On this day 32 years ago, September 15, 1993, Manchester United made their return to the European Cup – or the Champions League as it had recently been renamed – after a 24-year gap.
Their last opponents in the continent’s premier competition had been Milan, who ended hopes of retaining the title with a semi-final defeat in May 1969, and coincidentally Alex Ferguson’s side found themselves up against red and black opponents, too.
Honvéd had established themselves as Hungary’s top team in the 1980s and they revived the ‘Kispest’ name – the part of Budapest where they are based – in 1991. The now-demolished Bozsik József Stadion was the venue for what was a tea-time kick-off for those watching in England.
The hosts’ red and black stripes obviously clashed with United’s home kit and also the new black strip launched in the summer of 1993.
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It meant that, for the only time, the green and yellow United third kit appeared in a European game. Domestically, the numbers had Umbro logos but that was not allowed here.
Squad numbers had of course been introduced in the FA Carling Premiership for 1993-94, but European games would remain 1-11 until 1996.
The three-foreigners rule (along with two ‘assimilated’ players) meant that Ferguson always had to shuffle his pack for Europe and Mark Hughes was the player to miss out here as captain Bryan Robson formed a three-man midfield with Paul Ince and Roy Keane.
Robson had been allocated 12 for the league with 7 given to Eric Cantona after he had made it his own during 1992-93 but deference to the skipper was shown here – Cantona would wear 9 in all four Champions League games United played that season.
Cantona scored once in a 3-2 win while Keane, 16 domestically but wearing Hughes’ 10, got the other two.
Later, Cantona would develop a preference for long-sleeved shirts but he was in short sleeves for this game, as was Lee Sharpe, another who appeared more in long than short. Ince and Ryan Giggs were the only players in LS.
United would go on to win the second leg 2-1, setting up a meeting with Galatasaray, but a 3-3 draw at home and a stalemate in Istanbul would stop them qualifying for the league section.
