Cup Winners Cup. There were two upsets – Albanian 17 Nentori (Tirana) eliminated Dynamo (Bucharest) in the first round, beating them twice (1-0 and 2-1). New talented Albanian generation coming up was noticed – they practically eliminated half the impressive Romanian national team – but even so, it was just that: Malmo FF was too much in the second round. In which VfB Stuttgart was destroyed by relatively modest Torpedo (Moscow) – 0-2 and 3-5. Meantime Girondens Bordeaux eliminated Benfica (1-1 and 1-0) and looked like Bordeaux was going far with its impressive team. Alas, it was a French team… they managed to eliminate Torpedo Moscow in the 1/4-finals only on away goals and lost the ½ to Lokomotive (Leipzig) after penalty shoot-out. Something little was missing… and it was fatal. Ajax was flying all the way to the final – they lost only one match ( the first leg against Malmo FF – 0-1 – at the 1/4-finals), scored a plenty, and reached the final with great record: 6 wins, 1 tie, 1 lost match. In the semi-finals they gave no chance to tough Real Zaragoza, beating them 3-2 in Zaragoza and then 3-0 in Amsterdam. Looked like Ajax was back. The other finalist happened to be 1. FC Lokomotive (Leipzig) – they were not as impressive as Ajax on the road to the final, even lost the opening home leg to Bordeaux in the semi-finals. But managed to come back in the second match and prevailed in the penalty shoot-out. Ajax was seemingly the favourite at the final. However, Cruijff was more than cautious – he said the team was too young and not at its peak yet and also having trouble with injuries. A second great Ajax? Hardly… at least, not now and surely nothing like the great team he played for – this was something different, hold your horses, don’t ask for what isn’t there. The East Germans were tough team as well – perhaps the best squad the club ever had, full of national players, led by the best East German goalkeeper at the time Rene Muller. Both teams had key players injured, so both coaches were careful in their predictions, but at the end Ajax managed to get in some shape Arnold Muhren, Verlaat, and Bergkamp. Lokomotive was unable to start with their top strikers Kuhn and Leitzke. On the surface, Ajax was in trouble – Muhren was not fit at all, Bergkamp not even able to start, and Bosman, who was the leading scorer in the campaign with 8 goals, was suspended by UEFA. Bellow the surface – Ajax fielded 11 Dutch national team players. It was deeper team than Lokomotive, younger and faster. On the other hand – any new Ajax squad was under heavy pressure, expected to match the success of the 1970s team and also inevitably considered weaker. It was very difficult to come out from the shadow of the legends – after all, the direct link was there, Arnold Muhren, but not only he was 35-years old, but during the legendary years he was only a reserve player… now he was the leader of the new team, its key player… the legend was led by Cruijff… the difference was obvious, even if Cruijff was already proving that he was great coach, just as he was a great player. Lokomotive was under pressure too, however different one: this was perhaps the best ever squad of the club. It was also the third East German club reaching European Cup final – in 1974 1. FC Magdeburg won the Cup Winners Cup; in 1981 Carl Zeiss (Jena) lost the same final. It would be great to be the second East German team to win the trophy – and Magdeburg did it entirely against the odds back in 1974, when everybody was sure Milan will win. Now it looked like at least a battle with equal chances. Ambition and pressure combined perhaps triggered caution in both coaches – in words. Even the obvious advantage of Ajax – they had huge number of supporters traveling to Athens, something East Germans were unable to do – was dismissed.
Final, Olympic Stadium, Athens, 13 May 1987, att 35000
Ajax (1) 1 1.FC Lokomotive Leipzig (0) 0
21: 1-0 A: Van Basten
Ajax: Menzo; Silooy, Rijkaard, Verlaat, Boeve; Wouters, Winter, A.Mühren (Scholten 83);
Van ‘t Schip, Van Basten, Rob Witschge (Bergkamp 66)
1.FC Lokomotive Leipzig: Müller; Kreer, Baum, Lindner, Zötsche; Scholz, Liebers (Kühn 76), Bredow, Marschall; Richter, Edmond (Leitzke 55)
Referee: Agnolin (Italy)
The game proved to be tough and far from perfect. Equal, to a point – both teams were fighters in more than good physical condition.
