UEFA Cup Trivia


  • Country Dominance
  • Defending the Trophy
  • Most Participations
  • Consecutive Participations
  • Champions League Rejects
  • Fair Play Entrants
  • Intertoto (UI Cup) Entrants
  • Domestic Cup Entrants
  • League Cup Entrants
  • Mid-Table Winners
  • Domestically Best Winners
  • Beating the Holders
  • UEFA Cup Records
  • Lower Level Teams in the UEFA Cup (link to different file)
  • Some Players' Records (link to different file)

  • European Cups (all tournaments) Trivia | Champions' Cup/Champions League Trivia | Cup Winners' Cup Trivia | Fairs' Cup Trivia

    Country Dominance

    Until the Champions League was bloated up in the second half of the nineties, the UEFA Cup was the only one among the three European trophies which offered most countries multiple entries. This has led to several national finals:

    1971/72 England       Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers
    1979/80 West Germany  Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Mönchengladbach
    1989/90 Italy         Juventus v Fiorentina
    1990/91 Italy         Internazionale v Roma
    1994/95 Italy         Parma v Juventus
    1997/98 Italy         Internazionale v Lazio
    2006/07 Spain         Sevilla v Espanyol
    
    Never a single country was more dominant than in 1979/80: West Germany had five entrants that year (4 by right, and Borussia Mönchengladbach as the holders - they hadn't qualified for Europe in the Bundesliga), and all five reached the quarterfinals. This necessarily led to (at least) one inter-German tie, and 1.FC Kaiserslautern were eliminated by Bayern München 4-2 on aggregate. But all other German clubs made it past the quarterfinals, giving an all-German semifinal line-up:
    VfB Stuttgart v Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-3 on aggregate)
    Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt (3-5 on aggregate)
    
    The West Germany v Rest of Europe balance that UEFA Cup makes convincing reading: from 36 matches, the West German teams won 23, drew 7 and lost 6, scoring 74 goals and conceding 29. Typically, the team with the worst record (Eintracht, 8 4 1 3 14-8), who finished lowest of the 5 in the Bundesliga as well, went on to win the trophy. No German team was eliminated by a non-German team in the UEFA Cup that year!


    Defending the Trophy

    Only two clubs have ever retained the UEFA Cup: Real Madrid won it in both 1984/85 and 1985/86, and Sevilla in 2005/06 and 2006/07. The only country to keep it 3 consecutive seasons is Italy, and they did so on two occasions: between 1988/89 and 1990/91 (Napoli, Juventus, and Internazionale the winners) and between 1992/93 and 1994/95 (Juventus, Internazionale, and Parma).

    If one combines the records of the Fairs' Cup and the UEFA Cup, English clubs won 6 times between 1967/68 and 1972/73.


    Most Participations

    Below we list all clubs to have entered the UEFA Cup or Europa League (including qualifiers) on at least 15 occasions.
    Note that seasons in which a club withdrew before playing a single match are not included.
    All numbers up to and including the 2009/10 season. Note that Fairs Cup entries (up to and including 1970/71) are not included.

    25 Sporting (Lisboa)
    
    22 FC Brugge
    
    21 Crvena zvezda Beograd
    
    20 AEK (Athinai)
       Feyenoord
       Grasshoppers
       Slavia Praha
    
    19 Dinamo Bucuresti
       Dinamo Zagreb
       Partizan Beograd
       Spartak Moskva
    
    18 Ajax
       CSKA (Sofia) (CDNA, Sredets)
       Fenerbahçe
       Levski (Sofia) (Levski-Spartak, Vitosha)
       Rapid Wien
    
    17 Girondins Bordeaux
       PAOK (Thessaloniki)
       PSV (Eindhoven)
    
    16 Aberdeen
       Atlético Madrid
       Benfica
       Brøndby IF
       Dinamo Tbilisi
       Dundee United
       Hajduk Split
       Hamburger SV
       Panathinaikos
       Werder Bremen
    
    15 Anderlecht
       Celtic
       Ferencváros
       Olympiakos (Piraeus)
       Shahtar Donetsk
       Sliema Wanderers
       Standard Liège
       VfB Stuttgart
       FC Twente
       Valencia
    

    See also the section on consecutive participations.


