Round with not too much diffculties against Cliftonville (Cl.-FCN: 0-1; 0-7). Then it was a largely more difficult confrontation against Steaua Bucaresti. In fact, Nantes won narrowly in the 1st leg in Marcel-Saupin: 3-2 (Pécout 60', Raducanu 63', Raducanu 67' (p), Pécout, 70', J. Touré 82'). The win is here at the end but they conceded two goals that could weigh even heavier without this come-back in the game. Finally they qualified thanks to a real feat away in the 2nd leg (1-2: Ad. Ionescu 16', Pécout 60', Amisse 83'). Nantes met Dynamo Moscow in Quarters. They first quite easily win the first leg away (0-2: Tusseau 56', Pécout 86') before to be beaten home as they were maybe too much confident (2-3: Minaiev 21', Gassaiev 38', Michel 41', J. Touré 70', Kolessov 88'). A very strange game, played on a false rythm (or no rythm at all), with goals scored not necessarilly when one of the both team was dominating. Nothing exciting. Anyway, Nantes is now in the final four. They get Valencia on the draw. The first game home is a success on the Valencians: after many attempts, Baronchelli finally scored the winning goal:

April, 9th 1980, Semi-final of the Cup Winners Cup, 1st leg. Ref.: M. Escweiler. Att.: 25000.

FC Nantes_2-1_Valencia CF

Goals: Arias (o-g) 27', Kempes 55', Baronchelli 79'.

FCN: Bertrand-Demanes – Bossis, Rio, Michel, Tusseau – O. Muller (then V. Trossero 81'), E. Trossero, Rampillon (then Touré 72') – Baronchelli, Pécout, Amisse. Coach: J. Vincent.

VCF: Pereira – Carrete, Tendillo, Arias, Botubot – Bonhof, Solsona, Castellanos – Saura, Kempes, Pablo. Coach: A. Di Stefano.

This success had/ is to be appreciated, and here is their great (first) feat, as Valencia will impose its law in front of 60000 spectators all to its cause in the 2nd leg (4-0: Bonhof 10', Michel [o-g] 42', Kempes 59', Kempes [p] 78'). Valencia had Kempes and they won this cup.

On his side Nantes won the French League but unfortunatelly, «Le Jeu à la Nantaise» has never seemed to want to cross the borders of France or only for some rare moments.

Finally, we note the two coaches in these Semis were Di Stefano and Vincent who as players, had played against each other the final of the greatest European cup in 59. Good old times.

...

1980-1981 European season is the Sochaux's one.

Third of the previous championship they participate to the UEFA Cup.

They go through the 1st Round of this competition for the first time, after their two bad experiences in 1972 and 1976, beating Servette Genève (FCSM-Servette: 2-0; 1-2). In the 2nd Round they go through again eliminating Boavista on a short victory away (FCSM-Boavista: 2-2; 1-0 thanks to a surgical strike by Durkalic). It's now time to meet a big German club for that 3rd Round. It's Eintracht Frankfurt, the holder of the cup. Beaten in the 1st leg away (4-2), FC Sochaux-Montbéliard will make its feat in the 2nd leg home:

December, 10th 1980, Stade Auguste-Bonnal, Montbéliard, 2nd leg of the 3rd Round of the UEFA Cup. Ref.: Van Langenove. Att.: 5784.

FC Sochaux-Montb._2 - 0_Eintracht Frankfurt

Goals: P. Revelli 16', P. Revelli 44'.

FCSM: Rust – Posca (then Durkalic 68'), Ruty, Djaadaoui, Bonnevay - Benoit, Ivezic, Genghini. – P. Revelli, Anziani, Stopyra.

Eintracht: Pahl (then Funk 23') – Sziedat, Pezzey, Körbel, Lorant – Borchers, Holzenbein, Nickel – Neuberger, B-K Cha, Nachtweih (then Lottermann 53').

So they qualify thanks to the 2 goals scored by the experienced ex-Saint-Etienne's forward Patrick Revelli.