Ajax controlled the game somewhat, although Lokomotive was not really outplayed. Such was the legend of the old great Ajax, that automatically even commentators decided it was not very impressive match – not really true: it was fast game and neither team fell apart, it was interesting match with dramatic moments, but… Mark Barton from UPI wrote that there were only occasional sparks of the great total football of the past and the fans were rather disappointed from what they saw. Of course, journalists and fans would be disappointed if expected to sea performance by Cruijff and company in 1987 – impossibility hurts and makes one blind to what goes on presently.
What was going on was great goal by Marco van Basten in the 21st minute. A spark – to those trapped in the past. In that past the greats did not shine every time, even did not shine a full match sometimes – the current vintage suffered mainly from Arnold Muhren’s injury. The key playmaker of the team was reduced to playing long balls from far back and eventually unable to finish the game.
In the second half Lokomotive increased the tempo and went into aggressive attacks, even fielding the injured Kuhn and Leitzke. Ajax managed to survive the assault and had chances for dangerous counter-attacks, coming close to second goal, but Rene Muller made a good save. May be the game was not great, but it was dramatic and entertaining and the critics apparently forgot that times had changed: the great Ajax played entirely new kind of football, which nobody else played and its supremacy came largely from that difference. Now everybody was playing total football, the element of surprise was no longer there, there was no obvious advantage taming the opposition. The new Ajax faced opponents practicing the same approach. No more goals were scored to the end – and if one would be still grumbling that these new boys barely win, let remind him that the legends at their peak barely won over Juventus 1-0 in 1973.
And for the first since 1973 lifted European cup.
And once again there was victorious run of guys in white and red with cup in their hands.
1. FC Lokomotive (Leipzig) apparently reached their maximum – losing Cup Winners Cup finalists. After the game their coach was not very upset – perhaps he assessed reality well: having his key players injured was too much. He was eventually fielded both Kuhn and Leitzke, but it a desperate act and going into all-attack storm in the second half was major risk, also taken out of desperation. Ajax had slightly better argument and won.
The winners were still criticized and a bit downplayed, but that was largely because they were young squad – a few years later it would be unthinkable to say they were not great: who was not great? Van Basten (whose goal at the final may be convinced Milan to buy him after the end of this season), Rijkard, Wouters, Winter, Witschge? Not great? The young brooms were already national team players in 1987 – in fact, the whole starting eleven played for Holland in this period. Plus substitute Bergkamp. Plus some not playing at this final… this was the second coming of Ajax, a great generation and team at last, which – just like in the early 70s – was not afraid of selling a player or two, for there was more to come. Ajax finally had its second great team, well linked with the first one via Cruijff coaching and Arnold Muhren playing. European success came back again, Ajax won its first Cup Winners Cup, adding 4th European trophy to its collection and becoming one the few clubs winning 2 of the 3 European tournaments. The new boys showed character akin to the character the first great team showed when it was a squad full of youngsters prevailing over venerated British squads.
History was repeating itself – Ajax returned to international success with great young team. Instant heroes, instant stars, a new legend stepping on the shoulders of the old one. And somewhat ironically Arnold Muhren became the most successful player of Ajax – he won 4 European cup. The humble substitute once upon a time had 4 trophies – great Cruijff only 3 as a player. And Arnold Muhren would do even better than all of his old illustrious teammates very soon.
It was a battle of practically equal teams,
both teams trying to score, but eventually the hosts prevailed 1-0 – Pettersson scored in the 38th minute.
Such result slightly favoured Dundee.
Final 2nd Leg, Tannadice Park, Dundee, att 20911
IFK Gotteborg was again the first to score – L. Nilsson made it 1-0 in the 20th minute, making Dundee’s task very hard – now they had to score 3 clean goals to win the Cup.
