Apoel Nicosia v Real MadridThe first Giant-killers of the Champions League from Cyprus might have met their match against the Special One's XI but it's doubtful even Ronaldo and Co will inflict the kind of defeat on Nicosia they suffered against Dunfermline in the 1968/9 Cup Winners Cup. A 12-1 aggregate win for the Fifers included a thumping 10-1 win at East End Park with Robertson, Renton and Willie Callaghan all weighing in with two goals each. Willie's brother Tom also got a goal as did legendary Pars Roy Barry, Pat Gardner and Alex Edwards. Gardner and Willie Callaghan scored in Cyprus. The Pars marched onto the semi finals of that season's competition, beating English Cup Winners West Brom on the way, before going out to Slovan Bratislava. Pat McCluskey and Johnny Doyle put Celtic 2-0 up after the first leg of their European Cup Quarter Final against Real Madrid in Glasgow in 1979/80 but the Spanish masters won the 2nd Leg 3-0 for a 3-2 aggregate. Would it be that close in the modern era of the Premier European club competition? We think not. Marseille v Bayern MunichThe first season of what we now know as the Champions League in 1992/3 saw group stages after the initial opening two rounds and after battling past Lyngby and Leeds Rangers drew with the eventual French finalists 2-2 at home and 1-1 away. Had somebody from Ibrox managed to add to Ian Durrant's goal in the decisive final group game in France for a Gers win (CSKA Moscow and Bruges also in Rangers section) then it would have been the Light Blues in their first European Cup final. This time 23 years ago Hearts were the last British side left in Europe and they took on Bayern Munich in the last eight of the UEFA Cup. Ian Ferguson gave the Jambos a 1-0 lead going into the 2nd Leg in the Olympic Stadium but the Germans managed to win 2-0 for a 2-1 aggregate although Hearts had their chances to claim a precious away goal. Benfica v ChelseaTommy Gemmell, Willie Wallace and Harry Hood were the scorers as Celtic beat the Portugese Champions 3-0 at Parkhead enroute to the 1970 European Cup final which they lost to Feyenoord. The aggregate score against Benfica ended 3-3 with Celtic winning the tie on a toss of a coin. Penalty kick deciders were brought in two years later for tied agg scores after extra time in European ties. It was almost unthinkable, even in the 60's, that Morton could deal with London football royalty in the shape of Chelsea but the men from Greenock put in a great home performance against the English side in their one and only European adventure (The 1st Round of the 1968/9 Fairs Cup) . Chelsea won 3-4 (Thorop, Mason and Taylor for Morton) at Cappielow but it was a different story down south with the home side winning 5-0 in front of their own Stamford Bridge crowd. AC Milan v BarcelonaThe season before the run to their second European Cup final Celtic reached the Quarter Final of the competition and drew 0-0 with AC Milan at the San Siro. Expectations were high for the 2nd Leg in Glasgow but the Italians typically closed up shop after going ahead and went through with a 1-0 aggregate score. Dundee Utd fans will tell you the story (given half the chance) of how their favouries beat Barca TWICE in the same season in both the 60's and the 80's! Hainey and Seerman scored as United won 2-1 in Spain in the 1st Leg tie in Round 2 of the 1966/7 Fairs Cup. Hainey and Mitchell completed the job in the City of Discovery for 2-0 and a 4-1 aggregate. In 1986/7 Barca, El Tel, Lineker, Hughes and all, were defeated home and away again. Gallagher, Clark and Ferguson got the Arab goals in a 3-1 aggregate victory (1-0 home and 2-1 away). United reached the 1986/7 UEFA Cup final which they lost over two legs to Gothenburg.
Source: FOOTYMAD
