# 1971–72 European Cup

The 1971–72 European Cup was the 17th season of the European Cup, UEFA's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Ajax, who beat Inter Milan in the final at De Kuip in Rotterdam, on 31 May 1972. It was the second consecutive win for Ajax, as well as third for Netherlands. It was also the first European Cup final where both finalists had previously won and lost competition finals.

## Teams

| Partizani Tirana (1st) | Wacker Innsbruck (1st) | Standard Liège (1st) |
| CSKA September Flag (1st) | Olympiakos Nicosia (1st) | Spartak Trnava (1st) |
| Boldklubben 1903 (1st) | Arsenal (1st) | Reipas Lahti (1st) |
| Marseille (1st) | Dynamo Dresden (1st) | Borussia M.Gladbach (1st) |
| AEK Athens (1st) | Újpesti Dózsa (1st) | ÍA (1st) |
| Cork Hibernians (1st) | Inter Milan (1st) | Union Luxembourg (1st) |
| Sliema Wanderers (1st) | Feyenoord (1st) | Ajax (2nd) |
| Linfield (1st) | Strømsgodset (1st) | Górnik Zabrze (1st) |
| Benfica (1st) | Dinamo București (1st) | Celtic (1st) |
| Valencia (1st) | Malmö FF (1st) | Basel (1st) |
| Galatasaray (1st) | CSKA Moscow (1st) | Hajduk Split (1st) |

## Preliminary round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Valencia | 4–1 | Union Luxembourg | 3–1 | 1–0 |

### Second leg

Valencia won 4–1 on aggregate.

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | |
| Marseille | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Górnik Zabrze | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Górnik Zabrze | 1 | 1 | 2 | Marseille | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Ajax | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ajax | 2 | 0 | 2 | Ajax | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dynamo Dresden | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dynamo Dresden | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | Ajax | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Arsenal | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| Reipas Lahti | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | Arsenal | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Grasshopper | 1 | 8 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Grasshopper | 1 | 8 | 9 | Grasshopper | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Arsenal | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Strømsgodset | 1 | 0 | 1 | Arsenal | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Arsenal | 3 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Arsenal | 3 | 4 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | Ajax | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Benfica | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | |
| Dinamo București (a) | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Benfica | 0 | 0 | 0 | | |
| Spartak Trnava | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spartak Trnava | 0 | 2 | 2 | Dinamo București | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Feyenoord | 3 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Feyenoord | 8 | 9 | 17 | Feyenoord | 3 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Olympiakos Nicosia | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Olympiakos Nicosia | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | Feyenoord | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Benfica | 0 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| Wacker Innsbruck | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | Benfica | 0 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | |
| Benfica | 4 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Benfica | 4 | 3 | 7 | Benfica | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | CSKA September Flag | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CSKA September Flag | 3 | 1 | 4 | CSKA September Flag | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Partizani | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Partizani | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ajax | 2 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Inter Milan | 0 | |
| Valencia (a) | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Inter Milan | 0 |
| Hajduk Split | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hajduk Split | 0 | 1 | 1 | Valencia | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Újpesti Dózsa | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Újpesti Dózsa | 4 | 0 | 4 | Újpesti Dózsa | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Malmö FF | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Malmö FF | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | Újpesti Dózsa | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Celtic | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Boldklubben 1903 | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | Celtic | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Celtic | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Celtic | 1 | 3 | 4 | Celtic | 5 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Sliema Wanderers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ÍA | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sliema Wanderers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sliema Wanderers | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sliema Wanderers | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | Inter Milan (p) | 0 | 0 | 0 (5) | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Celtic | 0 | 0 | 0 (4) | | | | |
| Inter Milan | 4 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Celtic | 0 | 0 | 0 (4) | | |
| AEK Athens | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| AEK Athens | 1 | 3 | 4 | Inter Milan | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Borussia M.Gladbach | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cork Hibernians | 0 | 1 | 1 | Borussia M.Gladbach | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borussia M.Gladbach | 5 | 2 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borussia M.Gladbach | 5 | 2 | 7 | | | | | Inter Milan (a) | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Standard Liège | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Galatasaray | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | Standard Liège | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| CSKA Moscow | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CSKA Moscow | 1 | 3 | 4 | CSKA Moscow | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Standard Liège | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Standard Liège | 2 | 3 | 5 | Standard Liège | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Linfield | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## First round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Marseille | 3–2 | Górnik Zabrze | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Ajax | 2–0 | Dynamo Dresden | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| Reipas Lahti | 1–9 | Grasshopper | 1–1 | 0–8 |
| Strømsgodset | 1–7 | Arsenal | 1–3 | 0–4 |
| Dinamo București | 2–2 (a) | Spartak Trnava | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Feyenoord | 17–0 | Olympiakos Nicosia | 8–0 | 9–0 |
| Wacker | 1–7 | Benfica | 0–4 | 1–3 |
| CSKA September Flag | 4–0 | Partizani | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Valencia | 1–1 (a) | Hajduk Split | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Újpesti Dózsa | 4–1 | Malmö FF | 4–0 | 0–1 |
| Boldklubben 1903 | 2–4 | Celtic | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| ÍA | 0–4 | Sliema Wanderers | 0–4 | 0–0 |
| Inter Milan | 6–4 | AEK Athens | 4–1 | 2–3 |
| Cork Hibernians | 1–7 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 0–5 | 1–2 |
| Galatasaray | 1–4 | CSKA Moscow | 1–1 | 0–3 |
| Standard Liège | 5–2 | Linfield | 2–0 | 3–2 |