It proved impossible – the Swedes were tough, strong and well organized.
It was difficult to get ahead of them and find scoring opportunity.
The Cup was theirs to enjoy.
Dundee United lost by little, but there is never comfort in losing even bravely. This was the pinnacle of arguably the best period in the history of the club, they climbed up to European final. Eliminating Barcelona – the photo here is actually from that clash in the quarter-finals, before they won 2-1 in Barcelona – was great moment to remember. The team was great – for a club like Dundee United, that is – with Malpas, Narey, and McInally, but it was also a squad matched by the Swedish opponents, no better. No shame in losing… but losing is shameful moment anyway.
IFK Goteborg won the UEFA Cup for a second time. Great success, instantly making them the most successful Swedish club and placing them seriously on the European map. To a point, the the draws were relatively favourable to them this season, but one cannot argue it was just a lucky team.
Like Dundee United, IFK Goteborg enjoyed the best period in their history. To compare their first win in 1982 to this one is unpleasant task – true, in 1982 they overcome Hamburger SV, which was one the best teams in the world at the moment and it was a sensation. Now it was overcoming pretty much equal opponent, not as strong as Hamburger SV had been. It was not a sensation. But the squad in 1982 was also slightly stronger – it was up and coming team and coach, full of talent and hungry for success. Now it was a bit lesser team – some players already left for big money in the big European leagues. Sven-Goran Eriksson was no longer coaching them either. But success kept them running, the team was already experienced, there were plenty of players who won in 1982, Glen Hysen was international star and Lennart Johansson was worthy replacement of Sven-Goran Eriksson. One can say this was slightly weaker squad, compared to the one of 1982 only retrospectively and conveniently omitting the fact that in 1982 those ‘stars’ were unknowns, who made their names with the sensational victory over Hamburger SV. Now there were other players, who were becoming stars, helped by experienced guys, who already tasted success – no sensations, but rather winning as a matter of course.
It is surely a squad deserving one more look – twice UEFA Cup winners, managing to stay on top against the Swedish predicament of losing top players to big foreign leagues, the most successful Swedish team, and, regretfully, also the last time not only they, but Swedish football in general, won European trophy.
Napoli and Maradona took the Cup, all smiles of course.
No luck… Atalanta was the poorer finalist. What a bitter disappointment – losing the Cup and relegated to the Second Division. Objectively: they had no argument – Napoli in top form, led by Maradona. Too tough for miracles.
Napoli won its 3rd Cup, which was great. They practically sealed the victory in the first leg at home, but ended in style by winning the second leg in Bergamo and receiving the Cup as true winners.
What a season – not only one trophy, but two! First title and first double – nothing speaks better for a team on its peak. Maradona is one thing, but one can argue that this season really put Napoli on the map: players like Ferrara, De Napoli, Bagni and even well established Carnevale and Giordano were elevated from relative obscurity to true stardom. It was no longer a club having Maradona for a show, but a winning club. It was also important for Maradona too – the doubts that he was not a winner finally perished. The great success perhaps made Napoli’s administration more serious about the team – it was still quite short. Depending on Maradona was not enough – especially in Italy was not enough – so strong additions were a must. That plus trying to keep the strong current players in the tam, for the Northern big clubs always had more money to buy whoever they wished and now Napoli had a few guys wetting the Northern appetites. There was a lot of work to be done… but for the moment it was fantastic.
Udinese – last with 15 points and relegated. A team having Edinho, Bertoni, Graziani going down? Well, their fate was sealed in advance – they were penalized with 9 points deduction and could not overcome such handicap no matter what.
Atalanta – 15th with 21 points and relegated. A bit strange, for they almost finished the season with a trophy.
Brescia – 14th with 22 points and relegated, despite having been sponsored by ‘the best Italian beer’ makers. Well, at least nothing surprising in their relegation – Brescia was the usual candidate.