Who said it's impossible to beat the German clubs? Certainly not the Revelli's former club players, wich on the same evening, in the same competition was making a feat too (see above).

Here's the video of the Sochaux's victory over Frankfurt:

 

In quarter-finals Sochaux eliminates an always difficult to play Grasshopper's Team, with first a draw away (0-0) and a victory in-extremis home (2-1: Koller 7', Durkalic* 24', Genghini* 85' [f.k in the right top corner, in the maneer of the ones he will score one year later against Koweit and Austria at the Mundial).

So they feature in the Semi-finals of this UEFA Cup's edition. They had to face AZ'67 Alkmaar wich was leader of the Eredivisie. 1-1 in the first leg home (Arntz 14', Genghini 22'). One more time, Sochaux ships a goal home. Moreover its devoted «*libero*» Djaadaoui is severly injured. Obviously, it will weigh in the decisive game. And AZ' will be the finalist thanks to a victory 3-2 (Genghini 9'*, Medgod 19', Jonker 39', Peters 68', Meyer* 80').

But what a good performance of Sochaux wich could have done more, certainly!

Here is the squad of Sochaux wich has reached the Semis of the UEFA Cup 80-81: The great goalkeeper Albert Rust (10 games), the defenders Bezaz (7), Bonnevay (5), Djaadaoui (9), Posca (10), Ruty (10), Zandona (4), the mids Anziani (9, also fw), Benoit (5), Colin (2), Ivezic (9/ 1 goal), Genghini (10/6), the forwards Durkalic (9/2), Jeskowiak (1/1), Meyer (5/1), P. Revelli (10/3) and Stopyra (8, 4 as a starter).

Here are the short videos (a list) for all the UEFA Cup games played by Sochaux on this season and more:

Le «Gaulois» Patrick Revelli against Eintracht Frankfurt.

In the same competition, Saint-Etienne who is still the more powerful club in France made something certainly unique. A true demonstration that took place in Germany.

Janvion was in charge of Memmering at midfield, Rep had to prevent Kaltz to cross the ball to Hrubesch (he who didn't like the most to defend, but he did, and well) and the trio Larios-Platini-Zimako made the rest. A big crash of thunder heard in all of Europe.

November, 26th 1980, Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, 1st leg of the 3rd Round of the UEFA Cup. Ref.: M. Hunting . Att.: 37000.

Hamburger SV_0-5_AS Saint-Etienne

Goals: Hartwig (o-g) 8', Platini 26' (f.k), Larios 38', Zimako 84', Platini 87'.

HSV: Koitka – Kaltz, Jakobs, Hieronymus, Hidien – Hatrwig, Groh, Memmering. – Milewski (then Wehmeyer 46'), Hrubesch, Weimann. Coach: B. Zebec.

ASSE: Castaneda – Battiston, Gardon, Lopez, Zanon – Janvion, Larios, Platini. – Rep, Paganelli, Zimako. Coach: R. Herbin.

26'

 

Here was the last strike of AS Saint-Etienne on the continental scene. A Masterpiece for this «Platini's Saint-Etienne». Against all odds, as «Les Verts» were globally unconsistent since some weeks, to talk now only about strictly sporty affairs. If «these Verts» as Larqué said one year before, never well performed in the main European cup and never reached any final, they made here what is probably the more perfect performance of an AS Saint-Etienne side ever on one game. Before to be literally swept-off of the Cup by the future winner Ipswich. Despite everything, this Saint-Etienne side won the League Title. As a swan song for the club wich will soon know the second division after some inner-mistakes were becoming more and more important 'til it explode and made the club implosed. Meanwhile, and after a second place in the League and a second loss in «Finale de la Coupe de France», Platini was gone in other lands.

…

The eighties started quite well for French clubs in Europe with some remarkable performances. But it did not continue each year and when we use the word «feat», it's never too much. We must wait the 1983-1984 season to know again some kind of a «feat». A real one, by the modest club Stade Lavallois.

