This was to be the first year of the Champions League, with the last 8 left from the knockout rounds breaking off into two groups, with each club playing the other three home and away. UEFA had introduced the format the year previous but had rebranded the new group stage as the ‘Champions League’ for the 92/93 season.
Having identified the money to be made from television, UEFA set about creating a sponsor-heavy competition that would go on to attract massive television audiences throughout the world. The initial season even had clubs banned from displaying their own shirt sponsors and only allowed to show Champions League sponsors advertising at their home ground.
The opening fixture saw Raymond Goethals’ Marseille travel to Ibrox for the second time that season, having won an earlier pre-season friendly 2-1 in July. The squad was packed with players who would go to make a huge impact on the European game. French World Cup winners Fabian Barthez, Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps made up the backbone of the side. Future Ranger Basile Boli played alongside Desailly at centre back. In attack they had the luxury of African footballer of the year Abedi Pele, German International striker Rudi Voller and Croatian striker Alen Boksic when he was in his prime.
Boksic gave Marseille a deserved lead with a tidy finish in the first half and Voller looked to have ended the game as a contest when he capitalised on an extremely poor Steven Pressley pass back that skidded past Goram. Despite being outplayed for the most part and with only 12 minutes remaining Rangers were not finished.
A Mikhailitchenko cross was headed home by Gary McSwegan with his first touch as a substitute. The header appeared to loop over Barthez in slow motion and galvanised the support and the team back into life. Better was to come moments later after a brilliant 1-2 between Durrant and McSwegan a low cross was bulleted home by Hateley in the 81st minute for the equaliser. A few late Marseille chances and a Franck Sauzee free kick made for a nervy finish but Rangers managed to hold on for a point after a performance that would become typical of this European campaign.
Better was to follow in the away clash with CSKA Moscow in Bochum, Germany. The Russian Champions were forced to play all their home games in Germany due to fears over the harsh Russian winter weather. Moscow did not boast the same level of talent as Marseille but had many young International players who were dangerous on the counter attack.
Officially 5000 Rangers supporters made up the majority of the 9000 inside the stadium that night (many of whom were serving Britain’s armed forces in Germany). The figures for our travelling support in Europe that season are even more impressive when you consider this was a time prior before the introduction of cheap flights that fans enjoy now with the majority then having to make the long trips by bus.
With Richard Gough missing and an early scare after a goal mouth scramble Rangers settled and began to play some good football. It was capped off with a deflected Ian Ferguson shot dropping into the net in the 13th minute. More chances followed and McCoist was unlucky with 2 or 3 good efforts. In the end one goal was enough to secure the two points and a huge away win. In the Velodrome Marseille defeated Brugge 3-0 to claim top spot on goal difference in the other group fixture.
After a three month winter gap we were back on our travels this time facing Club Brugge who boasted a remarkable 5 year undefeated European record in their home stadium. This looked like being an extremely tricky night with Gough, Steven, Ferguson and Stevens all out injured with the inexperienced Pressley and Murray also having to step in.
Brugge had much the better of the first half hitting the bar early on then creating more clear cut chances with Rangers offering very little in reply. The opener eventually came a minute before half time through a Dziubinski shot after a horrendous attempt at defending from Miko that fell straight into his path!
The tables turned in the second half as the McCoist and Hateley partnership began to cause all sorts of problems for the Brugge defence. Rangers created chance after chance with little success and were nearly caught out when the lightening quick Nigerian Amokachi broke through only to be denied by Goram. Rangers eventually got the equaliser through Huistra to send the 2500 supporters behind the goal wild on a very cold night in Belgium. More chances were to come but Brugge Keeper Danny Verlinden managed to save his team a point in a game we probably should have won.
Marseille dropped points on the same night in after a 1-1 draw in Berlin against CSKA. We were still in the hunt and with two home fixtures remaining our chances of qualification as group winners looked healthy. Battling performances and a determination not to lose in domestic football had carried over well into the European game and we were forcing Europe to take notice in our first adventure into the Champions League.
Part 2 coming soon.
(With thanks to ABB)