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1990/91: United put England back on the map

Manchester United FC celebrated the re-admission of English clubs to Europe by defeating FC Barcelona in a tense Rotterdam occasion.

Mark Hughes celebrates winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
Mark Hughes celebrates winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ©Getty Images

Manchester United FC 2-1 FC Barcelona
Feijenoord Stadium, Rotterdam

Manchester United FC celebrated the re-admission of English clubs to Europe. In their run to the final, they won all their away games – notably in France after Montpellier-Hérault SC had drawn 1-1 at Old Trafford and in Poland against CWKS Legia Warszawa, who had knocked out the defending champions, Sampdoria UC, in the quarter-finals.

Tough task
FC Barcelona had a tougher draw. After scraping past Dinamo Kiev 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, they beat Juventus FC 3-1 at home in the semi-final thanks to goals by Hristo Stoitchkov (2) and Jon Andoni Goikoetxea. In Turin, Andoni Zubizarreta was only beaten once, but received a yellow card which meant suspension from the final along with midfielder Guillermo Amor, sent off. Stoitchkov, injured in the league, also missed the final.

Pressure game pays off
A crowd of 44,000 packed into De Kuip for a tense final. Johan Cruyff’s side, with Michael Laudrup, Ronald Koeman and a platoon of Spanish internationals, struggled to cope with the English pressure-game and United took a 68th-minute lead when Mark Hughes, playing a ‘revenge match’ against his former club, touched home a Steve Bruce header after a free-kick. Seven minutes later, he crashed a shot past reserve keeper Carlos Busquets to make it 2-0. But Koeman scored from a free-kick ten minutes from time and, even though Fernando Muñoz ‘Nando’ was sent off, Barcelona created chance after chance in what Alex Ferguson described as "the worst ten minutes of my life".
He and United survived to lift the trophy.

Manchester United FC - FC Barcelona2 - 1

StageFinal
Half-Time0 - 0
Date15.05.1991
Kick-Off20:15:00
VenueFeijenoord
City/TownRotterdam
Attendance43500
RefereeKARLSSON Bo (SWE)

Match Report

67'10 HUGHES Leslie Mark
72'3 ALEXANCO VENTOSA José Ramón (out) / 16 PINILLA MIRANDA Antonio (in)
74'10 HUGHES Leslie Mark
75'6 BAKERO ESCUDERO II José Maria
77'7 ROBSON Bryan
79'4 KOEMAN Ronald
84'2 MUÑOZ GARCIA Fernando

Team Line-Ups
Manchester United FCFC Barcelona
1 SEALEY Les (G)1 BUSQUETS BARROSO Carlos (G)
2 IRWIN Dennis Joseph2 MUÑOZ GARCIA Fernando
3 BLACKMORE Clayton3 ALEXANCO VENTOSA José Ramón (C)
4 BRUCE Steven4 KOEMAN Ronald
5 PHELAN Michael5 FERRER LLOPIS Alberto
6 PALLISTER Gary6 BAKERO ESCUDERO II José Maria
7 ROBSON Bryan (C)7 GOICOECHEA LASA Juan Antonio
8 INCE Paul8 SACRISTAN MENA Eusebio
9 McCLAIR Brian9 SALINAS FERNANDEZ Julio
10 HUGHES Leslie Mark10 LAUDRUP Michael
11 SHARPE Lee11 BEGUIRISTAIN MUGICA Aitor
Substitutes
13 WALSH Gary (G)13 ANGOY GIL Jesus Mariano (G)
12 DONAGHY Malachy12 SERNA OROZCO Ricardo Jesus
14 WEBB Neil14 SOLER SARASOLS Miguel
15 ROBINS Mark Gordon15 HERRERA ZAMORA Sebastian
16 WALLACE Daniel16 PINILLA MIRANDA Antonio
Head Coach
FERGUSON AlexCRUYFF Johan