34 years since European Cup comeback against Gothenburg
16 April 1986 was a night that Barça striker Angel ‘Pichi’ Alonso will never forget as his hat-trick turned the semi-final tie on its head at Camp Nou after the blaugranes’ had lost the first leg 3-0 against Swedish club IFK Gothenburg.
The blaugranes, then coached by Englishman Terry Venables, came out with the fans roaring them on in a packed stadium in Barcelona. Alonso gave them hope when he opened the scoring after just 9 minutes of the first half. Nevertheless, the Swedes still looked the better side with Torbjorn Nilsson, who had scored twice in the first leg in the Ullevi Stadium, always a threat.
In the second half, just as the fans were beginning to show signs of restlessness, Alonso revived their spirits with a well taken second goal on 63 minutes. Six minutes later delirium took over as the striker grabbed his hat-trick to bring Barça all square at 3-3 on aggregate with the Scandinavians looking at other in disbelief.
In extra time Barça rode their luck with Gothenburg coming close to deciding the tie as they pressed forward. However, the blaugranes, dead on their feet, somehow managed to hold them at bay to claim victory 5-4 in the penalty shoot out to earn themselves the right to face Steaua Bucharest in the 1986 European Cup final in Seville.
Barça XI: Urruti, Sánchez, Migueli, Alexanko, Julio Alberto, Víctor, Schuster (Pedraza, 57’), Esteban, Calderé, Carrasco and Pichi Alonso (Clos, 71’).
