1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final

1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final
Match programme cover
Event1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup
Date16 May 1973
VenueKaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki
RefereeChristos Michas (Greece)
Attendance40,154

The 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was the final football match of the 1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup and the 13th European Cup Winners' Cup final. It was contested between Milan of Italy and Leeds United of England, and was held at Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece. Milan won the match 1–0. The referee was banned from officiating for life by UEFA, for match-fixing.

The Greek crowd at the final reacted to perceived bias towards Milan by referee Christos Michas by throwing missiles during the victors' lap of honour, but despite protests, the result was not overturned.[1] UEFA later banned Michas for life due to match fixing, although his role in this match was not investigated.[2]

Leeds, who perceived referee Christos Michas to have made a number of unfair decisions, attempted to gain a replay but UEFA denied the request.[3] Decades later Richard Corbett, then MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, petitioned UEFA for a revocation of the Milan title.[4]

Route to the final

Milan Leeds United
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Red Boys Differdange 7–1 4–1 (A) 3–0 (H) First round Ankaragücü 2–1 1–1 (A) 1–0 (H)
Legia Warsaw 3–2 1–1 (A) 2–1 (a.e.t.) (H) Second round Carl Zeiss Jena 2–0 0–0 (A) 2–0 (H)
Spartak Moscow 2–1 1–0 (A) 1–1 (H) Quarter-finals Rapid București 8–1 5–0 (H) 3–1 (A)
Sparta Prague 2–0 1–0 (H) 1–0 (A) Semi-finals Hajduk Split 1–0 1–0 (H) 0–0 (A)

Match details

Milan 1–0 Leeds United
Chiarugi 5' Report
Milan
Leeds United
GK 1 Villiam Vecchi
SW 5 Maurizio Turone
RB 2 Giuseppe Sabadini
CB 4 Angelo Anquilletti
CB 6 Roberto Rosato  59'
LB 3 Giulio Zignoli
RM 7 Riccardo Sogliano  90'
CM 8 Romeo Benetti
LM 10 Gianni Rivera (c)
CF 9 Alberto Bigon
SS 11 Luciano Chiarugi
Substitutes:
CB 14 Dario Dolci  59'
Manager:
Nereo Rocco
GK 1 David Harvey
RB 2 Paul Reaney (c)
CB 11 Terry Yorath
CB 6 Norman Hunter  90'
LB 3 Trevor Cherry
RM 7 Peter Lorimer
CM 4 Mick Bates
CM 5 Paul Madeley
LM 10 Frank Gray  54'
CF 8 Joe Jordan
CF 9 Mick Jones
Substitutes:
CB 12 Gordon McQueen  54'
FW 14 Chris Galvin
Manager:
Don Revie

See also

References

  1. ^ Uefa asked to probe Leeds United's 1973 Cup Winners' Cup defeat to AC Milan Daily Telegraph, 15 April 2009, retrieved on 28 May 2009
  2. ^ "UEFA asked to probe United's final defeat". Yorkshire Evening Post. 3 April 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  3. ^ "MEP calls for inquiry into Milan-Leeds Euro final". Richard Corbett MEP. 10 August 2006. Archived from the original on 26 October 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  4. ^ "MEP wants Leeds result reversed". BBC Sport. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2023.