Norwich, Swansea, Newcastle and Middlesbrough could barely be further away from European competition now. Leicester, then, should enjoy this while they can.
Leicester City are making their Champions League debut tomorrow. Leicester City. Champions League. Even after allowing four months for the dust to settle, that sentence still requires a double-take. Sure, Wednesday’s opponents, Club Brugge, may not be a member of the traditional elite but for Leicester, hearing that operatic anthem for the first time is reward enough for one of the greatest all-time sporting achievements.
So, what lessons and inspiration can they take from other European debutants of yesteryear?
17th September 1997: NEWCASTLE UNITED 3-2 BARCELONA
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
When a broken leg ruled Alan Shearer out of Newcastle’s clash with European titans Barcelona in their first ever Champions League fixture, the St James’ Park faithful had a right to express their concern. They need not have worried. Tino Asprilla may have lived something of a questionable life, but he will never have to buy a drink on Tyneside ever again.
His thrilling hat-trick, sweeping aside a Barcelona of Luis Figo, Luis Enrique and Rivaldo, remains the abiding memory of arguably the greatest night in Newcastle’s history.
19th September 2013: VALENCIA 0-3 SWANSEA CITY
EUROPA LEAGUE
There are worse ways to make your European bow. Michael Laudrup’s tika-taka Swans, qualifying by thrashing Bradford in the League Cup final, made light work of European giants Valencia in their own backyard. Wilfried Bony, Jonathan De Guzman and the once dazzling Michu (below) all netted to set Swansea on their way to the knockout stage.
However, Swansea’s pretty passing and cutting edge was not enough to edge past a supremely efficient Napoli in the Round of 32, four shots on target producing three goals for Gonzalo Higuain, Gokhan Inler and Lorenzo Insigne. That all seems a long time ago now.
15th September 1993: NORWICH CITY 3-0 VITESSE ARNHEM
UEFA CUP
The prospect of Norwich City travelling to Bayern Munich in European competition would seem a little too fanciful even for an ill-advised goal reboot starring Darren Huckerby. A win for the Canaries, well, that’s a cliché even Hollywood wouldn’t touch. But that’s exactly what happened, albeit 23 years ago. Norwich’s 2-1 win in Munich remains one of the most remarkable European upsets of all time and wrote the name of Jeremy Goss (below) into footballing folklore.
However, such dazzling overachievement would not have been possible without a 3-0 win over Dutch side Vitesse in the UEFA Cup first round, with Goss on target alongside John Polston and Efan Ekoku at Carrow Road.
21st October 2004: EGALEA 0-1 MIDDLESBROUGH
UEFA CUP
While Fulham’s remarkable run to the final in 2010 has come to define the modern underdog story, Middlesbrough’s incredible UEFA Cup journey should not be overlooked. A heart-breaking 4-0 loss in the 2006 final to, guess who, Sevilla (below) drew a line under two equally exhilarating European campaigns for Steve McClaren’s side, headlined by triumphs over Roma, Lazio and Stuttgart.
Yet, it all started in more unfamiliar surroundings; a narrow 1-0 win at now defunct Greek side Egalea, with Stewart Downing the late hero in the suburbs of Athens.
15th September 1999: CHELSEA 0-0 AC MILAN
Chelsea’s Champions League history makes for rather interesting reading: ‘ghost’ goals, refereeing scandals, and arguably the most fortunate tournament victory in living memory. Yet, it all started with an entertaining, albeit, goalless stalemate against AC Milan.
Gianfranco Zola (below) orchestrated the opera at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea failed to find their crescendo, with Milan’s new hope Andriy Shevchenko coming closer than anyone. As you will probably be aware, Chelsea’s Champions League adventure soon got a lot more interesting.
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