    Consecutive Participations

    The record number of consecutive participations in the UEFA Cup is 14, an ongoing series by FC Brugge; all teams to play at least 5 consecutive seasons (including eliminations in the qualifying rounds of the tournament proper):

    14 FC Brugge (1996/97-2009/10)
    
    12 Crvena zvezda Beograd (1998/99-2009/10)
       Slavia Praha (1998/99-2009/10)
    
    11 FC Vaduz (1999/00-2009/10)
    
    10 CSKA Sofia (1998/99-2007/08)
    
     9 PAOK (Thessaloniki) (1997/98-2005/06)
       Shahtar Donetsk (1998/99-2006/07)
       Litex Lovech (2001/02-2009/10)
    
     8 Celtic (1996/97-2003/04)
       Grazer AK (1998/99-2005/06)
       Brøndby (1999/00-2006/07)
       Nistru Otaci (2001/02-2008/09)
       Austria Wien (2002/03-2009/10)
    
     7 PSV (1979/80-1985/86)
       Spartak (Moskva) (1981/82-1987/88)
       Sporting CP (Lisboa) (1988/89-1994/95)
       Parma (1998/99-2004/05)
       FK Ventspils (2000/01-2006/07)
       Wisla Kraków (2000/01-2006/07)
       Banants Yerevan (2003/04-2009/10)
       Dinamo Bucuresti (2003/04-2009/10)
    
     6 1.FC Köln (1971/72-1976/77)  [also in Fairs' Cup 1970/71]
       Grasshopper Club (1972/73-1977/78)
       Dundee United (1977/78-1982/83)
       Werder Bremen (1982/83-1987/88)
       Internazionale (1983/84-1988/89)
       Skonto Riga (1994/95-1999/00)
       Rangers (1997/98-2002/03)
       Artmedia Petrzalka (Bratislava) (2003/04-2008/09)
       AEK (Athinai) (2004/05-2009/10)
       SC Braga (2004/05-2009/10)
       SC Heerenveen (2004/05-2009/10)
       Omonia Nicosia (2004/05-2009/10)
       Partizan Beograd (2004/05-2009/10)
       
     5 1.FC Kaiserslautern (1979/80-1983/84)
       Sportul studentesc Bucuresti (1983/84-1987/88)
       Partizan Beograd (1984/85-1988/89)
       Eintracht Frankfurt (1990/91-1994/95)
       Internazionale (1993/94-1997/98)
       Lazio (1993/94-1997/98)
       Dynamo Tbilisi (1994/95-1998/99)
       Rapid Wien (1997/98-2001/02)
       AEK Athinai (1998/99-2002/03)
       Celta Vigo (1998/99-2002/03)
       Zimbru Chisinau (1999/00-2003/04)
       Dinamo Zagreb (2000/01-2004/05)
       Birkirkara (2001/02-2005/06)
       Levski Sofia (2001/02-2005/06)
       Sporting CP (Lisboa) (2001/02-2005/06)
       Auxerre (2002/03-2006/07)
       Besiktas (2002/03-2006/07)
       Schalke 04 (2002/03-2006/07)
       FC Basel (2003/04-2007/08)
       Etzella Ettelbruck (2003/04-2007/08)
       Flora Tallinn (2005/06-2009/10)
       Olympique Marseille (2005/06-2009/10)
    

    Apart from 1.FC Köln, Vitória FC (Setúbal) also has a series of 7 seasons if we take the Fairs' Cup into account: 1968/69-1974/75 (3 seasons in the Fairs and 4 in the UEFA Cup).


