Internazionale
Milano and Aston Villa were paired in the second round of the 1990/91 UEFA Cup.
The
Italians, managed by Giovanni Trappatoni, boasted a star-studded squad.
The
team contained the recent World Cup Champions German trio of Lothar Matthaus,
Andreas Brehme and Jurgen Klinnsman.
The
Italian Internationals on their squad were Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi,
Riccardo Ferri, Nicola Berti and Aldo Serena.
They
had eliminated Austria’s Rapid Vienna in the first round.
This
was the season that the English clubs were reprieved in UEFA competitions
following the ban imposed after the Heysel disaster in 1985.
Aston
Villa were England’s first representative back in the UEFA Cup.
Former
Czechoslovakia National team manager Jozsef Venglos managed the side.
The
team’s main star was English midfielder David Platt who had excelled in the
recent World Cup in Italy and was eyeing a move to the Serie A himself.
Veterans
Gordon Cowans, Derek Mountfield and Republic of Ireland’s Paul McGrath added
steel and experience to a mostly inexperienced squad with little or no European
experience.
They
defeated Czechoslovakia’s Banik Ostrava in the first round with relative ease.
The
first leg, on October 24th, was played in Birmingham’s Villa Park under the
watchful eye of England National Team manager and former Aston Villa Manager
Graham Taylor.
Aston
Villa dominated and were rewarded with a surprisingly comfortable 2 to 0 win.
The
Italians were missing young midfielder Alessandro Bianchi through suspension.
Aston
Villa were missing Paul McGrath due to knee injury, therefore Venglos selected
Andrew Comyn to deputize for him.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, October 30, 1990
(Lothar Matthaus and David Platt) |
Internazionale
performed poorly by their standards and many were surprised how much room David
Platt and Daley were given to operate.
Only
goalkeeper Walter Zenga came away with some credit, as Daley, Birch and Kent
Nielsen had their opposite counterparts Brehme, Matthaus and Klinnsman in
check.
Danish
defender Kent Nielsen scored Villa’s first with a long range shot from outside
the box in the 14th minute.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, October 30, 1990
(Kent Nielsen and Klinnsman) |
Midway
through the second half Platt scored from close range from a pass by Cowans.
The
Italian media and observers mostly praised Tony Daley and Platt.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, October 30, 1990
(Bergomi, Ferri and Battistini surrounding Tony
Daley) |
Trappatoni
himself singled out Daley as the most dangerous opponent.
Graham
Taylor commented that with Daley could become a National Team regular just like
Platt with performances like this.
 |
Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, October 30-November 6, 1990
(Nicola Berti and Tony Cascarino) |
Inter
President Ernesto Pellegrini insisted all is not lost and was confident despite
the difficult task ahead.
Giovanni
Trappatoni regretted his players missing 3 very good opportunities to score.
He
parted by telling the English that ‘Europe was less beautiful without you.”
 |
Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, October 30-November 6, 1990
(David Platt and Nicola Berti) |
October 24, 1990
Aston Villa Football
Club-Birmingham (England) 2- Internazionale Football
Club-Milano (Italy) 0
UEFA
Cup- Second Round, First Leg
Venue: Birmingham-Villa Park
Attendance: 36,491
Referee: Lajos Nemeth (Hungary)
Goalscorers: (Aston Villa): Kent Nielsen
14, David Platt 68
(Internazionale): None
Lineups:
Aston
Villa:
1-Nigel
Spink, 2-Christopher Price, 3-Stuart Gray, 4-Andrew Comyn, 5-Derek Mountfield,
6-Kent Nielsen (Denmark), 7-Tony Daley, 8-David Platt, 9-Paul Birch, 10-Gordoan
Cowans, Tony Cascarino (Republic of Ireland)
Coach:
Jozsef Venglos (Czechoslovakia)
Other
Subs:
12-Ian
Olney, 13-Lee Butler, 14-Ian Ormondroyd, 15-Dwight Yorke (Trinidad and Tobago),
16-Noel Blake
Team
Captain: Stuart Gray
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Umbro
Shirt
Sponsor: Mita Copiers
Uniform
Colors: Claret with Sky Blue sleeves Shirts, White Shorts, Sky Blue Socks
Internazionale
Milano:
1-Walter
Zenga, 2-Giuseppe Bergomi, 3-Andreas Brehme (Germany), 4-Nicola Berti,
5-Riccardo Ferri, 6-Sergio Battistini, 7-Paolo Stringara, 8-Fausto Pizzi
(15-Andrea Mandorlini 71st), 9-Jurgen Klinnsman (Germany), 10-Lothar
Matthaus (Germany), 11-Aldo Serena
Coach:
Giovanni Trappatoni
Other
Subs:
12-Astutillo
Malgioglo, 13-Giuseppe Baresi, 14-Antonio Paganin, 16-Giuseppe Marino
Team
Captain: Giuseppe Bergomi
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Uhlsport
Shirt
Sponsor: Misura
Uniform
Colors: White Shirts, Black Shorts , Black Socks
The
second leg, on November 7th, was played at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.