Empoli survived by a point – 13th with 23 points. Scored the least goals in the championship: only 13, very low even by Italian standards.
Ascoli – another lucky survivor: 12th with 24 points.
Torino – steadily going down… 11th with 26 points.
Fiorentina – 10th with 26 points. Let say Antognoni aged and leave it at that.
Como – 9th with 26 points.
Avellino – 8th with 30 points. Very good for a modest club like them.
Roma – 7th with 33 points.
Sampdoria – climbing up: 6th with 35 points. However, unlucky – if goal-difference mattered, they would have been 5th. But they and Milan finished with equal points and a decisive play-off was staged for the last Italian spot in the UEFA Cup. Sampdoria lost it 0-1…
Milan – 5th with 35 points, thanks to the play-off 1-0 win over Sampdoria. On the road to recovery after the turbulent years following their disgrace and consequent penalty. Perhaps clinching the UEFA Cup spot was most important point at that moment: the club needed confidence.
Hellas Verona – 4th with 36 points. Nobody expected them to build a dynasty, but the team was still running high after winning the title.
Inter – 3rd with 38 points. A title contender – or should have been – but… nothing.
Juventus – 2nd with 39 points. Came ahead of Inter, could not catch Napoli… perhaps something little was missing at the moment. Too bad they did not won – it was the last season of Michel Platini.
Napoli had splendid season and triumphed on top of the table with 42 points from 15 wins, 12 ties, and 3 losses. 41-21 goal-difference. As numbers go, hardly the most impressive record: shared most wins in the season with Inter, but Inter finished with best defensive record and Juventus outscored the champions. Napoli had only the least lost games this season, which speaks more of defensive abilities than for their strikers – one expects the opposite from a team led by Maradona. Then again, we are speaking about Italian football – tough, rough, giving no quarter and not an inch: Napoli prevailed in that and quite heroically, for even with Maradona, the squad was inferior to the teams of Juventus and Inter. So much for numbers. The rest was grand: Napoli won the Italian title for the first time – making the team instant legends. Maradona finally won a title in Europe and that after winning the World Cup – it was somewhat more difficult to win the scudetto than the World Cup. In a nut shell – purely magical moment to be remembered forever.
Cagliari – last and out with 32 points. If they did not have 5 points deducted, they would have been safe.
Catania – 19th with 32 points and relegated.
Lanerossi Vicenza – 18th with 32 points and relegated.
Campobasso – 17th with 33 points. As one of the three teams with 33 points, they went to the relegation play-offs – there they finished last and were relegated.
Taranto – 16th with 33 points. Finished 1st in the relegation play-offs and were good for another season.
Sambenettese – 14th with 34 points.
Modena – 13th with 35 points.
Arezzo – 12th with 35 points.
Triestina – 11th with 35 points. They had 4 points deducted, though.
Bologna – 10th with 36 points. Pretty much in danger of relegation too, but all was fine at the end.
Bari – 9th with 39 points.
Messina – 8th with 40 points.
Parma – 7th with 40 points.
Genoa – 6th with 42 points. Lost the race for promotion by small margin.
Cremonese – 5th with 43 points. As one of the teams with 43 points, they went to promotion play-offs, finished last the stayed in second division.
Lecce – 4th with 43 points, but they won the promotion play-offs only on better goal-difference… ,thus, won nothing yet – another play-off was stage and they lost it to Cesena 1-2. No promotion…
Cesena – 3rd with 43 points. Finished 2nd in the promotion play-offs, but since the points were equal, one more match was staged and this time they prevailed over Lecce 2-1 and got promoted.
Pisa – 2nd with 44 points. Clinched second place with one-point more than the competition, but lost the championship title in most curious way: since even the goal-difference between them and the champions was exactly the same, they were placed second for either scoring less goals (one less, to be exact), or had worse head-to-head record. But all that hardly mattered – Pisa clinched direct promotion: that was most important.
