# 1972–73 European Cup

The 1972–73 season of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the third consecutive time by Ajax in the final against Juventus at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The win by Ajax resulted in the fourth consecutive championship by a Dutch team. Since Ajax had won the cup for a third time, they got to keep the full size copy of the cup. Because the reigning European champions were also champions of their own league, and neither Albania nor Northern Ireland sent their champions, the number of participating clubs dropped from 33 to 30.

## Teams

| Wacker Innsbruck (1st) | Anderlecht (1st) | CSKA Sofia (1st) |
| Omonia (1st) | Spartak Trnava (1st) | Vejle (1st) |
| Derby County (1st) | TPS (1st) | Marseille (1st) |
| Magdeburg (1st) | Bayern Munich (1st) | Panathinaikos (1st) |
| Újpesti Dózsa (1st) | Keflavík (1st) | Waterford (1st) |
| Juventus (1st) | Aris (1st) | Sliema Wanderers (1st) |
| Ajax (1st) | Rosenborg (1st) | Górnik Zabrze (1st) |
| Benfica (1st) | Argeș Pitești (1st) | Celtic (1st) |
| Real Madrid (1st) | Malmö FF (1st) | Basel (1st) |
| Galatasaray (1st) | Dynamo Kyiv (1st) | Željezničar (1st) |

## 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 | |
| CSKA | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Panathinaikos | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Panathinaikos | 1 | 0 | 1 | CSKA | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Ajax | 3 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Ajax | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Bayern Munich | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Galatasaray | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | Bayern Munich | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Bayern Munich | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bayern Munich | 1 | 6 | 7 | Bayern Munich | 9 | 4 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Omonia | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Waterford United | 2 | 0 | 2 | Omonia | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Omonia | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Omonia | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | Ajax | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Real Madrid | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | |
| Wacker | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Real Madrid | 1 | 0 | 1 | | |
| Dynamo Kyïv | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dynamo Kyïv | 1 | 2 | 3 | Dynamo Kyïv | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Górnik Zabrze | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sliema Wanderers | 0 | 0 | 0 | Górnik Zabrze | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Górnik Zabrze | 5 | 5 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Górnik Zabrze | 5 | 5 | 10 | | | | | Dynamo Kyïv | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Real Madrid | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| Aris | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | Real Madrid | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Argeș Pitești | 2 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Argeș Pitești | 2 | 4 | 6 | Argeș Pitești | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Real Madrid | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Real Madrid | 3 | 1 | 4 | Real Madrid | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Keflavík | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Keflavík | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ajax | 1 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Juventus | 0 | |
| Marseille | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Juventus | 0 |
| Juventus | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Juventus | 0 | 3 | 3 | Juventus | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Magdeburg | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Magdeburg | 6 | 3 | 9 | Magdeburg | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| TPS | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| TPS | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | Juventus | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Újpesti | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Celtic | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | | | | Újpesti | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Rosenborg | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rosenborg | 1 | 1 | 2 | Celtic | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Újpesti | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Újpesti | 2 | 2 | 4 | Újpesti | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basel | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basel | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | Juventus | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Derby County | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | Spartak Trnava | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Anderlecht | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Anderlecht | 4 | 3 | 7 | Anderlecht | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Vejle | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Vejle | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | Spartak Trnava | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Derby County | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| Derby County | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | | | | | Derby County | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Željezničar | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Željezničar | 1 | 0 | 1 | Derby County | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Benfica | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Malmö FF | 1 | 1 | 2 | Benfica | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Benfica | 0 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## First round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| CSKA Sofia | 4–1 | Panathinaikos | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Ajax | Bye | – | – | – |
| Galatasaray | 1–7 | Bayern Munich | 1–1 | 0–6 |
| Waterford | 2–3 | Omonia | 2–1 | 0–2 |
| Wacker | 0–3 | Dynamo Kyiv | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| Sliema Wanderers | 0–10 | Górnik Zabrze | 0–5 | 0–5 |
| Aris | 0–6 | Argeș Pitești | 0–2 | 0–4 |
| Real Madrid | 4–0 | Keflavík | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Marseille | 1–3 | Juventus | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| Magdeburg | 9–1 | TPS | 6–0 | 3–1 |
| Celtic | 5–2 | Rosenborg | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Újpesti Dózsa | 4–3 | Basel | 2–0 | 2–3 |
| Spartak Trnava | Bye | – | – | – |
| Anderlecht | 7–2 | Vejle | 4–2 | 3–0 |
| Derby County | 4–1 | Željezničar | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Malmö FF | 2–4 | Benfica | 1–0 | 1–4 |
* ↑ Originally 1–2 to Panathinaikos, with CSKA winning the subsequent penalty shoot-out 3–2. Panathinaikos complained to UEFA, and the match was annulled and replayed the following month.
* ↑ The match was played at FK Sarajevo's Stadion Koševo due to Željezničar's Grbavica ground undergoing renovations.

