1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final riots
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final riots, also known as the Battle of Barcelona, was a serious public disorder incident that took place in the city of Barcelona
, Spain, surrounding the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final
. The May 24 match in Camp Nou
, contested between Rangers F.C.
and Dynamo Moscow
, was marred by disturbances.
Serious disorder was sparked in the final minutes of the match when hundreds of Rangers fans invaded the pitch. Dinamo players claimed that they were attacked, while bottles were thrown at police, whose actions have been described as heavy-handed.
As a result of the riot, the trophy was presented to Rangers captain John Greig
inside the stadium buildings.
At the time Spain was still under political oppression by fascist dictator Francisco Franco
and revolts were violently repressed by armed Policía Armada (Armed Police).
the next week, but no statement was made. After initially denying his club's culpability, Rangers manager Willie Waddell
criticised those fans who had rioted: "It is to these tikes, hooligans, louts and drunkards that I pinpoint my message – it is because of your gutter-rat behaviour that we [Rangers FC] are being publicly tarred and feathered...
The chairman of the Soviet FA raised the issue at the next UEFA committee meeting on 16 June. The outcome of the meeting was that the result was upheld: Rangers were allowed to keep the trophy, but were banned from European competition for two years (reduced to one on appeal). This marked the first time in the history of the competition that the winners were banned from playing in Europe the following year. It has been suggested that the riot was the first major instance of British football hooliganism
to receive widespread attention in continental Europe
, contributing to the eventual designation of it as "the British disease".
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain, surrounding the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final
1972 Cup Winners' Cup Final
The 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final was contested between Rangers and Dynamo Moscow on 24 May 1972. The match was played at the Camp Nou in Barcelona where Scottish team Rangers defeated their Soviet opponents 3–2. This was the first time a Soviet team had reached a European final and the...
. The May 24 match in Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
, contested between Rangers F.C.
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Dynamo Moscow
FC Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo Moscow is a Russian football club based in Moscow, currently playing in the Russian Premier League. Dynamo's traditional kit colours are blue and white...
, was marred by disturbances.
Serious disorder was sparked in the final minutes of the match when hundreds of Rangers fans invaded the pitch. Dinamo players claimed that they were attacked, while bottles were thrown at police, whose actions have been described as heavy-handed.
As a result of the riot, the trophy was presented to Rangers captain John Greig
John Greig
John Greig MBE is a Scottish former professional football player who, despite his boyhood allegiance to hometown team Heart of Midlothian, spent his entire career in Glasgow with Rangers as a player, manager and director.Greig was voted "The Greatest Ever Ranger" in 1999 by the Rangers supporters...
inside the stadium buildings.
At the time Spain was still under political oppression by fascist dictator Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
and revolts were violently repressed by armed Policía Armada (Armed Police).
Pitch invasions
In the sixties and seventies it was common to see pitch invasions at matches including European finals. In the final Rangers surged into a 3–0 lead but were pulled back to 3–2 in a game interrupted by pitch invasions. The end of the contest was overshadowed by a third pitch invasion by Rangers supporters minutes before the final whistle, which held the game up for several minutes. While it was argued that the pitch invaders may simply have been celebrating victory prematurely due to the misinterpretation of the final whistle. The Dynamo Moscow players alleged that the pitch invasion was designed to stop the Soviet side's momentum. In the final minutes, Dinamo were pressing hard to equalise but it has been claimed that the pitch invasion gave the Rangers defenders respite and unnerved the Soviet players. When the match restarted, Rangers were able to see out the final minutes. The pitch invasion resulted in the cup being awarded to the Rangers team behind closed doors, while Rangers supporters fought with police on the pitch. Rangers supporters later complained about the severity and indiscriminate nature of the beatings, in which many jubilant rather than violent supporters were caught up. Veteran Scottish broadcaster Archie MacPherson, who covered the game, has stated that the trouble was "eminently avoidable" and relates how Reuters' correspondent at the match remarked to him that, "What you are seeing down there is Franco's Fascist police in action".Reaction
The behaviour of the Rangers supporters was controversial and widely criticized. Dinamo and the Soviet FA demanded a replay on the grounds of the pitch invasion, arguing that the actions of the Rangers fans were intended to influence the result by ensuring the Russian team did not equalise. No replay was ever scheduled. UEFA were expected to pass comment when they met for the 1972 European Cup Final1972 European Cup Final
The 1972 European Cup Final was a football match held at De Kuip, Rotterdam, on 31 May 1972, that saw Ajax of the Netherlands defeat Internazionale of Italy 2-0. Two second-half goals from Johan Cruyff gave Ajax their second success in the competition, after their 1971 victory...
the next week, but no statement was made. After initially denying his club's culpability, Rangers manager Willie Waddell
Willie Waddell
Willie Waddell is a former professional footballer who played as a defender for Aberdeen and Kettering Town. Waddell played for Aberdeen in the 1947 Scottish Cup Final victory against Hibernian.- Notes :...
criticised those fans who had rioted: "It is to these tikes, hooligans, louts and drunkards that I pinpoint my message – it is because of your gutter-rat behaviour that we [Rangers FC] are being publicly tarred and feathered...
The chairman of the Soviet FA raised the issue at the next UEFA committee meeting on 16 June. The outcome of the meeting was that the result was upheld: Rangers were allowed to keep the trophy, but were banned from European competition for two years (reduced to one on appeal). This marked the first time in the history of the competition that the winners were banned from playing in Europe the following year. It has been suggested that the riot was the first major instance of British football hooliganism
Football hooliganism
Football hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
to receive widespread attention in continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, contributing to the eventual designation of it as "the British disease".