1977/78: Free-scoring PSV prevail

SC Bastia 0-0 PSV Eindhoven
PSV Eindhoven 3-0 SC Bastia
(Van der Kerkhof 24, Deijkers 67, Van der Kuijlen 69)
(agg: 3-0 to PSV)

Where AFC Ajax and Feyenoord led, PSV Eindhoven usually followed, and in 1978 the men from the Philips Stadion became the third Dutch side to win a European cup.

High scorers
As well as the so-called big two, PSV also borrowed from FC Twente, having signed the Van de Kerkhof twins, Willy and René, from Enschede, themselves UEFA Cup runners-up in the mid-70s. But just as vital to Kees Rijvers' team was club captain Willy van der Kuijlen. His strikes and assists made PSV the tournament's top scorers with 29 goals en route to the final. Glenavon FC, Widzew Lódz, Eintracht Braunschweig, 1. FC Magdeburg and FC Barcelona were the teams on the receiving end.

Rep on form
Another who had no trouble registering were Grasshopper-Club. The Swiss side were making their sixth straight appearance in the competition, and marked the occasion by reaching the last four. Here they had the misfortune to run into a Johnny Rep-inspired SC Bastia and lose an even contest on away goals. The pity for the Corsican side, however, was that PSV knew all about the Dutch international, whose pace had devastated Sporting Clube de Portugal, Newcastle United FC and Torino Calcio in the early rounds. Forewarned, they opted to man the barricades in the final first leg at the Armand-Cesari-Furiani stadium. The ensuing stalemate surprised no one, though PSV made amends with a dominant attacking display in the return, capped by goals from Willy van de Kerkhof, Gerrie Deijkers and Van der Kuijlen.