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Topics: UEFA, UEFA Super Cup, Champions League, Europa League
Josh Lawless
Topics: UEFA, UEFA Super Cup, Champions League, Europa League
UEFA refuse to recognise one of their European champions and wiped it from the record books because of a ban handed out.
In history, there have been 50 editions of the UEFA Super Cup - the most recent of which saw Paris Saint-Germain come from 2-0 down to beat Spurs on penalties in Udine to claim the trophy and add £4.3 million in prize money earlier this month.
The competition sees the winners of the Champions League take on the Europa League victors, having initially been a fixture between the European Cup champions and the winners of the Cup Winners' Cup.
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But the actual first instance of this meeting happening is not recognised as an official fixture by UEFA.
Dutch journalist Anton Witkamp is the man responsible for the creation of the competition, designed to crown the best team in Europe.
The inaugural edition was played over two legs in January 1973 and saw Rangers take on Ajax in Glasgow and Amsterdam, ultimately losing 6-3 on aggregate.
UEFA
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57,000 crammed into Ibrox for the showpiece, with another 26,000 turning up to the second leg in Amsterdam.
Rangers had won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 and had their centenary year in 1973 but they were serving a ban for fan misconduct at the final at the Nou Camp - meaning the game had to take place in an unofficial capacity.
UEFA got onboard with the Super Cup concept later that year and the first edition recognised by the governing body saw Ajax retain their crown by defeating AC Milan 6-1.
A trophy was not handed out until 1987 when Steau Bucharest beat Dynamo Kyiv, while there were three occasions where a Super Cup fixture did not take place due to a combination of scheduling conflicts and bans.
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Everton could not fulfil the 1985 showpiece against Juventus because English clubs were banned from participating in Europe.
The Cup Winners' Cup was replaced by the UEFA Cup in 1999 and 15 consecutive finals were staged at the Stade Louis II in Monaco before it was decided that it be played at different venues across the continent.