Madrid bounce back to start era of dominance

Real Madrid CF were crowned the first official club champions of Europe after a late surge helped them to defeat Stade de Reims.

Reims, with the advantage of playing in their home country, looked the more determined from the start in Paris and coach Albert Batteux's tactics of stunning the Spanish champions paid off when Michel Leblond's opener on six minutes was followed up four minutes later by Jean Templin.

Looking somewhat bewildered to find themselves two goals behind within the first ten minutes, José Villalonga's men were lucky not to concede a third when Raymond Kopa looked on in disbelief as his goalbound effort was swept off the line.

However, Reims' lead was curtailed when Miguel Muñoz's through ball dissected the French defence and found Alfredo Di Stéfano, who fired low past René Jacquet on 14 minutes.

Madrid were back level when Muñoz shimmied past two defenders down the right and sent over a centre that was headed into the back of the net by José Rial on exactly 30 minutes. Francisco Gento came close with a shot that hit the post but the teams went in at half-time with the score level at 2-2.

Reims restored their advantage through captain Michel Hidalgo shortly after the hour but it was only to last five minutes as Marquitos Alonso rampaged his way through the opposition defence to watch his stabbed effort take a deflection and roll into the back of the net.

Rial claimed his second of the match on 79 minutes – losing his marker with a deft first touch, he was free to stab the winner inside the far post.

Although Reims launched a last-ditch offensive on Juanito Alonso's goal, with Templin striking agonisingly against the bar, Madrid held on to take the match 4-3. Madrid's Di Stéfano finished the first European Champion Clubs' Cup as top scorer with five goals.