    Champions League Rejects

    There are currently two ways to enter the UEFA Cup (c.q. Europa League) after first entering the Champions League: by finishing third in the group stage or by being eliminated in the final qualifying round (since 2009/10 also the losers in the penultimate qualifying round enter the 'new' Europa League).

    Three UEFA Cup finals were played by two clubs who had initially entered the Champions League but were 'relegated' to the UEFA Cup after finishing third in the (first) group stage:

    1999/00 Galatasaray v Arsenal
    2001/02 Feyenoord v Borussia Dortmund
    2008/09 Shahtar Donetsk v Werder Bremen
    
    Apart from Galatasaray, Feyenoord and Shahtar Donetsk, also CSKA Moskva won the UEFA Cup after finishing third in their Champions League group (2004/05).

    Among the clubs eliminated during the final qualifying round for the Champions League, Celtic subsequently had the best performance in the UEFA Cup, reaching the final in 2002/03. Five other clubs managed to reach the semifinals of the UEFA Cup after failing to enter the Champions League group stage: Spartak Moskva (1997/98), Boavista (2002/03; they lost their semifinal to Celtic but saw city rivals Porto exact revenge on their conquerors in the final), Newcastle United (2003/04), Steaua Bucuresti (2005/06) and Osasuna (2006/07).

    Entering both the Champions League and/or its qualifying rounds and the UEFA Cup (or Europa League) in the same season has now become so common that a separate statistic of all clubs having done so in three or more consecutive seasons is warranted (between square brackets the means of entering the UEFA Cup (or Europa League) is indicated in chronological order, G denoting group stage, q denoting qualifying round):

     7 Shahtar Donetsk (2000/01-2006/07) [GqqqGqG]
    
     4 FC Brugge (2002/03-2005/06) [qGqG]
       Dinamo Zagreb (2006/07-2009/10) [qqqq]
    
     3 Anorthosis Famagusta (1997/98-1999/00) [qqq]
       Skonto Riga (1997/98-1999/00) [qqq]
       Rangers (1999/00-2001/02) [GGq]
       Celtic (2001/02-2003/04) [GqG]
       Grazer AK (2002/03-2004/05) [qqq]
       Wisla Kraków (2003/04-2005/06) [qqq]
       Spartak Moskva (2006/07-2008/09) [Gqq]
       Werder Bremen (2006/07-2008/09) [GGG]
       Olympique Marseille (2007/08-2009/10) [GGG]
       Slavia Praha (2007/08-2009/10) [Gqq]
       Sparta Praha (2007/08-2009/10) [qqq]
    

    Note that Werder Bremen were the first team to qualify for the UEFA Cup by finishing third in their Champions League group three times in succession. Another German club, Bayer Leverkusen, were the first to do so twice in succession (1999/00 and 2000/01), along with Olympiakos (Piraeus) and Rangers.

    In addition we list all clubs to have moved from the Champions League to the UEFA Cup (or Europa League) within one season on at least 4 occasions, split according to whether they came from the group stage (G) or the qualifying rounds (q) of the Champions League.
    All numbers up to and including the 2009/10 season.

    Tot G q
    
     9 [4-5] Shahtar Donetsk
    
     8 [1-7] Slavia Praha
    
     7 [0-7] Dinamo Zagreb
    
     6 [3-3] FC Brugge
       [3-3] Rangers
       [0-6] Brøndby IF
    
     5 [2-3] Celtic
       [2-3] Spartak Moskva
       [1-4] Steaua Bucuresti
       [0-5] Crvena zvezda Beograd
       [0-5] Partizan Beograd
       [0-5] Sparta Praha
       [0-5] Wisla Kraków
    
     4 [4-0] Olympique Marseille
       [4-0] PSV (Eindhoven)
       [3-1] Dynamo Kyiv
       [3-1] Olympiakos (Piraeus)
       [3-1] Rosenborg BK
       [2-2] AEK (Athinai)
       [2-2] Benfica
       [2-2] Panathinaikos
       [1-3] Ajax
       [1-3] Sporting (Lisboa)
       [0-4] Anorthosis Famagusta
       [0-4] Austria (RB) Salzburg
       [0-4] FC København
       [0-4] Levski (Sofia)
    

    In each of the four seasons (2000/01, 2001/02, 2003/04 and 2007/08) PSV finished third in their Champions League group they reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup.


