UEFA’s premier club competition returns in September – since the European Cup was rebranded for 1992-93, every campaign has produced the unexpected, from an exploding volcano to swimsuit models and a partying Tino Asprilla
Words Chris Flanagan, Ed McCambridge
1992-93 RED RAG TO A BULL
Brian Deane scored the Premier League’s first ever goal, but who hit the Champions League’s inaugural strike in the very same year? The rebranded competition didn’t officially kick off until November’s group stage – the previous knockout rounds still went by the name of the European Cup, featuring Leeds’ weird win over Stuttgart at the Camp Nou: after the Yorkshiremen lost the first leg 3-0, the Germans fielded an ineligible player in the second. Leeds were awarded a 3-0 victory, then a third game, in Barcelona, was needed to finally settle the tie. Rangers beat Leeds in the next round, and almost reached the final – Marseille made it to the showpiece after pipping them to top spot in a group also containing Club Brugge, who notched the Champions League’s first ever goal via Daniel Amokachi against CSKA Moscow. Everton soon snapped up the man known as 'The Bull' for a club-record £3 million, then quickly regretted it…
1993-94 HOUNDED OUT
English referee Philip Don took charge of the 1994 final in Athens, when Milan hammered Barcelona 4-0 despite only scoring 36 league goals all season. But Don hadn’t been the first choice – John Blankenstein initially got the nod, only to be replaced. Blankenstein had officiated England vs Denmark at Euro 92, before which one newspaper ran the headline: ‘Tonight’s ref is gay’, something he made no secret of. As the Champions League final neared, an Italian paper pointed out that Barcelona coach Johan Cruyff and star defender Ronald Koeman were both Dutch like Blankenstein, also highlighting his sexuality. He received death threats, then was stood down. “Allegedly for my own safety,” he later said. “Rest assured, my nationality was not the issue here.”
1994-95 HITTING THE BOTTLE
Milan’s defence of their title didn’t start well – they lost their first group match at Ajax, then had two points deducted after their second because Casino Salzburg goalkeeper Otto Konrad got clonked on the head by a bottle launched from San Siro’s stands. The Rossoneri were forced to play their next two home ties in Trieste but squeezed through with five points, the fewest amassed by any side to progress from a group. They later reached a third successive final thanks to victory against Paris Saint-Germain, who’d eliminated Barça in the quarte