The «Tangos» (nicknamed like that because of the colours of the club) will succed where Rouen narrowly failed in 1969 being eliminated in the 1st Round of the UEFA Cup 69-70 by the future winner of the competition, Arsenal (0-0; 1-0 in Highbury). The Rouen of the young P. Rio, future Nantes, and the experienced Pospichal. Fine, it was hard to fit it. So back to our «Tangos» of Laval who widely deserve to be mentionned as they eliminated a great Dynamo Kiev side.

They first obtain a draw 0-0 in Kiev thanks to a courageous defense and a great Godart against the offensive power of the soviets. First feat. Secondly, they defeated Dynamo. Big feat.

September, 29th 1983, Laval, 2nd leg of the 1st Round of the UEFA Cup. Ref.: M. Nyffenegger. Att.: 16463.

Laval_1-0_Dynamo Kiev

Goal: Souto 33' (header on a cross sent by Sené who had overflowed on the right and took the space in the inside - at 3:00 in the video).

SL: Godart – Pérard, Sorin, Bozon (cap), Miton – Radet, Goudet, Souto. – Jank (Paillard 85'), Sené, Stefanini. Coach: Le Milinaire.

DK: Mikhaïlov – Kuznetsov, Baltacha (cap), Evseev, Demanienko – Lozinski, Blokhin., Bal, Burjak – Evtuchenko, Zavarov. Coach: Morozov.

Reported words of the victorious coach: «It's fabulous! We don't know what to say after such a match and especially such an outcome. My players have played a quality football for nearly an hour with nothing to envy the players of Kiev. Then Laval has shown his second face for an half hour: to fight with his heart, his guts, to preserve their advantage (…) I have some difficulty in achieving what happens to us tonight. It will no doubt wait two or three days to locate the real significance of the event».

On his side, the NT coach Hidalgo said: «Laval played tonight with a lot of talent. We always say Stade Lavallois is a small team but we will be soon have to say it's a great team, because tonight, it reached a new level».

In the next round, Laval met Austria Wien (Koncilia, Sesta, Prohaska, Nyilasi and the young Polster). The Lavallois are first defeated 2-0 away, a score that includes a penalty hard to admit:

In the 2nd leg Laval was about to create a new sensation after Kiev, leading the game 3-0 at half-time: Sène 21', Miton 38' and a fantastic goal by the 20 years old Stephanini at min. 42:

Then, the Viennese had the crazy idea to equalize.

Laval reached his peak on the night they faced Dynamo. After a previous very good season, this prestigious victory was the ultimate great game of the «Stade Lavallois Golden Age». Bravo. This team belongs to history.

About this european season, we'll finally notice that Paris Saint-Germain was eliminated by Juventus in the Cup Winners Cup without losing (2-2 in Parc des Princes, goals by Couriol, Boniek, Cabrini, N'Gom, then 0-0 in Stadio Communale). Certainly their will to develop some play home condemned them, that's obvious, but anyway, PSG becomes a regular of the European cups (the previous season they were quarter-finalist in the same European cup).

Juventus had the World Champions 82 + Platini and Boniek (and Bonini).

On this season, PSG had the ancient Verts Janvion, Bathenay and Rocheteau, Dahleb and Susic who are still considered among the greatest players of the club (if not the greatest for what concerns Susic), but also Baratelli as a goalkeeper, Pilorget, Lemoult and... Luis Fernandez.

When two genius meet.

«One day you'll be the coach my son»

 

…

1984-1985: Fifteen years that FC Metz didn't participate in an European Cup and they meet FC Barcelona in the 1st round of the UEFA Cup: the first leg takes place in Saint-Symporien Stadium and the game is all to the advantage of Barcelona players who easily win (2-4). After this game Schuster said: «we will offer them jamon after all the gifts thay have made to us». Archibald at the same time was more explicit thanks to some images.

Before the first game the goal of Metz was to win one of the two games; It will be at Camp Nou and here they will qualify.

But the game had started badly with a goal by Carrasco and a Schuster again impressive. Then «Les grenats» of Metz had nothing to loose and started to play football. And they played better than Barça playing in the back of their defense. With Bernad as the conductor.

Kurbos thwarts the Schuster's plans.

