European Cup Winners' Cup

Lore & Background

KV Mechelen's victory led to their 1988 European Super Cup title in the club's first ever European campaign (1987–89). As the next season's Belgian league victor it defended its title in a semifinal of the 1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup. Financial problems have been keeping this last Belgian holder of any European cup away from a position to be as successful again.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at De Kuip hummed with a nervous energy as the clock ticked into extra time. The air in Rotterdam was thick with anticipation; the crowd knew this could be history. A long ball found its way down the flank, cutting through the Leipzig defense like a hot knife through butter. Van Basten controlled it with his chest, turning instantly to face the goal. He didn't hesitate. With a thunderous strike that seemed to echo off the concrete stands, the net rippled.

Reader's Guide

The competition included a preliminary round, first round, second round, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final. Notable results include Dunajská Streda winning 6–1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, and in the second round a match between Hajduk Split and Marseille was voided and awarded 3–0 to Marseille due to crowd trouble, with Hajduk banned from European competition for two seasons.

Did You Know?

• Ajax were the defending champions but lost in the final to KV Mechelen.
• KV Mechelen won the final, their first ever European campaign.
• The source does not state that Ajax ever won the Cup Winners' Cup.