The 50 best games in history: Barcelona 4-3 Dusseldorf, 1979 Cup Winners' Cup

Barcelona won the first of four European Cup Winners' Cups in the 1978/79 season.

On May 16, 1979, the Catalan side, coached by Joaquin Rife, went to Basel to take on Fortuna Dusseldorf in a goal fest of a final.

Barcelona arrived in Switzerland in a difficult situation as Juan Carlos Heredia, Migueli and Johan Neeskens were carrying knocks, whilst Hans Krankl was experiencing personal trauma after his wife had been involved in a car accident a few days before.

Nonetheless, Barcelona were accompanied by over 30,000 fans, who travelled to Basel for the final.

In a relentless opening half the scores was 2-2 at the break, with Barcelona's goals coming courtesy of Vicente Sanchez and Juan Manuel Asensi.

There were no goals in the second half and the scores remained even at the end of 90 minutes.

Barcelona had been the better side and drew first blood in extra time through a Carles Rexach goal.

Hans Krankl practically killed the game off a few minutes later putting Barcelona 4-2 up, but Dusseldorf wouldn't give up and, in the 114th minute, Wolfgang Seel gave the Germans the slightest glimmer of hope.

But it was too late.

Barcelona held on and won their first major European title.

Match Data

Barcelona: Artola; Zuviria, Migueli, Costas (Martínez, 67'), Albaladejo (De la Cruz, 57'); Neeskens, Rexach, Sanchez, Krankl, Asensi and Carrasco

Fortuna Düsseldorf: Daniel; Brei (Weikl, 24'), Zewe, Zimmermann (Lund, 85'), Baltes; Kohnen, Schmitz, T. Allofs, Bommer, K. Allofs and Seel

Goals: 1-0 (min.5) Sanchez. 1-1 (min.8) K. Allofs. 2-1 (min. 35) Asensi. 2-2 (min. 42) Seel. 3-2 (min. 103) Rexach. 4-2 (min. 110) Krankl. 4-3 (min. 114) Seel.

Referee: Karoly Palotai (Hungary)

Stadium: St. Jakob Park, Basel

Attendance: 58,500