    Fair Play Entrants

    Since the 1995/96 season, three clubs (at most one per country) enter each season through a Fair Play ranking. Since then, three clubs have managed to reach the UEFA Cup quarterfinals this way:

    1997/98 Aston Villa
    2000/01 Rayo Vallecano 
    2008/09 Manchester City
    

    In those 15 seasons (up to and including 2009/10), one club managed entry in the UEFA Cup three times thanks to a Fair Play spot; five other clubs did so twice:

     3 SK Brann (Bergen)     (1997/98, 2002/03, 2006/07)
     
     2 Aston Villa           (1997/98, 1998/99)
       Esbjerg fB            (2003/04, 2005/06)
       Manchester City       (2003/04, 2008/09)
       MyPa (Anjalankoski)   (2001/02, 2007/08)
       Viking FK (Stavanger) (1995/96, 2005/06)
    
    Aston Villa are the only club to do so in consecutive seasons.

    Countrywise, England and the Scandinavian countries have profited most from this way of entry:

     9 Norway
    
     6 England
       Sweden
    
     5 Finland
     
     4 Denmark
    
     2 Belgium
       Germany
       Scotland
    

    No other country had more than one Fair Play entry in the first 15 seasons.


    Intertoto (UI Cup) Entrants

    In the 14 seasons from 1995/96 up to and including 2008/09, a varying number of clubs entered the UEFA Cup through the Intertoto Cup (revamped UI Cup after UEFA took over its organisation). After the 2008 edition of the UI Cup it was discontinued.

    The best performance in the UEFA Cup by an Intertoto entrant was by Girondins Bordeaux in the first season, 1995/96, when they reached the UEFA Cup final (losing to Bayern München). Two other clubs reached the UEFA Cup semifinals after qualifying this way, Bologna (1998/99) and Villarreal (2003/04). In addition, four clubs reached the quarterfinals: Auxerre (1997/98), Celta de Vigo (2000/01), Málaga (2002/03) and Villarreal (2004/05, one season after they had reached the semifinals this way). The only club to qualify three times for the UEFA Cup this way were VfB Stuttgart (2000/01, 2002/03 and 2008/09) but in none of these three seasons they progressed beyond the fourth round (1/8 finals).

    The French took this way of qualifying most seriously, while the four traditionally strongest European leagues also managed a considerable number of additional entries:

    16 France
    
    10 Germany
     
     7 Spain
    
     6 England
       Italy
    
    No other country managed more than 3 additional entries in the UEFA Cup during the 14 seasons provided by the UI Cup.

    For additional data, see also the file on the Intertoto Cup.


    Domestic Cup Entrants

    After the Cup Winners' Cup was discontinued after the 1998/99 edition, domestic cup winners (or losing cup finalists if the cup winners enter the Champions League) enter the UEFA Cup. The best ever performance by such an entrant was the lost final (against compatriots Sevilla) by Espanyol in 2006/07.
    In addition, six clubs reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup after entering through the domestic cup tournament: Slavia Praha and Werder Bremen (both 1999/00), Austria Wien (2004/05), Levski Sofia (2005/06), Getafe (2007/08) and Paris Saint-Germain (2008/09). Austria Wien, Getafe and Paris Saint-Germain had entered as losing domestic cup finalists. In the 2004/05 season, the last two remaining domestic cup entrants, Austria Wien and Real Zaragoza, met in the fourth round (1/8 finals), and their tie (won on away goals by Austria, after a 1-1 draw in Vienna and a 2-2 in Zaragoza) can be considered a Cup Winners' Cup final aprčs le lettre.