### Second leg

Marseille won 3–2 on aggregate.
Ajax won 2–0 on aggregate.
Grasshopper won 9–1 on aggregate.
Arsenal won 7–1 on aggregate.
2–2 on aggregate; Dinamo București won on away goals.
Feyenoord won 17–0 on aggregate.
Benfica won 7–1 on aggregate.
CSKA September Flag won 4–0 on aggregate.
1–1 on aggregate; Valencia won on away goals.
Újpesti Dózsa won 4–1 on aggregate.
Celtic won 4–2 on aggregate.
Sliema Wanderers won 4–0 on aggregate.
Inter Milan won 6–4 on aggregate.
Borussia Mönchengladbach won 7–1 on aggregate.
CSKA Moscow won 4–1 on aggregate.
Standard Liège won 5–2 on aggregate.

## Second round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Marseille | 2–6 | Ajax | 1–2 | 1–4 |
| Grasshopper | 0–5 | Arsenal | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| Dinamo București | 0–5 | Feyenoord | 0–3 | 0–2 |
| Benfica | 2–1 | CSKA September Flag | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Valencia | 1–3 | Újpesti Dózsa | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Celtic | 7–1 | Sliema Wanderers | 5–0 | 2–1 |
| Inter Milan | 4–2 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 4–2 | 0–0 |
| CSKA Moscow | 1–2 | Standard Liège | 1–0 | 0–2 |

### First leg

This game was annulled as Inter player Roberto Boninsegna was hit by a Coca-Cola can in the 29th minute. The first leg game was replayed after the game that was originally scheduled to be second leg was played, thus the order of legs was switched.

### Second leg

Ajax won 6–2 on aggregate.
Arsenal won 5–0 on aggregate.
Feyenoord won 5–0 on aggregate.
Benfica won 2–1 on aggregate.
Újpesti Dózsa won 3–1 on aggregate.
Celtic won 7–1 on aggregate.
Inter Milan won 4–2 on aggregate.
Standard Liège won 2–1 on aggregate.

## Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ajax | 3–1 | Arsenal | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Feyenoord | 2–5 | Benfica | 1–0 | 1–5 |
| Újpesti Dózsa | 2–3 | Celtic | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Inter Milan | 2–2 (a) | Standard Liège | 1–0 | 1–2 |

### Second leg

Ajax won 3–1 on aggregate.
Benfica won 5–2 on aggregate.
Celtic won 3–2 on aggregate.
2–2 on aggregate; Inter Milan won on away goals.

## Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ajax | 1–0 | Benfica | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Inter Milan | 0–0 (5–4 p) | Celtic | 0–0 | 0–0 |

### Second leg

Ajax won 1–0 on aggregate.
0–0 on aggregate; Inter Milan won 5–4 on penalties.
During the shoot-out, teams had to take all five penalties even if they could no longer win (the shoot-out would otherwise have ended with a score of 5–3 as Inter went first).

## Top scorers

| Rank | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Johan Cruyff | Ajax | 5 |
| 1 | Antal Dunai | Újpesti Dózsa | 5 |
| 1 | Lou Macari | Celtic | 5 |
| 1 | Silvester Takač | Standard Liège | 5 |
| 5 | Ronnie Cocks | Sliema Wanderers | 4 |
| 5 | Willem van Hanegem | Feyenoord | 4 |
| 5 | Rinus Israël | Feyenoord | 4 |
| 5 | Artur Jorge | Benfica | 4 |
| 5 | Ray Kennedy | Arsenal | 4 |
| 5 | Kurt Müller | Grasshopper | 4 |
| 5 | Lex Schoenmaker | Feyenoord | 4 |