It’s a milestone 25th edition of the flagship “Pyro On The Pitch” series on PyroOnThePitch.com, where in each instalment we look at a historic match which included pyrotechnics somehow ending up from the stands onto the grass. Click here for all in the series so far.

Background:

BVB began their UEFA Cup 92-93 campaign with a tie against Maltese representatives Floriana, with an attendance of 11,790 for the home-leg on 29 September 1992 (refereed by Irishman Denis McArdle) meaning vast gaps in the Westfalenstadion terraces:

This wouldn’t be the case for the following round as Celtic were drawn as opponents, with a full house on 20th October 1992 for the 1st-leg in Germany, before a sizable Dortmund travelling contingent watched their side successfully progress 3-1 on aggregate at the 2nd-leg in Celtic Park on 3 November:

Real Zaragoza were next for the Germans, with 39,000 packing into a hostile La Romareda for the 2nd-leg away on 8 December, but it would be Austrian referee Hubert Forstinger getting the brunt as he was struck by a coin from the Zaragoza ultras end during the second half, causing play to be delayed:

A 90th minute penalty by another German, Andreas Brehme – during a little-known brief stint in Spain for the man who had also scored the winner in the 1990 World Cup final from the spot – wasn’t enough for the home side as Dortmund’s four goals over the two legs bested Zaragoza’s three.

Several months later and the competition resumed in March 1993, with AS Roma the quarter-final opponents for Borussia. The Italians took the advantage going into the 2nd-leg, having won 1-0 in the Stadio Olimpico in the 1st on 2nd March 1993.

The Match:

Match File:

• Borussia Dortmund vs AS Roma
• UEFA Cup 1992-93
• Quarter-final 2nd-leg
• 18/03/1993
• Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany
• Attendance: 35,800

It’s another sold-out European night at Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. Our TV footage interestingly displays the away AS Roma line-up after the game has already kicked-off (or in German, “AS Rom”:

Among some great kits on show, the home goalkeeper’s outfit worn by Wolfgang de Beer surely takes the cake:

From one end of the ground, the Südtrubüne, the Yellow Wall watches on…:

…and supports:

At the other end, a huge Roma away following are taking up most of the lower section of the end, with ultras banners visible including Boys, Lupi, Fedayn, Vecchio CUCS, and Ultra’ Roma:

One of the advertising hoardings at that end also takes a beating, courtesy of Stefan Reuter:

Going 1-0 during the first half, levelling the tie, the home support are happy going into the break:

Immediately after the restart, Dortmund score again to go in the lead. The stadium is a-buzz, as these excited fans in one corner of the ground take advantage of an injury to try and get their banner in:

Dortmund manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, in a classic coat, is also eager for proceedings to conclude:

After the final whistle confirms that Borussia are going to the semi-finals at Roma’s expense, the Yellow Wall erupts:

In case you have forgotten, we’re due some physical pyro on the pitch here. And it does come from this outpouring of emotion with several flares from the Südtrubüne landing on the grass:

More pyro remains in the terraces as the scenes play out another famous German European night:

***

Background:

Borussia Dortmund went on to face AJ Auxerre in the semi-finals, seemingly cruising in the tie going 2-0 up at home in the 1st-leg, before the same result was achieved by their opponents in France forcing a penalty shootout. From this though the Germans would succeed to reach a historic first final since defeating Liverpool in the climax of the 1966 Cup Winners’ Cup final. The side facing them this time would be more Italians in the form of Juventus over two legs, who would put 3 past Dortmund in each game to take the UEFA Cup by an aggregate score of 6-1. But four years later, Borussia would get their revenge in an even more prestigious European final.

***

YouTube Links:

Borussia Dortmund vs Floriana, 1992
Celtic vs Borussia Dortmund, 1992
Real Zaragoza vs Borussia Dortmund, 1992
Borussia Dortmund vs Roma, 1993
Borussia Dortmund vs Roma, 1993 B

*****