Rapid's historic comeback: A football fairytale in the European Cup!

Rapid's historic comeback: A football fairytale in the European Cup!

Rapid Vienna can look back on a long and eventful history in the European Cup. Particularly noteworthy are the team's comebacks over the years, which have repeatedly won them the hearts of their fans.

One of the most spectacular twists in Rapid's history came 68 years ago when the team met AC Milan in the European Champions' Cup. In the first leg there was a clear defeat with 1:4. But in the second leg at the Praterstadion, now known as the Ernst Happel Stadium, Rapid showed an impressive reaction and won 5-2. Captain Gerhard Hanappi was one of the goal scorers in this emotional game.

The deciding match in Zurich

Due to the rule still in effect at the time that away goals did not count twice, a deciding match was necessary after these two games. This took place on neutral ground in Zurich in front of 24,000 spectators. Bean gave AC Milan the lead in the 6th minute. Ernst Happel equalized with a penalty in the 38th minute, but the Italians went back into the lead thanks to goals from Bergamaschi (41') and Pepe (54').

Although Bertalan scored another goal for Rapid, the comeback ultimately proved to be insufficient. Bean scored a brace in the 82nd minute to ensure Rapid's elimination from the competition, despite having equalized a three-goal deficit from the first leg. This encounter is one of the most memorable European Cup moments in the club's history as it shows how close Rapid came to achieving the impossible. 90minuten.at reports that ...

European Cup statistics and achievements

SK Rapid Vienna has taken part in numerous international competitions in its history. The club can look back on numerous games between 1955/56 and 2023/24. In the European Cup alone, Rapid Vienna reached several important stages, including the semi-finals in the 1960/61 season and the quarter-finals in 1955/56. The club's overall record recorded 35 wins from 81 games in the Masters Cup.

Rapid was also able to celebrate numerous successes in other competitions, such as the UEFA Cup and the Europa League. The most important moments in the club's history include reaching the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1984/85 and 1995/96. Wikipedia reports that ...

The current season and optimistic outlook

In the current 2024/25 season, Rapid Vienna got off to a good start in the competition. The team won the first round of the Europa League against Wisła Krakow with a clear 8:2 and also won convincingly against Trabzonspor 3:0. This return to old strength gives rise to hope that the team can cause surprises again in the coming rounds. Rapid Archive reports that…

With these impressive statistics and remarkable comebacks, Rapid Vienna has a firm place not only in national but especially in international football. Fans can look to the future with optimism as the club continues to fight to produce the best performances on football's biggest stages.