    The following clubs entered the (qualifying rounds of the) UEFA Cup (c.q. Europa League) through their domestic cup tournament on four or more occasions since 1999:

    11 FC Vaduz           (each season from 1999/00 to 2009/10)
    
     6 Birkirkara         (1999/00, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06,
                           2008/09)
    
     5 Litex Lovech       (2001/02, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10)
       Nistru Otaci       (2001/02, 2002/03, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09)
    
     4 Austria Wien       (2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10)
       B36 (Tórshavn)     (2000/01, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10)
       Bangor City        (2000/01, 2002/03, 2008/09, 2009/10)
       Banants Yerevan    (2003/04, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10)
       Glentoran          (2000/01, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2006/07)
       Hapoel Tel-Aviv    (1999/00, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09)
       HJK (Helsinki)     (1999/00, 2001/02, 2007/08, 2009/10)
       Lokomotivi Tbilisi (2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2005/06)
       Mika Ashtarak      (2000/01, 2001/02, 2005/06, 2006/07)
    
    As FC Vaduz also entered the last edition of the Cup Winners Cup in 1998/99 (but not in 1997/98), they have an ongoing series of 12 successive qualifications for UEFA club tournaments through their domestic cup tournament in Liechtenstein (where only six other clubs compete).
    Apart from Birkirkara, Litex Lovech, Hapoel Tel-Aviv and Lokomotivi Tbilisi, also FC Utrecht (2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05) and FK Ventspils (2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07) entered the UEFA Cup this way in three consecutive seasons.
    In four of their five entries (all bar 2005/06) Nistru Otaci entered as losing domestic cup finalists.

    In the 11 seasons (1999/00 to 2009/10 inclusive) since cup winners enter the UEFA Cup, only Belarus, Cyprus and (by necessity) Liechtenstein have entered their cup winners each season.
    In contrast, Scotland entered the losing cup finalists in all bar one (2002/03, Rangers as winners) of these 11 seasons.
    Dunfermline Athletic even qualified twice as losing finalists (2004/05 and 2007/08), as did AaB (2004/05 and 2009/10), Aris (Thessaloniki) (2005/06 and 2008/09), B36 (Tórshavn) (2000/01 and 2009/10), Birkirkara (1999/00 and 2000/01), Hajduk Split (2008/09 and 2009/10), UN Käerjéng (2007/08 and 2009/10), Llansantfraid (2001/02 and 2004/05), Metalurgs Liepaja (2000/01 and 2003/04) and Spartak Trnava (2006/07 and 2008/09). As mentioned above, Nistru Otaci did so four times (2001/02, 2002/03, 2006/07 and 2008/09), a record, while Banants Yerevan had three such entries (2003/04, due to a ban on cup winners Mika Ashtarak, 2004/05 and 2009/10).

    As an aside, it should be mentioned that West Germany had a peculiar rule in the 1970s: if the cup winners would have qualified for the UEFA Cup through the final league standings, the available UEFA Cup spot did not go to the next best team in the league standings (as usual in most countries), but to the losing cup finalists. Four teams entered the UEFA Cup this way (1.FC Köln in 1971/72, 1.FC Kaiserslautern in 1972/73, Hamburger SV in 1974/75 and MSV Duisburg in 1975/76; Kaiserslautern would have done so again in 1976/77 but they also were the best ranked team in the league so in a manner of speaking replaced themselves). Of these four, two (Kaiserslautern in 1972/73 and Hamburger SV in 1974/75) went on to reach the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. It is not known whether such a rule was ever applied in any other country (but certainly not in Austria, East Germany, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain or Switzerland).

    As a final curiosity, the first season in which cup winners entered the UEFA Cup saw two playoffs between clubs losing their domestic cup semifinals to determine the third place in the cup: in Italy Bologna beat Internazionale and in Turkey Ankaragücü beat Sakaryaspor for a place in the UEFA Cup 1999/00 as in both countries both cup finalists 1999 qualified for the Champions League. Afterwards this route into the UEFA Cup was closed: any UEFA Cup place freed by the fact that both cup finalists qualified for the Champions League was attributed according to the final league standings.


