Sometimes you have to hold up your hands and recognise that your defeat was more down to the skills of your opponent than your own failings. Take Aston Villa’s loss to Juventus in the quarter-finals of the European Cup in 1983. Thousands of fans left Villa Park after the first leg knowing their team’s grip on the European Cup had loosened. Villa were beaten 2-1 at home in the first leg and 3-1 away in Turin a fortnight later, but there was no disgrace in losing to that Juventus team.
When the draw for the last eight was made in December 1982, Villa were given one of the hardest possible tests Europe could provide. Liverpool, drawn against Polish team Widzew Lodz, were installed as 13-8 favourites to win the trophy, with Juventus priced at 11-4. Villa’s odds of 13-2 highlighted the task before them.
It was easy to see why the bookies thought the reigning European champions were up against it. Juventus, managed by Giovanni Trapattoni, were stuffed full of stars. Six players – Dino Zoff, Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Marco Tardelli and Paolo Rossi – had featured in the Italy team that won the World Cup the previous summer. Only injury prevented Roberto Bettega from joining that particular party.
Added into this mix were the imported talents of Michel Platini and Zbigniew Boniek, who had starred at the World Cup as France and Poland reached the last four. Villa were almost playing a World XI. Initially, Platini and Boniek had struggled to adapt to Italian football. They argued with Trappatoni about their best positions and disgruntled fans vandalised their cars after a poor performance. Boniek had been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, with Platini rumoured to be interested in joining the North American Soccer League.
Had Villa played Juventus earlier in the season, they may have gone through. But, by the time the teams met in March, Boniek and Platini had integrated into the team and the Italian game. With Roma on their way to lifting the Serie A title, Juve’s season was all about the European Cup.
The Villa manager Tony Barton went into the first leg without the services of centre-back Allan Evans, who was suspended after being sent off in the feisty Super Cup win over Barcelona. It would take just 40 seconds for Juventus to take advantage. Bettega and Cabrini combined down the left, the latter whipping in a cross to Rossi, who sent a thumping header past Nigel Spink at the Holte End of the stadium. Ten minutes later, the Villa full-back Colin Gibson headed against his own crossbar, as the hosts struggled to keep Juve at bay.
In fairness, Ken McNaught was unfortunate when he had a goal disallowed in the 15th minute. But, with Gentile sticking to Gary Shaw like glue – a huge compliment to the young Villa forward – Juventus denied Villa any clear-cut opportunities in the first half.
A brief ray of light appeared for Villa eight minutes into the second half when Cowans, who had earned his first England cap against Wales a week before, equalised with a fantastic diving header. But the respite proved to be brief. “I felt that Juventus suddenly smelt that they were capable of exposing us and getting a winner,” admitted Spink.
Juventus clicked through the gears as the match wore on. Spink denied Rossi superbly in the 80th minute, turning the Italian’s effort on to the post, after Platini’s beautifully weighted through ball. But the French magician took centre-stage once again three minutes later, with a moment of brilliance that put the ooh into ooh la la.
There seemed little danger as Bettega received a pass from Cabrini but, as soon as the ball was rolled inside to Platini, the situation escalated quickly. Flicking the ball with the outside of his right foot through to the onrushing Boniek, Platini carved open the Villa defence with a single touch. Boniek did not have to break his stride to bring the ball under his control, such was the quality of Platini’s pass. With the ball sitting up invitingly, Boniek lashed an unstoppable drive past Spink from just inside Villa’s box. Even the staunchest Villa fan could not argue with the beauty of the winning goal or the result.
Boniek’s goal was further proof of his ability to produce his best form for Juventus in big European matches, earning him the nickname of Bello di notte – Beauty at night – given to him by the club’s president Gianni Agnelli. A year later he would score the winning goal as Juve beat Porto in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final.
As ever, Barry Davies said it best when describing the winning moment at Villa Park. “That’s a lovely ball by Platini, and Boniek! Oh what a marvellous goal,” said the commentator excitedly. “It was quite superbly played through first time with the outside of the right boot, and finished with a rasping shot that gave Spink no earthly chance.”
It was a bad few hours for English football. Earlier in the day, Liverpool had lost 2-0 in Poland. Villa and Liverpool exited the competition two weeks later, making it the first time since 1976 that the European Cup would not be won by an English club.
For Juventus the hunt for their first European Cup would go on. After beating Widzew Lodz in the semi-finals, the Italians surprisingly lost in the final to Hamburg. Two years later, Boniek and Platini were involved in the goal that finally saw Juventus lift the trophy, although what should have been a glorious occasion at Heysel was lost on a night of tragedy.
In their time together at Juventus, Platini and Boniek claimed an Italian Cup, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup, Serie A and European Cup. Quite an impressive haul. They may have struggled early on in Turin, but class will eventually tell. Just ask anyone who was privileged enough to be at Villa Park in March 1983.
This article is by Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog
