How it happened: Maradona, upset at not being named in the starting lineup, came on as a substitute in the second half. But even Diego's genius couldn't overcome the Muscovites' ironclad defense and the courage of goalkeeper Stanislav Cherchesov.

The climax: In the penalty shootout, 86,000 spectators at Luzhniki Stadium witnessed a historic triumph. Alexander Mostovoy scored the decisive kick, and Spartak eliminated the world's best player from Europe's premier club competition. It was a beautiful finale in Soviet European club history.

The Cherenkov Phenomenon: This match was Fedor Cherenkov's absolute triumph. The British Grenadier defenders simply couldn't figure out how to take the ball away from this slight, unconventional genius.

The denouement: Cherenkov scored twice. His second goal, a snooker shot into the bottom corner after a graceful move, made the British press the following day run headlines about the "Russian wizard." Spartak demonstrated that intelligence trumps brute force on the pitch.

Match progress: In the final in Düsseldorf against a tough and pragmatic East German team, the Georgians conceded first. It seemed the German machine would simply run them over. But Vladimir Gutsaev equalized with a stinging strike.

Magic in the 87th minute: The ending became a classic of world football. Three minutes before the whistle, Vitaly Daraselia deflected a German defender into the refreshment area and smashed the ball into the net. Tbilisi won the European Cup, and in Georgia itself, a celebration began that evening that would last for weeks.

A one-man masterpiece: In the 66th minute, Oleg Blokhin received the ball in his own half. He didn't wait for support, but single-handedly charged at Bayern's entire vaunted defense.

A historic goal: Blokhin spun past four defenders (including the great Beckenbauer) and gracefully placed the ball into the far corner. This run earned Kyiv victory in Munich (they won 2-0 in the return match and took the Super Cup), and Blokhin himself the Golden Ball.

Destruction of a giant: Atlético Madrid was simply crushed, trampled, and outclassed. The Kyiv team pressed all over the field, swapped positions with incredible speed, and executed moves like something out of a computer game.

The perfect goal: The second goal against Spain, when Blokhin, Belanov, and Yevtushenko fanned out a geometrically flawless counterattack (culminating in Blokhin's strike), is still shown in UEFA coaching schools as the benchmark for transitioning from defense to attack. Absolute, unqualified greatness.

How it happened: Maradona, upset at not being named in the starting lineup, came on as a substitute in the second half. But even Diego's genius couldn't overcome the Muscovites' ironclad defense and the courage of goalkeeper Stanislav Cherchesov.

The climax: In the penalty shootout, 86,000 spectators at Luzhniki Stadium witnessed a historic triumph. Alexander Mostovoy scored the decisive kick, and Spartak eliminated the world's best player from Europe's premier club competition. It was a beautiful finale in Soviet European club history.

The Cherenkov Phenomenon: This match was Fedor Cherenkov's absolute triumph. The British Grenadier defenders simply couldn't figure out how to take the ball away from this slight, unconventional genius.

The denouement: Cherenkov scored twice. His second goal, a snooker shot into the bottom corner after a graceful move, made the British press the following day run headlines about the "Russian wizard." Spartak demonstrated that intelligence trumps brute force on the pitch.

Match progress: In the final in Düsseldorf against a tough and pragmatic East German team, the Georgians conceded first. It seemed the German machine would simply run them over. But Vladimir Gutsaev equalized with a stinging strike.

Magic in the 87th minute: The ending became a classic of world football. Three minutes before the whistle, Vitaly Daraselia deflected a German defender into the refreshment area and smashed the ball into the net. Tbilisi won the European Cup, and in Georgia itself, a celebration began that evening that would last for weeks.

A one-man masterpiece: In the 66th minute, Oleg Blokhin received the ball in his own half. He didn't wait for support, but single-handedly charged at Bayern's entire vaunted defense.

A historic goal: Blokhin spun past four defenders (including the great Beckenbauer) and gracefully placed the ball into the far corner. This run earned Kyiv victory in Munich (they won 2-0 in the return match and took the Super Cup), and Blokhin himself the Golden Ball.

Destruction of a giant: Atlético Madrid was simply crushed, trampled, and outclassed. The Kyiv team pressed all over the field, swapped positions with incredible speed, and executed moves like something out of a computer game.

The perfect goal: The second goal against Spain, when Blokhin, Belanov, and Yevtushenko fanned out a geometrically flawless counterattack (culminating in Blokhin's strike), is still shown in UEFA coaching schools as the benchmark for transitioning from defense to attack. Absolute, unqualified greatness.