 

Camp Nou, Catalunya Ref.: M. Bridges. Att.: 24000

FC Barcelona_1-4_FC Metz

Goals: Carrasco 33', Kurbos 38', Sanchez (o-g) 39', Kurbos 55', Kurbos 85'.

Barça: Amador – Sanchez (cap), Migueli, Alexanco, Julio Alberto – Victor, Schuster., Calderé (then Cos 72'), Rojo (then Estaban 53') – Archibald, Carrasco. Coach: T. Venables.

Metz: Ettore – Sonor (then Colombo 52'), Barraja (then Pauk 60'), Zappia, Lowitz – Bracigliano, J.Ph. Rohr, Bernad, Hinschberger – Kurbos, Bocandé. Coach: M. Husson.

Details of the goals:

FCB 1-0 Metz: 33': Schuster crosses the ball from the right; Archibald fails; Carrasco scores at close-range.

FCB 1-1 Metz: 38': Bernad makes a forward-pass in the back of the defense to Kurbos who sows all the defenders on the right and strikes under the cross-bar.

FCB 1-2 Metz: 39': Same scnenario. This time Kurbos crosses the ball and the Barcelona captain Sanchez scores an own-goal under a relative pressure of Bocandé.

FCB 1-3 Metz: 55': Bernad makes a lob-pass to Kurbos placed in the axis. The German-Yugoslavian-Slovenian dribbles Amador and scores into the empty goals.

FCB 1-Metz 4: 85': Rohr passes to Kurbos on the left, Kurbos serves Bocandé who crosses on a defender but gain the ball again, crosses the ball, and the second one is better as Kurbos signs a Hat-trick with a left-foot shoot.

FC Barcelona – FC Metz or «when the unexpected arrives 2»: the goals:

Game Report in two parts (approx. 20 mins):

Hinschberger just after the game: «In my opinion, what we have done will remain as one of the French football greatests achievements. And I wonder if there is a precedant against an opponent of the same prestige».

Effectively, we can scroll-up this page, this turnaround was (surely still is) something really special. As to wether there will be an equivalent in the future, we will see.

We are still on this 1984-1985 season and the big achievement of the year for french clubs was made by Bordeaux.

Champion 1984 after thirty years without to be it and several second places, Girondins plays the great European Cup. What is certainly the best team ever in Bordeaux will have a remarkable course in this prestigious competition.

The team coached by Aimé Jaquet first meet Athletic Bilbao (directed at that time by a young coach, Javier Clemente). A not easy at all match Bordeaux come out victorious, them who are also a «solid team» (3-2: Müller* 30', Guarrochena 32', Battiston* 58', Salinas 63' (p), Lacombe* 79'; 0-0). Great innovation, a french club is now able to travel without conceding goals, what was globally the great mistake of the french clubs since ever, especially in the European Champions Cup, and especially in the eighties. A good 0-0 to qualify. Well played Bordeaux, congrats.

Next round, it's the Romanian of Dinamo Bucaresti. It works: 1-0 (Müller* 34'); 1-1 (Negea 9', Lacombe* 113'). Only one had to be patient.

Girondins are now in Quarters and they must face the surprising U.S.S.R champion Dnepr Dnepropetrovsk which the best player is probably Livtochenko. First, it's a 1-1 in Chaban-Delmas (Lacombe 10', Lyuty 43'); the 2nd leg takes place in... Krivoï-Rog – Dnepropetrosk was declared «forbidden city» – where they were arrived three hours before the kick-off due to many additional complications caused to them. The game ended on a new 1-1 (Lisenko 12', Tusseau 75' [f.k]).The decision was made on penalties with a winning shoot of Chalana. It goes on , only one had to be particulary patient.

Here's the vid of the goals including the Chalana's one. He, who was one more time back in the team after an injury, choosen to shoot the decisive penalty with the right-foot while he has that «magic left-foot» as Aimé Jacquet says in this document.