    League Cup Entrants

    The Fairs' Cup having already offered entry to the English League Cup winners, the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) continued reserving one place to the winners of the English League Cup to this day. Some other countries have also reserved a UEFA Cup spot for the winners of their domestic League Cup or an equivalent competition at some point in time: France (from 1996/97 to this day), Hungary (only in 1975/76, for the winners of the Felszabadulási Kupa), Poland (only in 1977/78), Scotland (from 1972/73 until 2000/01) and Spain (for four seasons, from 1983/84 to 1986/87, with only Real Valladolid in 1984/85 actually profiting from the rule, as the other Spanish league cup winners (Barcelona twice and Real Madrid once) would have qualified for European competition anyway).

    The best performance by a League Cup entrant is the win by Tottenham Hotspur in the first edition of the UEFA Cup 1971/72; however, the Spurs would also have qualified through their final league position in 1970/71. Real Madrid won the UEFA Cup 1985/86 but primarily entered as holders, and not as Spanish League Cup winners 1985. Tottenham Hotspur also qualified for the 1973/74 UEFA Cup as English League Cup winners (their league finish was not good enough) and reached (and lost) the final. In addition, RC Lens reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup 1999/00 for which they had qualified as French League Cup winners while Aston Villa (1977/78), Dundee United (1981/82) and FC Barcelona (1986/87) reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals as winners of the domestic League Cup (all three would have qualified on league position as well, unlike Lens in 1999).

    Three clubs entered the UEFA Cup as domestic League Cup winners on four occasions: Aston Villa (1975/76, 1977/78, 1994/95 and 1996/97; in 1977/78 and 1996/97 they would have qualified through league position anyway), Tottenham Hotspur (1971/72, 1973/74, 1999/00 and 2008/09; in 1971/72 they would have qualified through league position anyway), and Rangers (1982/83, 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1988/89; in each season they would have qualified through league position anyway). Seven clubs did so twice: Leicester City (1997/98 and 2000/01) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (1974/75 and 1980/81) in England; Girondins Bordeaux (2002/03 and 2007/08) and RC Strasbourg (1997/98 and 2005/06) in France; and Aberdeen (1977/78 and 1995/96), Celtic (1983/84 and 2000/01) and Dundee United (1980/81 and 1981/82) in Scotland. While all three Scottish clubs would have qualified on league position on both occasions anyway, both the two English and the two French clubs mentioned only gained access to the UEFA Cup by virtue of their League Cup wins.

    Below we list the best UEFA Cup run for each country, restricting to clubs who would not have qualified for the UEFA Cup if they would not have won the League Cup in the preceding season:

    England   Tottenham Hotspur  1973/74  Final
    France    RC Lens            1999/00  Semifinal
    Hungary   Vasas              1975/76  Round 3
    Poland    Odra Opole         1977/78  Round 1
    Scotland  Raith Rovers       1995/96  Round 2
    Spain     Real Valladolid    1984/85  Round 1
    

    Mid-Table Winners

    Several times, winning the UEFA Cup was a club's only chance to qualify for European competition in the next season. A win by such a mediocre, mid-table (and non-domestic-cup-winning) club then led to an extra place in the UEFA Cup for the country in question. The following clubs managed to salvage their season by winning the UEFA Cup (between brackets their domestic league records, P-W-D-L-F-A-Pts):

    1971/72 Tottenham Hotspur         England      ( 6th, 42 19 13 10 63-42 51)
    1978/79 Borussia Mönchengladbach  West Germany (10th, 34 12  8 14 50-53 32)
    1979/80 Eintracht Frankfurt       West Germany ( 9th, 34 15  2 17 65-61 32)
    1983/84 Tottenham Hotspur         England      ( 8th, 42 17 10 15 64-65 61)
    1987/88 Bayer Leverkusen          West Germany ( 8th, 34 10 12 12 53-60 32)
    1993/94 Internazionale            Italy        (13th, 34 11  9 14 46-45 31)
    1996/97 Schalke 04                Germany      (12th, 34 11 10 13 35-40 43)
    
    The Spurs did it twice; the Germans four times!

