UEFA Champions League 1995-96
Encyclopedia
The 1995–96 UEFA Champions League was the 41st season of UEFA
's premier European club football tournament, and the fourth since its rebranding as the UEFA Champions League
. The tournament was won by Juventus
, who beat defending champions Ajax on penalties in the final for their first championship trophy since 1985
, and their second overall. It was the only Champions League title that Juventus won in the 1990s, despite their reaching the next two finals, and one of only two Italian wins in the final, despite there being a Serie A
club in every final for seven straight years from 1992 to 1998.
It was the first tournament in which three points were awarded for a win instead of two.
won their tie against Aalborg BK, but, in their first group game against Panathinaikos, they were accused of a failed attempt to bribe referee Antonio López Nieto
to get a win. Despite an appeal, they were thrown out of the competition by UEFA
and were banned for the subsequent two years. Aalborg BK replaced them in the group stage. Dynamo's ban was eventually reduced to just one season.
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, Borussia Dortmund
, Ferencváros, Grasshopper, Juventus
, Legia Warsaw, Nantes, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid
and Rosenborg.
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Nantes won 4–2 on aggregate.
----
Ajax won 3–0 on aggregate.
----
Panathinaikos won 3–0 on aggregate.
----
Ajax won 3–1 on aggregate.
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
's premier European club football tournament, and the fourth since its rebranding as the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. The tournament was won by Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, who beat defending champions Ajax on penalties in the final for their first championship trophy since 1985
European Cup 1984-85
The season 1984–85 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by Juventus in a close final against defending champions Liverpool. However, the result was left meaningless after the deaths of 39 spectators in the Heysel Stadium disaster...
, and their second overall. It was the only Champions League title that Juventus won in the 1990s, despite their reaching the next two finals, and one of only two Italian wins in the final, despite there being a Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club in every final for seven straight years from 1992 to 1998.
It was the first tournament in which three points were awarded for a win instead of two.
Qualifying round
Dynamo KyivFC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
won their tie against Aalborg BK, but, in their first group game against Panathinaikos, they were accused of a failed attempt to bribe referee Antonio López Nieto
Antonio López Nieto
Antonio Jesús López Nieto is a Spanish football referee, who has officiated at one FIFA World Cup and during the UEFA Champions League....
to get a win. Despite an appeal, they were thrown out of the competition by UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
and were banned for the subsequent two years. Aalborg BK replaced them in the group stage. Dynamo's ban was eventually reduced to just one season.
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Group stage
11 teams of 16 made their debut in the group stage: Aalborg BK, Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, Ferencváros, Grasshopper, Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, Legia Warsaw, Nantes, Panathinaikos, Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and Rosenborg.
Group A
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Group B
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Group C
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Group D
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Bracket
Quarter-finals
|}First leg
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Second leg
Juventus won 2–1 on aggregate.----
Nantes won 4–2 on aggregate.
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Ajax won 3–0 on aggregate.
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Panathinaikos won 3–0 on aggregate.
Semi-finals
|}First leg
----Second leg
Juventus won 4–3 on aggregate.----
Ajax won 3–1 on aggregate.
Final
Top goalscorers
The top scorers from the 1995-96 UEFA Champions League (excluding qualifying round) are as follows:| Rank | Name | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jari LitmanenJari Litmanen Jari Olavi Litmanen is a Finnish footballer, currently playing for HJK. He is the current vice-captain of Finland national football team, where he served as a first choice captain between 1996–2008... |
 Ajax |
9 |
| 2 |  Alessandro Del PieroAlessandro Del Piero Alessandro Del Piero Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Serie A club Juventus, of which he is also club captain.... |
Juventus Juventus F.C. Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont... |
6 |
 Raúl GonzálezRaúl González Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04.... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
6 | |
 Krzysztof WarzychaKrzysztof Warzycha Krzysztof "Kristof" Warzycha is a former Polish professional footballer. For the majority of his career he played for Greek club Panathinaikos FC.- KS Ruch Chorzów :... |
 Panathinaikos |
6 | |
| 5 | Patrick Kluivert Patrick Kluivert Patrick Stephan Kluivert is a former Dutch footballer, currently head coach of the youth side of FC Twente. He played as a striker for AFC Ajax, A.C. Milan, FC Barcelona, Newcastle United, Valencia CF, PSV Eindhoven, and Lille OSC. Kluivert played for the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2004. He... |
Ajax |
5 |
 Yuriy Nikiforov |
Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times... |
5 | |
 Nicolas OuédecNicolas Ouédec Nicolas Pierre Ouédec is a retired French professional footballer who played as a striker.-Football career:A product of FC Nantes's famous youth academy, Ouédec made his first division debuts aged 17... |
Nantes |
5 | |
| Fabrizio Ravanelli Fabrizio Ravanelli Fabrizio Ravanelli is a former international Italian football player, who won five titles with Juventus, including a Serie A championship in 1995 and a Champions League title in 1996.... |
Juventus Juventus F.C. Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont... |
5 | |
| 9 |  Mike NewellMike Newell (footballer) Michael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player he notably was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, as well also playing for Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town, Leicester City, Everton,... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
4 |
 Iván ZamoranoIván Zamorano Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with former world-class forward Marcelo Salas and former world player of the year Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers.He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
4 | |
| 11 |  Erik Bo AndersenErik Bo Andersen Erik Bo Andersen is a Danish former professional footballer who played six matches for the Danish national team and represented Denmark at the 1996 European Championship... |
Aalborg BK |
3 |
 Karl Petter LøkenKarl Petter Løken Karl Petter "Kalle" Løken is a Norwegian former football player. He played 243 matches in Norwegian Premier League, most of them for Rosenborg BK, Trondheim, earning seven league titles and four cup championships. Løken was capped 36 times for Norway national football team... |
Rosenborg |
3 | |
| Reynald Pedros Reynald Pedros Reynald Pedros is a retired French footballer of Portuguese descent.- Career :Pedros is a left-footed attacking midfielder, formed in Nantes. He was part of the magic trio of FC Nantes with Patrice Loko and Nicolas Ouédec... |
Nantes |
3 | |
| Sergei Yuran Sergei Yuran Sergei Nikolayevich Yuran is a Ukrainian-association football coach and a former striker.-Career:At club level he played in six different countries... |
Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times... |
3 | |
 Japhet N'DoramJaphet N'Doram Japhet N'Doram is a retired Chadian footballer who played as a striker.His 14-year playing career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities... |
Nantes |
3 |