 

So Bordeaux reached the Semi-finals. This time it will be Juventus, Liverpool or Austria Wien. It's Juventus. Without any title in the more prestigious European cup they still benefits of a fantastic aura as other clubs wich figure at the palmarès, even more at this time. Juventus who still won the previous Cup Winners Cup and The UEFA Cup in '77, not to mention countless national titles, had world champions 82 in his ranks + Platini and Boniek (and Bonini, Prandelli...). Bordeaux had European champions 84 + one European champion 80 with Dieter Müller as some arguments to put in balance.

Bordeaux totally missed the first leg game in Stadio Communale. They were severely defeated by a dominating Juve: 3-0: Boniek 28' (perfectly served by Platini, a classic goal), Briaschi 68' (probably he made a fool before to adjust Dropsy the Bordeaux's Goalkeeper, a classic goal?), Platini 71' (served by Boniek, a classic, by a volley shot from the 16 meters, he used to do that sometimes...).

The qualification will be hard for Bordeaux but they make the promise they will win in Gironde.

Bordeaux – Juve is the great event for the French football of clubs this year, and Girondins will not miss the occasion to make this evening a great evening.

Since the start of the game, Bordeaux take things in hand as Juventus is unsurprisingly playing folded, strong of their three goals advantage. It's a black and white wall wich stands ahead of Bodini, but the inventivity of the Bordelais, Giresse in the vanguard, shows there are some possibilities. Obviously, these possibilities remain not numerous and Bordeaux counts on another weapon: the Battiston's long-range shots, he who has scored a total of 6 goals (personal record) on this season in the French League, with this skill the most.

Encouraged by an excited crowd inspired by foreign crowds like the Juve's one they have seen in the first leg, the navy blue team with the white scapular breaks the Italian defense and opens the score at 24': by a deep vertical pass, Jean Tigana serves Bernard Lacombe who is posted in the box, slightfully on the right. He makes the work of a pivot in a little but sufficient space to find Dieter Müller who is moving back from the 6-meters to the penalty point. Here, the Dutch, in a pivotal move too, adjust the Juve's goalie. A goal «à la Müller».

Ten minutes later, a super-powerful long-range shot of Battiston pierces the air and kisses the nets. What a cannonball shooting! Platini has no time nor any comfort to appreciate his friend's goal and a necessary anger dominates quickly on his face: it's 2-0 now.

The last ten minutes would be intense and a handful of seconds before the final whistle, a Tigana's shot found the cross-bar before the ball ended his flight slowly out of the field.

Juventus wins 3-2 on aggregate and the road stops here for Bordeaux nearby an European cup Final no team reached since Saint-Etienne and first Reims. So close and so far both.

April, 24, 1985, Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux, 2nd leg of the Semi-finals of the Champions Clubs Cup.

Attendance: 42000 (record).

FC Girondins de Bordeaux-2_0- FC Juventus

Müller 24' (served by Lacombe)

Battiston 35' (long-range shot).

Dropsy__________________Bodini

Thouvenel_______________Favero

Battiston_________________Scirea

Specht___________________Caricola

Tusseau__________________Cabrini

Girard___________________Bonini

Rohr____________________Briaschi

Tigana__________________Tardelli

Giresse__________________Platini

Müller__________________Boniek

Lacombe________________Rossi

Bor.: Dropsy – Thouvenel, Battiston, Specht, Tusseau – Tigana., G. Rohr (Chalana 55'), Girard – Giresse – Lacombe, Müller. Coach: A. Jacquet.

Juv.: Bodini – Favero, Scirea, Caricola, Cabrini – Tardelli, Briaschi. (Pioli 87'), Platini., Bonini, Boniek. – Rossi (Prandelli 20'). Coach: G. Trappatoni.

Giresse and Scirea

Giresse - Boniek: a game in the game

 Battiston and Platini

 

This great Girondins de Bordeaux's side and its remarkbale presence in the European Cup mark the start of a new era. With terribly ambitious clubs presidents, such as Bez for Bordeaux, are the ones of the kind who don't hesitate to sign bunches of both international French and foreign players.

to be continued...

...to the delight of OM fans, and PSG ones...