When Matt Busby defied the Soccer Affiliation to tug United and English soccer into the European Cup in 1956/57, his motive was to check his aspect towards the cream of the continental crop, and people challenges got here no better – then or now – than the mighty Actual Madrid. The Reds’ first foray within the competitors ended with a 2-2 house draw and mixture exit on the hand of Los Blancos. The guests had been headlined by Alfredo Di Stefano and spearheaded by French schemer Raymond Kopa, who netted Actual’s opener within the semi-final showdown.
Halfway by way of the next marketing campaign, United’s assembly with Dukla Prague offered the problem of Czech genius Josef Masopust, who adopted Di Stefano (1957, 1959) and Kopa (1958) by successful the Ballon d’Or in 1962.
By then, the Munich Air Catastrophe had set again the Reds’ continental quest, however the revival, led by Busby and Jimmy Murphy, quickly restarted the procession of events and expertise to be hosted at Previous Trafford. Ferencvaros talisman Florian Albert (1967) would reign supreme two years after his 1965 Festivals Cup go to, whereas Eusebio’s arrival with Benfica in 1966 represented the primary time a reigning Ballon d’Or holder would carry out as an Previous Trafford customer. Naturally, the Portuguese marvel shone with two assists because the Reds eked out a 3-2 win within the European Cup quarter-final, first leg.
When United’s reign as European Cup holders was resulted in 1969, AC Milan nice Gianni Rivera – who gained the award later that yr – was a part of the Rossoneri’s 2-1 mixture triumph, regardless of carrying an damage into the second leg in M16. The Reds’ post-Busby decline prompted a dearth of European motion for a lot of the subsequent twenty years, however a tantalising reminder of continental romance was supplied when Juventus pitched up in Manchester for his or her Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final, first leg in 1984. Reigning gong-holder Michel Platini featured for Turin’s Previous Girl, alongside 1982 winner Paolo Rossi, who opened the scoring in a 1-1 draw.