Alessandro
Bianchi and Paul McGrath were back in their respective lineups.
Inter
played one of its most memorable European matches and overturned a seemingly
lost tie.
They
attacked from the start and Klinnsman scored in the seventh minute by picking
up a long ball from Battistini from their own half and beating Spink one on
one.
 |
Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, November 21-27, 1990
(Klinnsman after scoring the opener) |
The
second goal was scored in the 62nd minute when Matthaus’ free kick
on the right was nodded on across and Berti hammered home.
The
third and winning goal in the 74th minute was somewhat
controversial, when Pizzi crossed from the left side, the ball seemed to have
crossed the line and out, however the referee did not see it.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, November 13, 1990
(Kent Nielsen, Tony Cascarino and Klinnsman) |
Bianchi
volleyed the cross from a narrow angle and Aston Villa was out.
Despite
the dubious nature of the third goal, Inter clearly deserved their victory and
had outclassed Aston Villa.
 |
Photo
From: France Football, November 13, 1990
(Ferri, Paganin and Daley) |
They
had outshot Villa 17 to 6 and had won 9 corners to 1.
Bianchi
and Pizzi stood out mostly with their performances.
Venglos
conceded they had lost to one of the best teams in the world.
 |
Photo
From: Shoot, November 17, 1990
(Berti , Zenga and Platt) |
Inter
progressed and went on to win the UEFA Cup in the following May by defeating AS
Roma in the final.
 |
Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, November 21-27, 1990
(Berti scoring Inter’s second) |
Giovanni
Trappatoni later declared that it was after this tie with Aston Villa that he
knew they could lift the trophy that season.
 |
Photo
From: Shoot, November 17, 1990
(A disappointed Platt and celebrating Inter
players) |
November 7, 1990
Internazionale
Football Club-Milano (Italy) 3-Aston Villa Football
Club-Birmingham (England) 0
UEFA
Cup- Second Round, Second Leg
Venue: Milano-Stadio Giuseppe
Meazza ,San Siro
Attendance: 75,585
Referee: Alexei Spirin (USSR)
Goalscorers: (Internazionale): Jurgen
Klinsmann 7, Nicola Berti 62,
Alessandro Bianchi 74
(Aston Villa): None
Lineups:
Internazionale
Milano:
1-Walter
Zenga, 2-Giuseppe Bergomi, 3-Andreas Brehme (Germany), 4-Nicola Berti (Andrea
Mandorlini 81st), 5-Riccardo Ferri, 6-Sergio Battistini (Antonio
Paganin 46th), 7-Alessandro Bianchi, 8-Fausto Pizzi 9-Jurgen
Klinnsman (Germany), 10-Lothar Matthaus (Germany), 11-Aldo Serena
Coach:
Giovanni Trappatoni
Team
Captain: Giuseppe Bergomi
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Uhlsport
Shirt
Sponsor: Misura
Uniform
Colors: Black/Blue Vertical Striped Shirts, Black Shorts , Black Socks
Aston
Villa:
1-Nigel
Spink, 2-Christopher Price, 3-Stuart Gray, 4-Paul McGrath (Republic of
Ireland), 5-Derek Mountfield (Ian Olney 81st), 6-Kent Nielsen (Denmark), 7-Tony
Daley, 8-David Platt, 9-Paul Birch, 10-Gordoan Cowans, Tony Cascarino (Republic
of Ireland)
Coach:
Jozsef Venglos (Czechoslovakia)
Team
Captain: Stuart Gray
Official
Kit Supplier/Designer: Umbro
Shirt
Sponsor: Mita Copiers
Uniform Colors: White sleeves Shirts, Sky Blue Shorts, White Socks 
The first leg was probably the highlight of Comyn's 15 game career with Aston Villa between 1989 and 1991.
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