1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final

1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final

Match programme cover
Event	1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup
Milan Leeds United 1 0
Date	16 May 1973
Venue	Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki
Referee	Christos Michas (Greece)
Attendance	40,154

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

Further information: 1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup

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

16 May 1973

Milan	1–0	Leeds United
Chiarugi 5'	Report

Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki

Attendance: 40,154

Referee: Christos Michas (Greece)

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

• 1973 European Cup Final
• 1973 UEFA Cup Final
• A.C. Milan in European football
• Leeds United F.C. in European football

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.

External links

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup results at Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
• 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup Final at UEFA.com