It’s time for another glance back at a vintage match-up from the past, but as usual the sporting action on the pitch is the last thing on our minds.
Karlsruher Sport-Club Mühlburg-Phönix e. V., more commonly known as Karlsruher SC, were one of 16 clubs handpicked to be members of the original West German Bundesliga in 1963. Representing the city of Karlsruhe close to the German-French border, the club bounced between the top two divisions for the next few decades before 92/93 would bring a 6th place finish in the top flight; an all-time high that for the first time ever also secured European competition via the following season’s UEFA Cup.
The campaign started with a noteworthy defeat of recent European Cup winners PSV Eindhoven, before a 3-1 away deficit to Valencia was overturned with an incredible 7-0 result in Karlsruhe to put the home side into the third round. After two encounters with classic western European teams already, it was now time for another rendition of the Germany vs France rivalry as Bordeaux were the next team drawn, who like the previous two opponents (and unlike Karlsruher) had a history of national league success with continental experience dating back to the 60s.
Evidently in light of the team’s qualification for Europe, the excellent new club nickname of Eurofighter had been introduced by Karlsruher that year (also applicable to the supporters of many clubs in the competition). The moniker would certainly be put to the test, as for second time in a row defeat in the away leg – here thanks one goal from a certain Zinedine Zidane – left a big performance needed in western Germany.
Match File:
- Karlsruher SC vs FC Girondins de Bordeaux
- UEFC Cup 93/94
- Third Round, 2nd Leg
- 08/12/1993
- Wildparkstadion, Karlsruhe, Germany
- 25,000 spectators
Before the teams emerge, a respectable blaze is already in full flower in the stands of amazingly named Wildparkstadion:
During team line-up graphics, featuring the magnificent Bordeaux crest, we get a decent look at some sections of the ground in the background:
This is followed by our first proper close-up sighting of the home supporters with their flurry of flags:
As you can see, future stars Lizarazu and Zidane are in he Bordeaux line-up, while Oliver Khan and Slavan Bilić are among the ranks of the home side. In the terraces, the fans brave the cold December night with some red stars of their own:
While confetti is added to the flags and flares from the crowd, below we can see the amount of yellow cards picked up in the competition by the “Eurofighters” so far. Compared to Bordeaux’s amount of zero, this nicely demonstrates the type of “fighting spirit” that Germans were not adverse to at the time, as we have seen recently on the site thanks to Stahl Brandenburg:
With kick-off seconds away, the packed-out Wildpark is living up to it’s name:
The match begins while the pyro continues:
As the smoke settles, the always welcome and very German sight of banners hung along the length of the pitch can be appreciated, on front of densely populated terraces:
Going from fabric surrounding the pitch to the fabric being worn upon it, the home side’s all-white strip is produced by German brand Erbacher, featuring an appropriately early-90s design. This is demonstrated well by a player in the midst of what is, despite appearances, actually just an unfortunately-maneuvered innocent arm gesture of reconciliation, after an error in play:
With Bordeaux temporarily switching first-preference colours from their recognizable navy and white to white with red trim, beginning in 92/93, the resulting clash here gives opportunity for very a classy crimson away kit to be used by the visitors. Understated compared to it’s Karlsruher equivalent, but with prominent chevron, smart collar, Uhlsport logo, a version of the aforementioned magnificent crest, and a sponsor that looks the part, one word springs to mind – exquisite!:
Despite pipping it in the style wars, Bordeaux find themselves on the backfoot after only 16 mins as Karlsruher open the scoring for the evening. The players are buoyed and the home crowd react in kind:
On 65 minutes the lead is increased to two, putting the home side ahead on aggregate. Likeable manager Winfried Schäfer, in a coat template often used by UEFA officials in the era, reacts as the Wildpark erupts into frenzy once again:
With the home team firmly control, pyro returns the stands. Given the time of year the swaying enclosure is dotted with Santa hats and points are given for the skull & crossbones flag, but the proximity of the flare-holder to the stewards is noteworthy for the latter’s calm, exemplary response compared to some similar modern situations:
Ten minutes later and it’s goal number three for Karlsruher, topping off another famous European night. More or less safe in the knowledge that the night is their’s, the home supporters celebrate the continuation of their historic, debut continental cup adventure into 1994:
And so it would finish giving Karlsrhuer a quarter final fixture with Boavista of Portugal, and after yet another impressive victory, a place in the final was only denied by an away goal courtesy Austria Salzburg in the semis. Two more third round UEFA Cup appearances came in the following seasons, but 93/94 was to prove Karlsruher’s high water mark, at least up to this point in their history.
Their defeated opponents meanwhile, Bordeaux, were in fact the ones on the true upward trajectory as soon to be runners-up of 95/96 edition of the competition, culminating with another domestic championship win before the end of the decade. And of course, a return to navy shirts with white chevrons.
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A firework is thrown from the crowd in De Kuip Stadium, Netherlands vs Republic of Ireland, World Cup 82 qualifier, 09/09/1981.
