- See here for previous entries
It’s back to the 1990s again for this series, and, as with the Ajax-AC Milan example, we’re looking at three meetings in Europe’s top club competition – a rare enough occurrence, rarer still that a side would wear a different kit in each game.
As we shall see, there were unique circumstances. We’ll start at the start, with the drawing together of VfB Stuttgart and Leeds United in the first round. With new shorts-clash rules meaning Leeds could wear all-white in early-season away games at Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Manchester United, the first leg in Germany was a first outing for Leeds’ ill-fated blue away kit, setting the tone for its winless tenure as the home side won 3-0.
Presumably due to advertising size rules, Stuttgart only had the logo of sponsors Südmilch – domestically, their wordmark appeared on the red panel too.
For the second leg Leeds were in their white home kit, with Stuttgart wearing a reversal of their default strip – the same as when they had met in the pre-season Makita Tournament at Elland Road, where Nottingham Forest had worn their new baggy Umbro shirts with the skimpier alternative shorts from the previous kit.
Leeds won 4-1, seemingly not enough to prevent them exiting on away goals, but it turned out that Stuttgart had used four foreigners, one more than was permitted. Instead of expelling them from the competition, UEFA declared that the second leg was a 3-0 win to Leeds – leaving the tie level at 3-3 and no away goals in play, so a replay was ordered.
Barcelona’s Nou Camp was determined as the venue, with the game set for Friday, October 9. Presumably the netural nature was the reason for both sides having to change kits – had it been away kit v away kit we would have had the wonderful vista of all-blue against all-red in Barcelona, but instead Leeds were in their third kit. One would imagine UEFA wanted a dark v light situation.
Leeds’ yellow shirts had the same style as the blue, but the shorts were of a more sedate nature.
Goals from Gordon Strachan and Carl Shutt secured a 2-1 win for Howard Wilkinson’s side, and a second-round tie with Rangers, dubbed The Battle of Britain, for a place in the Champions League section.
Two 2-1 wins saw Rangers to advance and, with no shirt sponsors permitted in the group stage, we were treated to an excellent DIY job for their first outing against Marseille.