    Internazionale's 1993/94 finish is the worst by any winner of a European club title.


    Domestically Best Winners

    All UEFA Cup winners not listed above finished among the first five of their national championship. On thirteen occasions a club combined the UEFA Cup with the national title; six of those occurred in succession form 1972/73 to 1977/78, and Liverpool (1972/73 and 1975/76) and IFK Göteborg (UEFA Cup winners 1981/82 and 1986/87 and spring-fall champions in 1982 and 1987 though not in 1981 nor 1986) did it twice; the other 6 teams involved are Feyenoord (1973/74), Borussia Mönchengladbach (1974/75), Juventus (1976/77), PSV (1977/78), Real Madrid (1985/86), Galatasaray (1999/2000), Porto (2002/03), Valencia (2003/04) and Zenit Sankt-Peterburg (2007/08 UEFA Cup winners and 2007 Russian champions).

    Of the above, the only teams to add a domestic cup as well were IFK Göteborg, thereby achieving a treble of UEFA Cup 1981/82, Swedish championship 1982, and Swedish Cup 1981/82, Galatasaray 1999/2000 and Porto 2002/03.

    Liverpool in 2000/01 did not win the domestic league, but won both domestic cups (FA Cup and League Cup) for a unique treble.


    Beating the Holders

    Only 1 club managed to eliminate the holders from the UEFA Cup on more than one occasion: SV Werder Bremen. Two more clubs eliminated the UEFA Cup holders from European competition on 2 occasions.

    All clubs to eliminate the defending champions more than once (seasons in which they won themselves in bold):

     2 Werder Bremen        (1989/90, 1999/00)
    

    In addition Barcelona and Real Madrid each eliminated the UEFA Cup holders more than once; Barcelona once from the Champions' Cup and once from the Cup Winners' Cup, Madrid twice from the Champions' Cup and once from the UEFA Cup itself:

       Real Madrid          (1975/76 (ChC), 1984/85, 2000/01 (ChC)
       Barcelona            (1974/75 (ChC), 1990/91 (CWC))
    

    Most successful countries against the holders (within the UEFA Cup itself):

       England       3 eliminations (Aston Villa 1, Liverpool 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1)
       Italy         3              (Cagliari 1, Internazionale 1, Udinese 1)
       West Germany  3              (Werder Bremen 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 1)
       France        2              (Auxerre 1, Sochaux 1)
       Portugal      2              (Belenenses 1, Boavista 1)
       Spain         2              (Real Madrid 1, Valencia 1)
    
    No other country boasts more than one such elimination.

    If we add Fairs' Cup and UEFA Cup records, Werder Bremen remain the only club to eliminate the defending champions more than once (namely twice); apart from Barcelona and Real Madrid two more clubs eliminated the holders of the 'third' European trophy on two occasions:

       Internazionale       (1965/66 (ChC), 1997/98)
       Újpesti Dózsa        (1968/69, 1982/83 (CWC))
    

    The list of most succesful countries against the Fairs' Cup/UEFA Cup holders within the competition itself:

       England       4 eliminations (Aston Villa 1, Liverpool 1, Sheffield
                                     Wednesday 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1)
       Italy         4              (Bologna 1, Cagliari 1, Internazionale 1,
                                     Udinese 1)
       West Germany  4              (Werder Bremen 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 1,
                                     1.FC Köln 1)
       Scotland      3              (Aberdeen 1, Dundee United 1, Hibernian 1)
       Spain         3              (Real Madrid 1, Valencia 1, Zaragoza 1)
       Belgium       2              (Anderlecht 1, Lierse 1)
       France        2              (Auxerre 1, Sochaux 1)
       Portugal      2              (Belenenses 1, Boavista 1)
    
    No other country boasts more than one such elimination.


