The 1957–58 European Cup was the third season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Real Madrid, who beat AC Milan 3–2 in the final, in extra time following a 2–2 draw after 90 minutes. This was Real Madrid's third European Cup title in a row. However, the 1957–58 season was marred by the air disaster in Munich, when eight Manchester United players died on their way home from Belgrade, after a 3–3 draw in the quarter-final second leg with Red Star Belgrade. The English champions were ultimately defeated in the semi-finals by the eventual runners-up, Milan of Italy, after being highly touted to win the competition and dominate European football for many years like Real Madrid before them, with the "Busby Babes" having an average age of only 22.
It was the first time that teams from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and East Germany participated, while Turkey could not send any club, since the Turkish FA failed to register Beşiktaş for the draw in time.[1] Sevilla was invited despite having been runners-up in Spain the year before, as Spanish champions Real Madrid had already qualified as holders; the two Spanish sides met in the quarter-finals, the first time two sides from the same country played against each other in the competition.
A total of 24 teams participated in the competition.
Ajax, Benfica, CCA București, Dukla Prague, Glenavon, Royal Antwerp, Saint-Étienne, Sevilla, Shamrock Rovers, Stade Dudelange, Vasas, Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt and Young Boys made their debut appearances in the European Cup while Rapid Wien, AGF and Real Madrid marked their third.[citation needed]
All participants were their respective associations champions, except for Sevilla and Gwardia Warsaw.
The draw for the preliminary round took place at the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Paris on Tuesday, 23 July 1957.[2] As title holders, Real Madrid received a bye, and the remaining 23 teams were grouped geographically into three pots. The first four teams drawn in each pot, and four more teams in pot 1, would play the preliminary round in September, while the remaining clubs received byes.
The calendar was decided by the involved teams, with all matches to be played by 30 October.
Rangers won 4–3 on aggregate.
Aarhus won 3–0 on aggregate.
Sevilla won 3–1 on aggregate.
Red Star Belgrade won 14–1 on aggregate.
Manchester United won 9–2 on aggregate.
Vasas won 7–3 on aggregate.
Milan 6–6 Rapid Wien on aggregate; play-off needed.
Gwardia Warsaw 4–4 Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt on aggregate; play-off needed.
Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt qualified due to a coin toss, after their play-off against Gwardia Warsaw was abandoned with the result of 1–1 after 100 minutes due to floodlight power failure.
Milan won play-off 4–2.
Red Star Belgrade won 4–3 on aggregate.
Ajax won 4–1 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 8–1 on aggregate.
Vasas won 3–2 on aggregate.
Sevilla won 4–2 on aggregate.
Manchester United won 3–1 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund 5–5 CCA București on aggregate; play-off needed.
Milan won 6–1 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund won play-off 3–1.
Manchester United won 5–4 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 10–2 on aggregate.
Vasas won 6–2 on aggregate.
Milan won 5–2 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 4–2 on aggregate.
Milan won 5–2 on aggregate.
The top scorers from the 1957–58 European Cup (including preliminary round) were as follows:
