Bari Tokyo 1991

Historical circumstances advantaged „Crvena Zvezda“ – champion of the strongest European league in that season was a pretty much average „Napoli“, while England’s leading „Liverpool“ was still under suspension due to Heysel. Hence, a group of potential World class rivals was reduced to only trophy–defending „Milan“, Madrid’s „Real“, Munich’s „Bayern“ and very powerful and ambitious „Olympic“ from Marseille. With a little bit of luck on the draw, „Zvezda“ could reach European Champion’s Cup semifinals for the first time after 20 years; and from then on – everything was possible.

„Crvena Zvezda“ was by far the most succesful club in European Cups at the time, both in the Balkans and in the whole Eastern Europe. Since the Second Champion’s Cup semifinals, when it was defeated by „Fiorentina“, our club saw the European spring 14 times, and was a semi-finalist in each of the three Cups 6 times. „Crvena Zvezda“ steadily kept its place among the first 15 on the Eternal UEFA List, whereas it stood just behind the „Real Madrid“ - „Barcelona“ – tandem by the number of participations in Euro-Cups.

In the First round, the draw placed an unattractive Swiss’ „Grasshopper“ on „Zvezda’s“ path. The Swiss club was lead by Otmar Hitzfeld, (well known to „Zvezda“ for his defeat at Marakana 4 years earlier,) as well as by Alain Sutter and Ciriaco Sforza, (not yet known to our players at that time.) „Grasshoppers“ shocked the Marakana with Peter Koezle’s leading score, while Dragiša Binić, who returned to our club in the summer, (after two years abroad,) managed to even the score. With the result being 1:1, many of the „red and white“ fans became scared of having to bid farewell to Europe during the autumn.

Revanch at Hardturm stadium showed the real abilities of Ljupko Petrović’s team. Prosinečki started a series of scores in UEFA Champions League, by netting the rival two times, furter to which two more scores were gained by Pančev and Radinović. Therefore, another Koezle’s point didn’t upset anyone.

The Second round provided a real spectacle at Marakana, due to the fact that Glasgow Rangers were visiting and Walter Smith was sitting on their bench. The Scottish champion wanted a good result on October 24. Nevertheless, the overcrowded Marakana inspired our players to perform another magnificent match, during which chances in front of Chris Woods’ goal came one after another. Within minutes, in addition to Brown scoring an own goal, Robert Prosinečki’s free kick score doubled the advantage. Finally, Darko Pančev provided a definite 3:0 result which led to an outburst of joy.

During revanch at Ibrox, „Cobra“ punished the rival again by using the attractive scissors-technique, after which the lengendary Ally McCoist was only able to even the result. The only bad side to this match in two parts was that captain Stevan Stojanović got injured; yet, „Crvena Zvezda“ had won the European spring by then, so there was enough time for Dika’s recovery.

In the Third round, „Zvezda“ began the German tour, enhanced by Siniša Mihajlović, (who was then being paid one million Deutch marks.) Rival was the last DDR champion „Dinamo Dresden“. Saxonians really were by far the easiest possible rivals in the quarter-finals, during which „Milan“ played against Marseille, „Bayern“ against „Porto“, and „Real“ against „Spartak“. At Marakana, scenery was the same as the one in October – a rival was overrun and sent back home, following a 3:0 result. Even Prosinečki’s free kick scored again, and Binić and Savićević won the rest of the points, just like before.

The Dresden match had a bad beginning; a host penalty in the second minute and a score by Torsten Gutschow. However, a difference in game quality was soon noticed - Savićević and Pančev managed to reverse the result. Unfortunately, a group of violent domestic fans provoked an incident, due to which the match was terminated in the 78 minute. UEFA recorded a 3:0 game result to our benefit, and „Crvena Zvezda“ reached Champion’s Cup semifinals for the third time in history.

A gate on the road to trophy began to open-up. Marseille eliminated the official champions from Milan, while „Real Madrid“ (which had 21 scores in matches against Tyrol and Odense the previous autumn,) was taken down after the encounter with „Spartak“; in addition, „Bayern“ became the fourth semi-finalist, after the victory over „Porto“.

Bavarians gained 5 victories in 6 matches, yet, none of the rivals was nearly as strong as „Crvena Zvezda“. Although our team’s experience with „Bayern“ was very bad, (two sequential losses a decade earlier,) the Marakana was dominated by optimism, mostly outspread by traditionally reserved Dragan Džajić, who had announced a victory in Munich.

Roland Wohlfarth’s score only temporarily gave Bavarians the advantage, (and that same player came close to the top of the tragic figures list 14 days afterwards.) „Crvena Zvezda“ took the initiative at the Olympic stadium. Just before the half-time break, Prosinečki passed the ball on to Binić; a quick run and a cross at the last goal-post followed; in addition, Darko Pančev accepted the ball – the result was 1:1.