    UEFA Cup Records

    Highest win in one leg:

    1984/85, 1st round: Ajax 14-0 Red Boys Differdange
    
    

    Highest aggregate win:

    1972/73, 1st round: Feyenoord 9-0 US Rumelange
                        US Rumelange 0-12 Feyenoord
                 Feyenoord win 21-0 on aggregate
    (tie for record for all European Cups)
    
    

    Most goals in game:

    1984/85, 1st round: Ajax 14-0 Red Boys Differdange, total 14 goals
    
    

    Most goals in tie:

    1972/73, 1st round: Feyenoord 9-0 US Rumelange
                        US Rumelange 0-12 Feyenoord
                 Feyenoord win 21-0 on aggregate, total 21 goals
    
    

    Best come-backs:

    1984/85, 2nd round: Queens Park Rangers 6-2 Partizan (Beograd)
                        Partizan (Beograd) 4-0 Queens Park Rangers
                 6-6 on aggregate, Partizan Beograd win on away goals
    
    1985/86, 3rd round: Borussia Mönchengladbach 5-1 Real Madrid
                        Real Madrid 4-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
                 5-5 on aggregate, Real Madrid win on away goal
    
    1987/88, 3rd round: Honvéd 5-2 Panathinaikos [after 5-0]
                        Panathinaikos 5-1 Honvéd
                 Panathinaikos win 7-6 on aggregate
    
    1971/72, 1st round: Lierse SK 0-2 Leeds United
                        Leeds United 0-4 Lierse SK
                 Lierse SK win 4-2 on aggregate
    
    1988/89, 3rd round: Bayern München 0-2 Internazionale
                        Internazionale 1-3 Bayern München
                 3-3 on aggregate, Bayern München win on away goals
    
    1989/90, 1st round: Levski-Spartak (Sofia) 0-0 Antwerp
                        Antwerp 4-3 Levski-Spartak (Sofia) [after 1-3 at 87']
                 Antwerp win 4-3 on aggregate
    
    1996/97, 1st prel.: Sliema Wanderers 1-3 Margveti Zestafoni
                        Margveti Zestafoni 0-3 Sliema Wanderers
                 Sliema Wanderers win 4-3 on aggregate
    
    1996/97, 3rd round: Brøndby IF 1-3 Karlsruher SC [after 0-3 at 81']
                        Karlsruher SC 0-5 Brøndby IF
                 Brøndby IF win 6-3 on aggregate
    
    1998/99, 1st round: VfB Stuttgart 1-3 Feyenoord
                        Feyenoord 0-3 VfB Stuttgart
                 VfB Stuttgart win 4-3 on aggregate
    
    2004/05, 2nd qual.: Rapid Wien 0-2 Rubin Kazan
                        Rubin Kazan 0-3 Rapid Wien
                 Rapid Wien win 3-2 on aggregate
    
    2005/06, 1st round: Maccabi Petah-Tikva 0-2 Partizan Beograd
                        Partizan Beograd 2-5 Maccabi Petah-Tikva
                 Maccabi Petah-Tikva win 5-4 on aggregate
    
    2009/10, 1st round: Dinamo Bucuresti 0-3 Slovan Liberec [awarded, abandoned at 0-2 in 87']
                        Slovan Liberec 0-3 Dinamo Bucuresti [aet]
                 3-3 on aggregate, Dinamo Bucuresti won 9-8 on penalties
    
    

    Final come-back:

    1987/88, final:     Español 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
                        Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Español [aet] [after 0-0 at 56']
                 3-3 on aggregate, Bayer Leverkusen won 3-2 on penalties
    

    European Cups (all tournaments) Trivia | Champions' Cup/Champions League Trivia | Cup Winners' Cup Trivia | Fairs' Cup Trivia

    About this document

    Thanks to Luis Aguilar

    Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

    Author: Karel Stokkermans
    Last updated: 15 Jan 2010

    (C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 1996/2010
    You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.