Cup Winners Cup – no surprises here. The closest to upset was the second-round match between Juventus and Beroe (Stara Zagora). The modest Bulgarians won their home leg 1-0 and bravely fought in Turin – the regular time ended 1-0 Juventus and the Italians managed to prevail only in the extra time, when they score two more goals. All other matches finished as expected and even fate did not interfere: the only matches between potential favourites involved Glasgow Rangers. In the 1/16 finals they eliminated Fortuna (Dusseldorf) 2-1 and 0-0, and in the 1/8 finals the Scots were eliminated by Valencia 1-1 and 3-1. They lost at home, interestingly enough. Fortuna (Dusseldorf) was the only West German eliminated so early in a tournament this year. Given the general weakness of the Cup Winners Cup for years, the best was the few stronger teams to reach the final stages and they did: the ½ finals opposed Arsenal to Juventus and Nantes to Valencia. The last strong club eliminated was Barcelona – in the ¼ finals the current holders of the Cup faced Valencia and lost both legs 0-1 and 3-4. Valencia, so far having most difficult opponents, now played against the arguably weakest semi-finalist. Nantes won at home 2-1 and lost 0-4 away – Valencia went to the final. Meantime Juventus managed a 1-1 draw in London and looked like the Italians were going to the final. But Arsenal pull themselves together and won the second leg in hostile Turin 1-0. Arsenal and Valencia at the final. So far Arsenal was perfect – they did not lose a match at all. Valencia had lost one match – against Nantes, but had met stronger opponents on the road to the final than Arsenal. To a point, an interesting and even welcome final: more or less, between the 3rd clubs in England and Spain. Both eager to win and thus increase their reputation, for neither club was happy trailing Real, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Nottingham Forest. The final was going to be tough one between equals, yet, Arsenal was seen as having bit of an edge, lead by Irish bunch – Liam Brady, Pat Jennings, Frank Stapleton, and David O’Leary. Valencia largely depended on two world champions – Mario Kempes (1978) and Rainer Bonhof (1974). Perhaps Arsenal was preferred because the English always played open attacking football. Valencia was expected to play slower unattractive game, boring to the viewers. Aesthetically, Arsenal was preferred.
Final, Heysel Stadium, Brussels, 14 May 1980, att 36000
Valencia (0) 0 Arsenal (0) 0 aet
Valencia won 5-4 on penalties
Valencia
Perreira; Carrette, Botubot, Arias, Tendillo; Solsona, Saura, Bonhof, Subirates (Castellanos); Kempes, Pablo
Arsenal
Jennings; Rice, Nelson, O’Leary, Young; Rix, Talbot, Price (Hollins), Brady; Sunderland, Stapleton
Mario Kempes vs Arsenal
Predictions and expectations were fulfilled – the final was tough, Arsenal was the better team, Valencia played ugly football, but the English, as many times before, were unable to covert their superiority into victory.
Liam Brady vs Bonhof.
The most impressive player on the field was Rix, relatively unknown English, who plowed relentlessly on the left wing, yet, fruitlessly. The match ended 0-0, the extra time ended 0-0, and after 120 minutes of grinding football Valencia achieved its goal: a fair chance to win the cup not by playing football, but by lottery of penalty shoot-out. And perhaps they had some advantage at last, because English teams were not famous for their penalties. The shoot-out proceeded dramatically until at last and English player missed and Valencia won 5-4.
Perreira and Jennings – everything was in their hands. Goalkeepers always are considered the key to winning or losing a shoot-out – but the kickers really decide the outcome. May be not?
The Spaniards scored one after another. Jennings failed to deflect… who was the hero?
Graham Rix missed his penalty. Perreira saved. The hero was…? Valencia won by chance, no matter what. Happiness erupted. Once again the Cup Winners Cup was going to Spain.
Arsenal lost the Cup Winners Cup without actually losing a match – there was a sense of injustice in it, especially because they were the better team at the final, but nothing like the indignation following the losses of Leeds United to Milan and Bayern earlier in the 1970s. Arsenal was not robbed of victory, like Leeds, but fell victim of its own inability so score. Graham Rix was perhaps the symbol of it – the best player of the final, he missed when mattered most. Just a little, but fatal inadequacy – and could yoy really blame him? Everyone could make a mistake in the Russian roulette of a shoot-out… but on a second thought if one does not score when it matters most, then he is not really great. And that was the problem of Arsenal – seemingly, the better finalist: Jennings, Stapleton, O’Leary, and Brady provided strong backbone of current stars, around which there was strong assembly of experienced veterans, current leading Englsih players, and promising youngsters: Nelson, Rice, Hollins, Talbot, Sunderland, MacDonald, Rix. As a whole, richer and better balanced side than Valencia’s. Yet, good. But not great – already the true measurement of greatness was international success and here Arsenal failed. It was strong and appreciated team, but… missing little something. It was a team for domestic consumption really and remained so. Nothing like Liverpool of the same time.
Winners are not to be criticized for victory is unbeatable argument, but Valencia had seemingly lesser squad than Arsenal. Apart from the two superstars Kempes and Bonhof, the rest was rather unremarkable – Tendillo, Solsona, and Saura were the internationally known players and the rest of the team was more or less middle of the road. Of course, having the world’s player of the year 1978, captaining Argentina to her first world title, should have made the difference. Especially when Mario Kempes had the 1974 world champion Rainer Bonhof behind him… but it was rather typical anda bit outdated make: two outstanding players, aided by workhorses. It was not enough for overcoming a well balanced opponent: Kempes and Bonhof did not shine at the final. Gritty Spanish style carried Valencia to the shoot-out and they were lucky to win at this arbitrary stage. But those were strong years of Valencia and the end of the decade repeated the beginning of it, when they won the Spanish title. The European victory was more a matter of luck than anything, yet it was good to see player like Kempes winning trophies on club level at last. However, like Arsenal, Valencia was second-best. Good as they were, Valencia was not really challenging the domination of Real and Barcelona in Spain, let alone building a dynasty. It was not a memorable winner and was not innovative team. No matter – the record stands clear: Arsenal lost, Valencia won. Tell the fans their team did not deserve the Cup Winners Cup…