Pescara won the championship by the smallest possible margin: equal points, equal goal-difference with Pisa, 44 points each. Anyhow, the points came from 16 wins, 12 ties and 10 losses – Pisa had exactly the same record. Goal-difference was also the same: 43-33 Pescara, 42-32 Pisa. It may have been this one more goal they scored then Pisa, but it was hard battle against 7 other teams, which were unfortunate to finish with slightly less points. Still, the most important thing was Pescara earned direct promotion. Winning the championship did not hurt either, however lucky winning it was.
Sorrento – last with 21 points and out.
Siena – 17th with 24 points and relegated.
Benevento – 16th with 28 points and relegated.
Martina – 15th with 28 points. Relegated.
Salernitana – 14th with 31 points.
Licata – 13th with 31 points.
Livorno – 12th with 32 points.
Brindisi – 11th with 33 points.
Nocerina – 10th with 33 points.
Teramo – 9th with 35 points.
Foggia – 8th with 35 points.
Reggina – 7th with 36 points.
Campania Puteolana – 6th with 36 points.
Monopoli – 5th with 37 points.
Cosenza – 4th with 38 points.
Casertana – 3rd with 40 points.
Barletta – 2nd with 44 points and promoted to Second Division.
Catanzaro – won the championship with 45 points. 18 wins, 9 ties, 7 losses, 46-24 goal-difference. Promoted to Second Division.
Legnano – last with 17 points and relegated.
R.M. Firenze -17th with 27 points and relegated.
Carrarese – 16th with 27 points and relegated.
Mantova – 15th with 29 points and relegated.
Lucchese – 14th with 30 points.
Ancona – 13th with 30 points.
Spezia – 12th with 31 points.
Virescit – 11th with 32 points.
Trento – 10th with 33 points.
Prato – 9th with 33 points.
Rimini – 8th with 34 points.
Fano – 7th with 35 points.
Centese – 6th with 35 points.
Monza – 5th with 36 points.
SPAL – 4th with 39 points.
Reggiana – 3rd with 43 points.
Padova – 2nd with 49 points and promoted.
Piacenza – won the championship with 52 points. 22 wins, 8 ties, 4 losses, 55-28 goal-difference. Promoted to Second Division.
Alessandria – 16th with 28 points and relegated, but eventually Montebelluna withdrew and Alessandria was readmitted.
Carbonia – 14th with 32 points.
Sorso – 11th with 32 points.
Casale – 10th with 33 points.
Cuoio Pelli – 9th with 33 points.
Olbia – 7th with 34 points.
Pro Vercelli – 6th with 34 points.
Pistoiese – 4th with 41 points.
Derthona – 2nd with 47 points and promoted.
Torres – champions with 47 points and promoted.
Sassuolo – 13th with 31 points.
Pergocrema – 12th with 31 points.
Varese – 10th with 34 points.
Treviso – 7th with 37 points.
Venezia – 6th with 37 points.
Suzzara – 5th with 37 points.
Chievo Verona – 4th with 38 points.
Pavia – 2nd with 45 points and promoted.
Ospitaletto – champions with 47 points and promoted.
Matera – 16th with 25 points and relegated to 5th level.
Galatina – 15th with 25 points. Survived thanks to better head-to-head record against Matera.
Perugia – 9th with 34 points.
Casarano – 8th with 35 points.
Fidelis Andria – 5th with 41 points.
Giulianova – 4th with 45 points.
Ternana – 3rd with 45 points.
Francavilla – 2nd with 47 points and promoted.
Vis Pesaro – champions with 47 points and promoted.
Turris – 15th with 29 points.
Ercolanese – 14th with 29 points.
Cavese – 13th with 30 points.
Trapani – 12th with 32 points.
Lodigiani – 8th with 34 points.
Juve Stabia – 5th with 38 points.
Latina – 3rd with 42 points.
Ischia Isolaverde – 2nd with 44 points and promoted.
Frosinone – champions with 47 points and promoted.
