Leeds United, the reigning champions of England, endured a gruelling 55-game campaign in the 1992/93 season.
Their odyssey began on a balmy August afternoon at Wembley Stadium; the regular 42-game Premier League season was complemented by two-legged League Cup ties (remember those?) and a remarkable three-legged Champions League contest with VfB Stuttgart (it transpired Stuttgart had fielded too many foreign players in the second leg).
But that didn’t stop Leeds from filling a non-existent gap in the fixture calendar. So much for fixture congestion and winter breaks, eh?
Sandwiched between an FA Cup tie with Charlton on 2nd January and the Premier League visit of Southampton on 9th January, Howard Wilkinson took a full-strength squad to Florence to play in the Torneo Di Capodanno (New Year Tournament) alongside Fiorentina and Inter Milan.
At home, Leeds’ title defence wasn’t going according to plan. Their talisman, Eric Cantona, had crossed the Pennines and Leeds were languishing in 16th place, without an away win all season. As well as an opportunity to escape the harsh British winter for a few days, the Italy trip was a chance for Leeds to regroup.
The triangular tournament comprised three 45-minute matches, all held on the same evening at the iconic Stadio Artemio Franchi. Unfortunately for Leeds, their opponents were as tough as they come, and the local fans didn’t exactly turn out in droves to witness the spectacle.
Match 1: Leeds v Inter Milan
The first game saw Leeds humbled by Inter.
On fifteen minutes, Ruben Sosa’s close control and quick feet created the space for Nicola Berti to curl a shot beyond Mervyn Day’s outstretched left hand. Sosa was involved again when Inter sprung Leeds’ offside trap. The Uruguayan unselfishly squared to Darko Pancev, who finished with aplomb.
The matches were beamed live to the UK with English commentary for the few in possession of a Eurosport TV subscription.
Match 2: Leeds v Fiorentina
Next up, Leeds faced the hosts Fiorentina.
La Viola, too, were a club in turmoil. Their porous backline had left them at the wrong end of the Serie A table and they’d just disposed of their coach, Gigi Radice. As Howard Wilkinson brought experienced players – John Lukic, Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and Tony Dorigo – into the starting line-up, hopes of getting a result were high in the Leeds camp.
But the optimism was short-lived as Brian Laudrup’s through ball sent Francesco Baiano free. His shot from 18 years beat Lukic at his near post, drawing half-hearted cheers from the smattering of Viola supporters.
Then, Baiano doubled the advantage and sealed victory for Fiorentina, wriggling away from his marker in the box to drive the ball past the ‘keeper.
In the closing stages, Leeds’ miserable evening reached its sorry climax. Gordon Strachan fouled the tricky Laudrup, receiving a yellow card for his troubles. Just moments later, a clash with Steffan Effenberg resulted in a second caution for dissent. Strachan trudged off to a chorus of Florentine whistles.
The (Not So) Grand Finale: Fiorentina v Inter Milan
Fiorentina and Inter faced off in the final match of the evening to determine who would take the silverware home. A single Gabriel Batistuta goal was enough to seal victory for La Viola; his listless celebration of the goal told the story of a forgettable night for all involved.
As the players headed back to the changing rooms, Fiorentina captain Stefano Carobbi stood alone in the centre of the pitch. He lifted the oversized trophy into the air for the benefit of the few hardy souls who had stayed until the bitter end.
Leeds United returned home with a £200,000 appearance fee…and their tales between their legs.
Calcio England 