### Second leg

The game was annulled because the referee ended the shoot-out prematurely after Panathinaikos fourth penalty was saved by Bulgarian goalkeeper. Panathinaikos complained to UEFA and the match was annulled and replayed the following month.
CSKA Sofia won 4–1 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich won 7–1 on aggregate.
Omonia won 3–2 on aggregate.
Dynamo Kyiv won 3–0 on aggregate.
Górnik Zabrze won 10–0 on aggregate.
Argeș Pitești won 6–0 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 4–0 on aggregate.
Juventus won 3–1 on aggregate.
Magdeburg won 9–1 on aggregate.
Celtic won 5–2 on aggregate.
Újpesti Dózsa won 4–3 on aggregate.
Anderlecht won 7–2 on aggregate.
Derby County won 4–1 on aggregate.
Benfica won 4–2 on aggregate.

## Second round

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| CSKA Sofia | 1–6 | Ajax | 1–3 | 0–3 |
| Bayern Munich | 13–0 | Omonia | 9–0 | 4–0 |
| Dynamo Kyiv | 3–2 | Górnik Zabrze | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Argeș Pitești | 3–4 | Real Madrid | 2–1 | 1–3 |
| Juventus | 2–0 | Magdeburg | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Celtic | 2–4 | Újpesti Dózsa | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| Spartak Trnava | 2–0 | Anderlecht | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Derby County | 3–0 | Benfica | 3–0 | 0–0 |

### Second leg

Ajax won 6–1 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich won 13–0 on aggregate.
Dynamo Kyiv won 3–2 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 4–3 on aggregate.
Juventus won 2–0 on aggregate.
Újpesti Dózsa won 4–2 on aggregate.
Spartak Trnava won 2–0 on aggregate.
Derby County won 3–0 on aggregate.

## Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ajax | 5–2 | Bayern Munich | 4–0 | 1–2 |
| Dynamo Kyiv | 0–3 | Real Madrid | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| Juventus | 2–2 (a) | Újpesti Dózsa | 0–0 | 2–2 |
| Spartak Trnava | 1–2 | Derby County | 1–0 | 0–2 |

### Second leg

Ajax won 5–2 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 3–0 on aggregate.
2–2 on aggregate; Juventus won on away goals.
Derby County won 2–1 on aggregate.

## Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ajax | 3–1 | Real Madrid | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Juventus | 3–1 | Derby County | 3–1 | 0–0 |

### Second leg

Ajax won 3–1 on aggregate.
Juventus won 3–1 on aggregate.

## Top scorers

| Rank | Name | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Gerd Müller | Bayern Munich | 11 |
| 2 | Ferenc Bene | Újpesti Dózsa | 6 |
| 3 | Włodzimierz Lubański | Górnik Zabrze | 5 |
| 3 | Santillana | Real Madrid | 5 |
| 5 | Nicolae Dobrin | Argeș Pitești | 4 |
| 5 | Kevin Hector | Derby County | 4 |
| 5 | Rob Rensenbrink | Anderlecht | 4 |
| 5 | Jürgen Sparwasser | Magdeburg | 4 |
| 9 | José Altafini | Juventus | 3 |
| 9 | Arie Haan | Ajax | 3 |
| 9 | Johan Cruyff | Ajax | 3 |
| 9 | Lou Macari | Celtic | 3 |
| 9 | Anatoliy Puzach | Dynamo Kyiv | 3 |
| 9 | Constantin Radu | Argeș Pitești | 3 |
| 9 | Franz Roth | Bayern Munich | 3 |
| 9 | Edgar Schneider | Bayern Munich | 3 |