The Second Division team started well and opened the result in the 13th minute after a header by Dirk Kurtenbach. But HSV was not to go down – Beiersdorfer equalized after two minutes. The game was decided in the last minutes: Kaltz made it 2-1 HSV in the 88th minute and in the 90th Schlotterbeck scored in his own net, making it 3-1.
Hamburger SV received the Cup.
Would have been great if Stuttgarter Kickers won, but they were the weaker team no matter what. Their best known player was Kazimierz Kmiecik, World Cup bronze medalist with Poland in 1974. Now, although a good new addition to the team after 2 remarkable seasons in Greece, he was too old. Still, reaching the Cup final was one of the best ever achievements of Stuttgarter Kickers. Too bad they were not able to win the trophy.
Hamburger SV won its 3rd Cup. Standing from right: Thomas von Heesen, Uli Stein, Manfred Kaltz, Ditmar Jakobs, Sascha Jusufi, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, Manfred Kastl, Thomas Kroth, Peter Lux, Tobias Homp, Miroslav Okonski.
Great way to say ‘good bye’ – Ernst Happel had great last season with HSV, although his current squad was kind of short and hardly first rate – the stars were getting old and apart from Okonski there was practically no great current talent. Yet, the great coach managed to win the Cup and finish 2nd in the championship with such a team. Excellent!
Blau-Weiss 90 (West Berlin) finished last with 18 points and was relegated. No surprise.
Fortuna (Dusseldorf) – 17th with 20 points and out. Their best years were over and long road downhill to obscurity laid ahead.
FC Homburg – 16th with 21 points. Weak, but managed to prevail over FC St. Pauli in the promotion/relegation play-off and kept its place in the Bundesliga.
Eintracht (Frankfurt) – 15th with 25 points. Also a club which lost its leading position and steadily going down.
SV 07 Waldhof (Mannheim) – 14th with 28 points. Good for another year.
Schalke 04 – 13th with 32 points. Trying to reestablish itself in the top league.
VfB Stuttgart – 12th with 32 points. Hard to believe they were champions only a few years ago.
VfL Bochum – 11th with 32 points. Modest, but bravely surviving – that is, nothing new.
1. FC Koln – 10th with 35 points. Rattled by Schumacher’s book scandal, but hardly only by that. This squad – by names – should have been much higher in the table.
1. FC Nurnberg – 9th with 35 points. Not bad…
Bayer 05 (Uerdingen) – 8th with 35 points.
1. FC Kaiserslautern – 7th with 37 points.
Bayer (Leverkusen) – 6th with 39 points. Getting stronger with solid, yet not exceptional squad.
Werder (Bremen) – 5th with 40 points. Let say… coach Rehhagel.
Borussia (Dortmund) – 4th with 40 points. A miracle recovery from the terrible previous season – or may be the other way around: the previous season was accidental slip.
Borussia (Moenchengladbach) – 3rd with 43 points. Deserves to be the story of the season – started with 7 consecutive losses and seen as surely relegated team. Finished with new Bundesliga record – 10 consecutive wins. After so bad beginning, more than bronze medals was impossible, but bronze they got, scoring the most goals this season too. Jupp Heynckes delivered before saying good by.
Hamburger SV – 2nd with 47 points. Significantly weaker squad than the one they had in the early 1980s, but Ernst Happel did his magic again in his last season with the club. Unable to challenge Bayern for the title, but comfortably second.
Bayern – Udo Lattek provided the 10th title in his last season with Bayern. In grand style too: 20 wins, 13 ties, just a single loss, 67-31 goal-difference, 53 points. Six points ahead of Hamburger SV and new Bundesliga record for the least number of lost games in a championship.
Everybody happy – if happiness has to do with ever hungry for success Bayern. The strongest squad in West Germany by far, yet… there was lot of work for Jupp Heynckes, coming to replace Udo Lattek. And Dieter Hoeness announced his retirement. Nobody expected Bayern to go through some shaky period – so, records set and back to work for more.