Soccer Nostalgia: Memorable European Confrontations, Part 12-1980 Saint Etienne vs. SV Hamburg

Saint Etienne and SV Hamburg were paired in the third round of the 1980/81 UEFA Cup.

The French, managed by Robert Herbin, had been the dominant team in France since the 60s and had the greatest French star of the day, Michel Platini, in their ranks.

The team contained a host of other stars such as Holland’s Johnny Rep, and Internationals such as Larios, Battiston, Christian Lopez and Zimako.

They had eliminated in the previous rounds Finland’s Kuopio Palloseura and Scotland’s Saint Mirren.

West Germany’s SV Hamburg, managed by the Yugoslav Branko Zebec, also hosted a number of Internationals in their ranks.

Internationals such as Manfred Kaltz, Horst Hrubesch, Felix Magath formed the solid backbone of a team that had lost their English star Kevin Keegan in the offseason.

They had eliminated Sarajevo and PSV Eindhoven in the previous rounds.

Photo From: France Football, December 2, 1980

(Hrubesch and Christian Lopez)

One week before the first leg, on November 16^th, 1980, West Germany had hosted France in Hannover in a Friendly and had defeated France in a convincing fashion buy a score of 4 to 1.

Many of the players who would participate in the UEFA Cup tie had been involved in that encounter.

Manfred Kaltz had scored from a penalty and Horst Hrubesch had scored and assisted on another.

The Saint Etienne contingent of Janvion, Lopez, Larios, Platini and Zimako had been powerless, save a penalty kick from Larios.

The French press had been severe with the French players who were seen as no match for Hrubesch’s aerial power.

West German Manager Juup Derwall had described Platini’s performance as that of a General watching the battle far away with his binoculars.

SV Hamburg’s General Manager Gunther Netzer saw this match as a formality after France’s performance the week before.

Photo From: Onze, January 1981

(Captainas Horst Hrubesch and Christian Lopez)

The first leg, on November 26th, was played in Hamburg’s Volkparkstadion.

Hamburg had seen this as a comfortable tie and expected the opposition to come out on a defensive shell.

However, Saint Etienne Manager Robert Herbin was intent on winning this match and had instilled great confidence in a shattered squad.

Photo From: Le Livre d’or du Football, 1981

(Castaneda in action)

Instead playing defensively, as many would have predicted in an away European tie, the French players came out intent on redeeming themselves for the previous week’s drubbing.

Hamburg was missing Yugoslav defender Ivan Buljan , playmaker Felix Magath and Striker Werner Dressel all out injured.

Striker Johnny Rep was also the first defender; he was assigned to track Manfred Kaltz’s forays up field.

Photo From: Onze, December 1980

(Jacques Zimako)

Bernard Gardon had the task of neutralizing Hrubesch, while Janvion was into the midfield.

Saint Etienne scored in the 9^th minute, after a one-two between Platini and Rep, Hartwig tried to tackle the ball away from Rep and inadvertently scored an own goal.

Photo From: Onze, December 1980

(Hartwig’s own goal)

Platini scored the second in the 26^th minute with an impressive dipping free kick.

The French now in complete control scored the third in the 39^th minute by Larios on a breakaway.

Photo From: Le Livre d’or du Football, 1981

(Larios scoring the third goal)

In the second half, Hamburg changed their uniforms by wearing a White shirt with red sleeves.

Bernd Wehmeyer also came on in place of Milewski.

Photo From: Onze, December 1980

(Paganelli, Platini and Kaltz)

With Saint Etienne in complete control, they scored two more goals in the closing minutes.

In the 85^th minute, Battiston sent a long pass from his own half towards Zimako who eliminated his marker and moved up and scored from a narrow angle.

Photo From: Onze, December 1980

(Zimako scoring the fourth goal)

Two minutes later, Platini collected a throw from Castaneda in his own half and advanced untouched and scored from along range effort from outside the box.

After the match Platini amusingly said that he left his binoculars this time.

Photo From: Onze, December 1980

(Michel Platini)

Photo From: France Football, December 2, 1980

(Johnny Rep)

November 26, 1980

Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (West Germany) 0- Association Sportive de Saint-Etienne- Loire (France) 5

UEFA Cup- Third Round, First Leg

Venue: Hamburg-Volkparkstadion

Attendance: 37, 000

Referee: John Hunting (England)

Goalscorers: (SV Hamburg): None

(Saint Etienne): William Hartwig (Own Goal) 9,

Michel Platini 26, 87,

Jean-Francois Larios 39, Jacques Zimako 85

Lineups:

SV Hamburg:

1-Heinz-Josef Koitka, 2-Manfred Kaltz, 4-Dietmar Jakobs, 5-Holger Hieronymus, 3-Peter Hidien, 6-William Hartwig, 8-Jurgen Groh, 10-Caspar Memering, 7-Jurgen Milewski (13-Bernd Wehmeyer 46^th), 9-Horst Hrubesch, 11-Willi Reimann

Coach: Branko Zebec (Yugoslavia)

Team Captain: Horst Hrubesch

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas

Shirt Sponsor: None (Hamburg’s shirt sponsors were BP (British petroleum), however, no adverts were used, the letters HSV were emblazoned across the jerseys)

Uniform Colors: White Shirts, Red Shorts, White Socks (First Half)

Note: In the Second half, Hamburg’s wore white shirts with

Red Sleeves

Saint Etienne:

1-Jean castaneda, 2-Patrick Battiston, 4-Bernard Gardon, 5-Christian Lopez, 3-Jean-Louis Zanon, 6-Gerard Janvion, 8-Jean-Francois Larios, 10-Michel Platini, 7-Jacques Ziamko, 9-Laurent Paganelli, 11-Johnny Rep (Holland)

Coach: Robert Herbin

Team Captain: Christian Lopez

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Le Coq Sportif

Shirt Sponsor: None (Saint Etienne’s shirt sponsors were Super Tele, however, no adverts were used)

Uniform Colors: Green Shirts, White Shorts , Green Socks

The second leg, on December 10th, was played at Saint Etienne’s Stade Geoffroy Guichard.

With the tie all but wrapped up, Hamburg were under no illusions and just tried to limit the damage.

Magath was back in the lineup and captaining the side.

Juup Koitka was dropped, after letting in five goals, in favor of Uli Stein.

Saint Etienne had Laurent Roussey in place of Rep.