1991/92: Ajax halt Torino march
Monday 1 June 1992
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Dennis Bergkamp (AFC Ajax) (©Getty Images)
A Scottish football commentator once observed that "you don't win anything with kids". Well, they were queuing up to debunk that particular theory in the 1991/92 UEFA Cup. Leading the way were AFC Ajax, coached by Louis van Gaal and featuring Dennis Bergkamp, Wim Jonk and Aron Winter. Yet the Amsterdammers were not the only team with a youthful complexion. Liverpool FC had the exciting Steve McManaman; Genoa 1893 the future Italian international Stefano Eranio. But it was the tyros of Torino Calcio who emerged to challenge Ajax for the title.
Lentini shines
Spearheaded by winger Gianluigi Lentini, the Granata reached their first European final at the expense of KR Reykjavík, Boavista FC, AEK Athens, B 1903 København and Real Madrid CF, beaten 3-2 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Ajax's semi-final opponents were Liverpool's conquerors, Genoa. They clawed back a two-goal deficit at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris only to concede a last-minute winner to Dutch international Winter. A 1-1 draw in the return sealed their fate.
Ajax treble
So, having added one Italian side to a list of victims that included Örebro SK FK, FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt and KAA Gent, Ajax turned their sights on another. Successfully, it transpired, though their victory was by the narrowest margin possible: the away goals' rule. The first leg in Turin finished 2-2 with Walter Casagrande cancelling out strikes by Jonk and Stefan Pettersson, the second goalless. Thus Ajax became the only Dutch club to win all three European trophies.
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