On Thursday, 30 September, Eastlands will host what I reckon is probably its second biggest European night ever when Italians Juventus come to town for a Europa League group stage clash against City. Probably in our recent history, only the UEFA Cup quarter final second leg was a more prestigious home competitive fixture in Europe. This isn't, however, the first time Juventus have travelled to Manchester for a European fixture that wasn't at Old Trafford.
Back in September 1976, City had begun a season that would witness the Blues' last serious tilt at the English league championship. The team had also qualified for the UEFA Cup by virtue of winning the previous season's League Cup. It was the first time in four seasons that the Blues were tasting European competition, the previous attempt to add to the Cup Winners' Cup triumph of 1970 having been halted by Valencia. This time, the draw was even tougher.
Juve had just finished second in Serie A to their city rivals Torino by a narrow margin (it was the last Serie A title won by Toro, a club often regarded as an Italian equivalent of City). Including that near miss, Juve had won three of the previous five Serie A titles, so were the most consistent side in a league renowned for its toughness and defensive excellence. They were to show this kind of physical and uncompromising approach in the two games against City.
The task the Blues faced was made even harder by the fact that the game in Manchester came first. Tony Book picked an attacking side for the game, with wingers Barnes and Tueart supplementing front pair Royle and Kidd. Jimmy Conway, an Irish international acquired in the summer from Fulham playing his only season at Maine Road, partnered Asa Hartford in midfield, while the familiar names of Corrigan, Doyle, Watson and Donachie provided reassurance at the back. Only at right back was there a defensive novelty, with Mick Docherty - whose father Tommy was, at the time, in charge of Manchester United - taking the number two shirt, one of only eleven senior appearances Docherty junior made at the club.
It was a fine display by the Blues that night, but Book's team had only a single goal lead to defend in Turin. The winning margin, despite the odd dangerous Juve break, could have been more, but ultimately City would have only a slender advantage earned through Brian Kidd's header to protect a fortnight later. Book went on the defensive for the game, deploying an extra centre half in the shape of Tommy Booth in a midfield role and leaving out young winger Barnes to play Gerard Keegan, a midfielder or fullback. It was to no avail, though as I recall, City were pressing at two down and hit the woodwork, while Dino Zoff was forced into a couple of smart saves to deny vthe away goal that would have turned the tie.
Juve, ironically, were back in Manchester in October. Tommy Docherty's United, also in the EUFA Cup that season, took the prestigious scalp of Ajax in the first round as we faltered in Turin. The Reds were then paired with Juve in the second round. Tey also won 1-0 in the home leg and but lost 3-0 in Turin. I was at primary school in Stretford, surrounded by United fans, at the time, so made much of the fact that we'd run Juve closer than they did! In fact, I have a vague recollection of reading in the Pink that the great Giovanni Trapattoni - in his foirst season coaching Juve that year - was full of praise for the display we put up against them.
In 1976/7, Juve won both Serie A and the UEFA Cup. To get them first up was a real a bastard of a draw, then! Thank God the draws are seeded now, say I, so that we get them in a group when two teams getthe chance of going through!
Thinking back on that tie also makes me reflect how, having seen us mix it like that and give a good account of ourselves against a real top European side as a kid, it was pretty heartbreaking to see us become as utterly hopeless as we did for much of the intervening period between then and now. Heartfelt thanks to Mansour for giving us the chance to make up for lost time.
Finally, a note for my fellow anoraks. Though for much of the last twenty years, Juve played at a different ground, the final group game this time will be played at the same venue as Book's team graced in 1976.
It was called the Stadio Communale in those days, but is now called the Stadio Olimpico after holding the opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in 2006 or whenever it was. Juve and Torino both shared the Communale back then, and both moved to the Stadio delle Alpi in 1990 after it was built for the 1990 World Cup.
They both moved out of that highly unpopular venue in the last few years while the stadium is knocked down and Juve, who've acquired the land, build a new one with no track. In the meantime, both clubs are playing at the 28,000-seater Olimpico. Juve are moving to the new 41,000-seater stadium when it's ready next year while Toro are staying at the Olimpico. Anyway, our tie against Juve is at the Olimpico which means we're playing again at the same stadium as in 1976.
It would be nice to think that this time City could come out on top over the two legs to get a measure of revenge for September 1976, although given the different format these days, a win for each club in its home fixture would probably be quite a decent outcome in terms of the overall objective of reaching the knock out phase.
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