JUVENTUS in Malta Back in 1971

September 15, 1971. Island of Malta. Valletta. Empire Stadium - Gzira. U.E.F.A Cup thirty-second finals. Outward meeting. With 35 degrees of temperature, Juventus, led by Čestmír Vycpálek, met the Maltese from Marsa. The Scottish referee John Paterson blows the whistle at 16 o'clock (17 Italian time). The field is an expanse of earth mixed with crushed stone, the presence of a tuft of grass is a conceptual abstraction, clouds of dust rise and hide the benches... indeed... to tell the truth, there are no benches , the substitute players sit on the ground, next to each other, at the edge of the pitch. Juventus starts the match with Carmignani, Spinosi, Marchetti, Furino, Roveta, Salvadore, Haller, Causio, Novellini, Capello and Bettega. Mister John Calleja replies with Collings, Tonna, Cassar, Ferriggi, Vella, Cassar, Farrugia, Brincat, Portelli, Faure and Camilleri.

The home team seems to "hold" the blow well, it takes 32 minutes before Juventus takes the lead with a strong shot from Haller and the first half ends like this, with Juventus leading by only one goal. An unexpected "success" for the Maltese team that even came close to equalizing with Farrugia on an assist from Portelli, a draw only avoided thanks to a feat by Pietro "Gedeone" Carmignani. In the second half the game finds its direction: in the 54th minute of the match Causio doubles, Haller's brace with the 60th goal, in the 63rd Novellini, in the 69th Capello scores the 5th goal for the Piedmontese. A very short interval just to certify the existence of the home team: a post hit by Portelli with a shot from outside. The match ends with the 6th goal, 2 minutes from the 90th minute a shot by Cuccureddu is deflected by an opposing player. Mars Juventus 0-6 Substitutions: 46th Cuccureddu for Furino, 65th Viola for Haller, 67th Langridge for Ferriggi, 82nd Bajada for Portelli Benches: for the Marsa: Muscat, Dimech. For Juventus: Alessandrelli, Morini, Savoldi Note of color (never known was more of color...): Marsa played the first half wearing a blue shirt and the second with a red shirt.