1985/86: Steaua stun Barcelona
Wednesday 7 May 1986
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Stefan Iovan (FC Steaua Bucuresti) (©Getty Images)
FC Steaua Bucureşti 0-0 FC Barcelona (aet, Steaua win 2-0 on penalties)
Rámon Sánchez-Pizjuán, Seville
English first-division winners Everton FC were conspicuous by their absence from the 1985/86 European Champion Clubs' Cup. Yet the cradle of football still had one representative in the draw, FC Barcelona coach Terry Venables. Ironically, his team looked the most likely to benefit from the post-Heysel ban on English clubs. For in a season when Real Madrid CF and Club Atlético de Madrid also reached UEFA finals, the Catalan side were expected to take home first prize.
Favourites' tag
They had earned their favourites' tag by knocking out Juventus FC in the quarter-finals, 2-1 on aggregate - a result which obscured away-goals victories against AC Sparta Praha and FC Porto, and the slice of luck needed to overcome IFK Göteborg on penalties in the semis. No matter: Barcelona's come-from-behind win against the Swedish team - Pichi Alonso's hat-trick saving them after a 3-0 reverse in Gothenburg - suggested opponents FC Steaua Bucuresti might as well not bother turning up for the Seville final.
Steaua stunner
The Romanian team obviously thought differently. Having beaten Vejle BK, Kispest Honvéd FC, FC Lahti and perennial semi-finalists RSC Anderlecht, coach Emerich Jenei turned his attentions to soccer's tipsters. In the event, a combination of Andalusian heat, Barcelona nerves and calm defending from Steaua sweeper Miodrag Belodedici did the job for him - producing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history. Steaua goalkeeper Helmut Duckadam saved all four Barcelona penalties as a scoreless shoot-out followed 120 scoreless minutes until Marius Lacatus and Gavril Balint converted to send the cup to Eastern Europe for the first time.
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