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THREAD KLAXONDunno about you, but I’ve really struggled to focus on reading, or doing anything productive or creative, in lockdown
Instead I’ve found sanctuary trawling through old European football matches on YouTube
So I thought I’d share my absolute favourite with you
8 April 1987
European Cup Winners Cup
(the absolute best of all the European club cups)
Semi Final, 1st Leg
Real Zaragoza
v Ajax 
European Cup Winners Cup
(the absolute best of all the European club cups)
Semi Final, 1st Leg
Real Zaragoza
v Ajax
It’s been raining in Zaragoza.
A lot.
The pitch in La Romareda is wet.
How wet?
Well wet enough for this match to be retrospectively dubbed ‘The Water Ballet of Zaragoza’
A lot.
The pitch in La Romareda is wet.
How wet?
Well wet enough for this match to be retrospectively dubbed ‘The Water Ballet of Zaragoza’
Thankfully, Yugoslav referee Zoran Petrovic isn’t going to let a bit of rain stop him.
‘Game on!’ Says our hero.
And less than 30 seconds in, Ajax’ Sonny Silooy offers a sign of things to come, stacking it in response to the ball stopping dead in a puddle.
‘Game on!’ Says our hero.
And less than 30 seconds in, Ajax’ Sonny Silooy offers a sign of things to come, stacking it in response to the ball stopping dead in a puddle.
1st minute. 1st yellow card.
Ajax goalkeeper Stanley Menzo reasons that as the pitch markings have washed away, his area must be infinite, and races from his goal to wipe out Juan Antonio Senor in the middle of Zaragoza’s picturesque Old Town
Ajax goalkeeper Stanley Menzo reasons that as the pitch markings have washed away, his area must be infinite, and races from his goal to wipe out Juan Antonio Senor in the middle of Zaragoza’s picturesque Old Town
The free-kick comes to nowt, bar a passage of play that offers a glimpse of the rest of the match’s midfield play in microcosm; the ball sticking fast in ankle-deep puddles as midfielders go aquaplaning past.
15 minutes gone and Zaragoza take the lead through Ruben Sosa, who leaves a trail of sodden players behind him.
The daft sod nearly drowns himself celebrating.
The daft sod nearly drowns himself celebrating.
Of course, it might’ve been a harder chance for Sosa, had Frank Rijkaard not slid onto the scene like Tom Cruise in Risky Business to take out his fellow defender Sonny Silooy
Within a couple of minutes, Ajax are level.
Rob Witschge deceiving the Zaragoza keeper by somehow managing to plant his header onto the only part of the entire pitch where the ball would bounce.
Rob Witschge deceiving the Zaragoza keeper by somehow managing to plant his header onto the only part of the entire pitch where the ball would bounce.
Later in the first half, aided by a puddle, Ajax counter through Marco Van Basten.
Time for Zaragoza ‘keeper Andoni Cedrun to go all ‘Stanley Menzo meets WWF’ and thwart the attack with what can only be described as a clothes line.
Time for Zaragoza ‘keeper Andoni Cedrun to go all ‘Stanley Menzo meets WWF’ and thwart the attack with what can only be described as a clothes line.
Penalty?
Red card?
Nope.
‘Play on’ says Mr Petrovic. Nothing to see here.
(Incidentally, referee Petrovic is two days shy of his 35th birthday. Belgrade was a tough old city in the 1960s and 70s)
Red card?
Nope.
‘Play on’ says Mr Petrovic. Nothing to see here.
(Incidentally, referee Petrovic is two days shy of his 35th birthday. Belgrade was a tough old city in the 1960s and 70s)
Into the second half, and Ajax take the lead through a Johnny Bosman header; the ball sensibly lofted to him to avoid the small lake that’s now formed in the Zaragoza box
Hey, remember that lake from the last clip? Well it plays a not insignificant part in Ajax going 3-1 up just before the hour mark.
Bosman heading in his second goal
Bosman heading in his second goal
I’m not sure where this passage ranks on Ajax’ long historic spectrum of ‘Total Football’.
It’s like watching Speed Skating’s ill-fated summer season
It’s like watching Speed Skating’s ill-fated summer season
71st minute and the Rijkaard-Silooy slapstick double act conspire to give Zaragoza a penalty.
(Look out for the photographer showing better balance than any of the players have mustered as he runs round the back of the goal in his plimsolls)
(Look out for the photographer showing better balance than any of the players have mustered as he runs round the back of the goal in his plimsolls)
Shout out to our man Petrovic here too, for maintaining his penalty award stance for a full seven seconds.
34 years old. Poor sod.
34 years old. Poor sod.
Juan Antonio Senor strokes home the penalty and celebrates by shaking the hand of the two tallest men in Zaragoza
I know what you’re thinking; 'All this match is lacking is a red card'.
Well, here’s two of them.
Bosman and Francisco Guerri going at it quite literally ‘right under the referee’s nose’
Well, here’s two of them.
Bosman and Francisco Guerri going at it quite literally ‘right under the referee’s nose’
And that’s that.
Johnny Bosman traipses from the field looking like a Sunday League Mr Darcy, and gets a hug from the Dutch Alan Hansen, whilst Guerri is pushed down the tunnel by a passing milkman.
Johnny Bosman traipses from the field looking like a Sunday League Mr Darcy, and gets a hug from the Dutch Alan Hansen, whilst Guerri is pushed down the tunnel by a passing milkman.
So there you go.
Ajax win the much duller 2nd leg 3-0, before going on to beat Lokomotive Leipzig in the final, without the suspended Johnny Bosman.
It's be 1995 before Zaragoza reached a ECWC Final, defeating Arsenal to win the Cup in 1995.
(Photo by Theo Brinkman)
Ajax win the much duller 2nd leg 3-0, before going on to beat Lokomotive Leipzig in the final, without the suspended Johnny Bosman.
It's be 1995 before Zaragoza reached a ECWC Final, defeating Arsenal to win the Cup in 1995.
(Photo by Theo Brinkman)
(With apologies to those of you who like neither football, nor retro footage of very wet men)
If you enjoyed this thread, you might enjoy this book.
It's also by me, but is much less about forgotten late 80s waterlogged football, and more about London during the 2018 World Cup https://glenawilson.wordpress.com/2020/05/16/wcldn-glen-wilson/
It's also by me, but is much less about forgotten late 80s waterlogged football, and more about London during the 2018 World Cup https://glenawilson.wordpress.com/2020/05/16/wcldn-glen-wilson/
