1960–61 European Cup
The 1960–61 European Cup was the sixth season of the European Cup, UEFA's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Benfica, who beat Barcelona 3–2 in the final at Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, on 31 May 1961. It was the first time that five-time winners Real Madrid did not make it to the final, when they were knocked out by eventual first-time finalists Barcelona in the first round. Benfica was the first Portuguese team to reach the final and to win the tournament.
Wankdorf Stadium in Bern hosted the final. | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 29 September 1960 – 31 May 1961 |
| Teams | 28 (26 competed) (from 25 associations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Benfica (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Barcelona |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 51 |
| Goals scored | 164 (3.22 per match) |
| Attendance | 1,647,692 (32,308 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | José Águas (Benfica) 11 goals |
It was the first time that a team from Norway participated. However, again two teams withdrew from the competition after initial draw: Romanian CCA București was fearing a shameful elimination in front of the Czechoslovakians, while Northern Irish Glenavon and East German Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt were refused visas to the other's country. UEFA authorised neutral venues but Glenavon withdrew due to the higher cost and lower revenue.