Events and Consequences, Part Sixteen

1- Event:

Omar Sivori’s fear of flying

Consequence:

Juventus and Real Madrid were paired in the Quarterfinals of the 1961/62 Champions Cup.

On February 14, 1962, Real Madrid defeated Juventus at Turin (1-0). A week later Juventus defeated Real at Madrid with the same score.

A playoff was needed to determine the winner and the match was scheduled on February 28^th at Paris’ Parc des Princes.

However, Juventus’ Omar Sivori would not fly. The entire Juventus delegation took the train, but were delayed by snow and only arrived just in time for the kick-off with no adequate preparation.

The better rested Real Madrid squad won (3-1) to advance.

Photo From: Football Magazine, Issue 24, January 1962

(Juventus’ Omar Sivori)

Photo From: Football Magazine, Issue 27, April 1962

(February 28, 1962, Champions Cup, Real Madrid 3-Juventus 1)

2- Event:

Holland’s World Cup qualifier vs, Albania (October 25, 1964, World Cup Qualifier, Albania 0-Holland 2)

Consequence:

Holland and PSV Eindhoven player Gerardus Jacobus Alphonsus ‘Fons’ van Wissen was so overcome by witnessing the poverty in Albania that he decided to abandon his International career after 30 caps.

Photo From: de Internationals, de Historie van Oranje, Authors Matty Verkamman, Henri van der Steen, John Volkers

(Fons van Wissen)

3- Event:

Olympique Marseille/Valenciennes scandal 1993

Consequence:

The Olympique Marseille/Valenciennes bribery scandal rocked French soccer in 1993. The domestic and UEFA punishments forced the club to hastily sell some of its most prized players, midway through the following season (1993/94).

Croatian striker Alen Boksic joined Lazio . Portugal’s Paulo Futre was sold to Italian club Reggiana and new French International Marcel Desailly was sold to AC Milan.

For Futre this transfer turned disastrous as he was shortly injured to such an extent that he was never the same effective player as before.

Marcel Desailly benefited by not only winning the Serie A, but also won the Champions League, becoming the first player to do so with two different clubs in consecutive years.

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 64, May 1994

(Marcel Desailly at AC Milan, 1993/94)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 55, August 1993

(Paulo Futre, July 24, 1993, Olympique Marseille 1-RC Lens 0)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 55, August 1993

(Alen Boksic at Olympique Marseille)

4- Event:

England players Sam Barkass and Eric Brook’s car accident en route to an International match.

Consequence:

Manchester City duo Sam Barkass and Eric Brook had been selected for England in a War Time International match vs. Scotland at Newcastle (December 2, 1939, England 2-scotland 1).

On their way to the venue, they had a car accident and hat to forfeit.

In their place two local Newcastle United players were selected: Joseph Richardson and Thomas Pearson.

Interesting to note that Pearson was actually Scottish.

5- Event:

Arsenal’s Paul Davis breaking Glenn Cockerill’s jaw.

Consequence:

On September 17, 1988, Arsenal’s Paul Davis broke Southampton’s Glenn Cockerill’s jaw in an attack that was not seen by the referee (September 17, 1988, Arsenal 2-Southampton 2).

Due to video evidence, Davis received a then unprecedented nine match suspension and £3,000 fine on September 29^th .

Davis was in fine form along with most of his Arsenal teammates and many were tipping him for a full cap.

This incident more or less sidetracked any such future hope.

Photo From: Shoot, October 22, 1988

(Paul Davis in U-21 England action)