In the beginning of the second half-time, Effenberg (who coudn’t stop crying bitterly among fans in exaltation at Marakana,) „sold“ the ball; Pančev served Savićević perfectly, who ran from centre to the penalty area, and was untouchable for Jurgen Kohler and Aumann; the result was 1:2. The amazing fifteen thousand „Zvezda“ fans on the north tribune of Munich stadium were delirious.

And this was just the beginning. Fourteen days later, everything went well during the first half – Mihajlović outwitted Aumann by the free-kick and „Zvezda“ gained the advantage by two points. Agony started when Augenthaler’s free-kick went through Stojanović’s arms and legs. Five minutes later, Manfred Bender scored for a 1:2 result. „Bayern“ evened the result and didn’t intend to stop there. In the last 30 minutes, chances came in a row in front of both goals, while „Zvezda’s“ faith was hanging in the air – another rival’s score and our team would need two more points to access the game.

Good fortune entirely turned to „Crvena Zvezda“ then: Wohlfarth, a shooter from the first match, hit the goal-post, and the ball rebounded between the two well-positioned „Bayern“ players. Then came a historical moment: Jugović conducted the ball along the diagonal and double-passed with Pančev; Prosinečki passed through the left side of the field, then returned the ball to Mihajlović, after whose cross Augenthaler started off clumsily; Pančev confused Aumann and – the sky opened, the stadium exploded...

Then came an „operation Bari“. Ljupko Petrović brought the team to Italy a week before the finals, in order to peacefully prepare the players for a forthcoming encounter with „Olympic“ from Marseille. By that time, „Zvezda“ had 18 scores at 8 matches, whereas the French champion had 20. Therefore, the hunderedth European compeeting final was expected to be a spectacle of offense. Nonetheless, with the trophy at hand, both Lj. Petrović and Raymond Goethals opted for a defence.

After a 120 minute game and only few chances on both sides, the decision was made following the penalty-kicks. Prosinečki hit Olmeta’s net by a right medium-high-kick, while Stojanović defended our goal from Manuel Amoros’ kick by bouncing to the right, during the first series. It showed later that this was the crucial point of the game. Then came the scores, in the following order: Binić (similarily to Prosinečki), Bernard Casoni (restrainedly, to the right small part of the net), Belodedici (just above the ground, to the left lower corner), Papin (the same direction, a little higher than Belodedici), Mihajlović (to the right, after digging a larger amount of ground), and Moser (elegantly, to the right corner).

A chance to triumph got Darko Pančev, a winner of the „Golden Shoe“ – he aimed near the centre of the goal, kicked the ball hard and caught Olmeta in a discrepancy, which was enough to experience the greatest joy in this club’s history. Twenty thousand fans at San Nicola stadium and millions of them all over Serbia and the World got the greatest present from „Crvena Zvezda“.

The story of the famous year doesn’t end here.

As the European champion, „Crvena Zvezda“ played in the European Super Cup as well as in the Toyota Intercontinental Cup. Toyota Cup is held on a neutral terrain, in Japan, for decades now; at that time, European Super Cup consisted of two matches. However, there was only one match against „Manchester United“, held at Old Trafford on November 19, due to war which had already begun in Croatia. In spite of the fact that „Crvena Zvezda“ entirely outplayed its old sport friends and the best of the Cup Winner’s Cup, and the fact that Dejan Savićević glittered at the „Theatre of Dreams“, the only point was scored by Brian McClair.

In Tokyo, „Zvezda“ looked for a chance to finish the year with another international trophy. There, its rival was Chile’s „Colo Colo“, the South American champion. On Santiago de Chile’s team bench was Mirko Jozić, under whose leadership Yugoslavia became a Youth World Champion, and Prosinečki, who was the World’s best among those of his age. However, Robi left the team right after winning the European Champion title, just as Stojanović, Marović, Šabanadžović and Binić did.

Vladimir Jugović, the youngest regular of our club, got a chance to become famous. His two scores and a brilliant play over the entire field brought him the Toyota prize, which was intended for the best player in the match. The third score in the grand 3:0 victory was gained by Darko Pančev. Yet, „Zvezda“ had one player less since the first half-time finished, due to exclusion of Savićević.

On 08-December-1991, „Crvena Zvezda“ had everything that a soccer club can achieve: it was both the European Champion as well as the World Champion. Judging from this time-distance, it isn’t likely that any Eastern European club will accomplish that in the future. And then again, ten years before the „Bari“, that wasn’t likely to happen either.