Champions League special - Bari

"Red Star is the champion of Europe! Crvena zvezda is the winner of the European Champions Cup! The biggest success of Yugoslav club football! Darko, Darko, Darko..." There is no fan of our club who is not familiar with the famous quote from the announcer of the game at the St. Nicholas Stadium in Bari, when we lifted the most precious cup in the most popular sport. This made the Star on the front pages of the press all over the world, and the red and white colors lit up the sky the moment it opened.

The path of the golden generation of Red Star to the "eared" cup was full of obstacles, trials, difficult moments, uncertainty, but in the end, joy and emotional moments. Now 32 years ago, when we return the memory time machine to that era, Zvezda was the most successful club in the Balkans and the whole of Eastern Europe in the Euro-cups.

Just the initial uncertainty reigned before the draw, and the first rival was the Swiss Grasshopper. At the Maracana, the duel ended with a score of 1:1, and most of the red and white fans were afraid of the rematch. However, at the "Hardturm" stadium, we won convincingly with 4:1 and secured the next stage of the competition.

Already in the round of 16, we enjoyed the spectacle against Rangers, and the team from Glasgow did not have a good time at the Crvena Zvezda stadium, as the Scots were "beaten" 3:0. Although the match played on the side after two weeks ended 1:1, the fans were waiting for the European spring with pride.

In the third round, Zvezda traveled to Germany for a match against Dinamo Dresden. At the Maracana, the same picture as in the autumn part, the opponent was run over and sent home with 3:0. The match on the away field started badly for our team, but Ljupko Petrović's company reached the turning point and eventually won with 2:1.

Then came the turn of the biggest obstacle, Bayern Munich. Even more than 30 years ago, the Bavarians represented fear and trembling to all opponents, but not to the players of Red Star. The German giant fell 2:1 in the semi-finals thanks to teamwork and the incredible individual quality of the Belgrade red and whites. Fourteen days later at the Maracana, everything seemed ideal. However, in front of a packed stadium, Bayern went on a full offensive, but luck saw off the brave Red Star. "Mihajlović in the middle...", in the end the result 2:2 at the Maracana took our team to the final of the famous KEŠ.

Zvezda's operation in Bari is a myth that will be passed down from generation to generation and will remain forever written in history. After 120 minutes of football, on May 29, 1991, at the St. Nicholas Stadium in the south of Italy, in a big fight with Marseille and with the score 0:0, the penalty shoot-out was started. Prosinečki, Binić, Belodedić, Mihajlović and Pančev scored in turn, while in the end Stojanović's defense in the first penalty shootout was crucial. The winner of the "Golden Boot" and the favorite of lovers of red and white colors, "Darko Kobra", defeated the net guard Olmet and brought the greatest possible joy to millions of fans all over Serbia and the world.

To meet the Champions League, Barak Bahar's company is embarking on a new European campaign, and the first obstacle will be the current champion of the Old Continent - Manchester City. There is no doubt that a football spectacle awaits us in England on September 19 at 9 p.m., and the current and future generations of our players will always be able to find eternal inspiration in the success set in 1991.