It may not be the same Wembley Stadium it once was but setting foot inside the ground this evening will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of Slovenia’s manager.
Srečko Katanec was part of the great Sampdoria side that cruelly lost to Barcelona in the European Cup Final 25 years ago at England’s national stadium.
As a youngster growing up with a love of Italian football Katanec was one of my favourite players. The rangy Yugoslavian with a thunderbolt of a strike was at the heart of the blucerchiati’s midfield in a team that included Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli and Pietro Vierchowod.
Katanec was one of the first Eastern European stars to join Europe’s top league when he signed for Samp in the summer of 1989. It was a time of plenty for Italian football with the world’s greatest players all plying their trade in Serie A in a season where Diego Maradona inspired Napoli to glory.
In his first season Katanec would help Sampdoria to lift the European Cup Winners Cup with a 2-0 win over Anderlecht in Gothenburg.
The following season a league and cup double followed for Katanec as Sampdoria dominated domestically before embarking on their European Cup adventure the following year.
Sampdoria smashed Rosenborg 7-1 (on aggregate) in the first round before cruising past Honved in the second. In the group stage they topped the table, Katanec scoring in a 1-3 away win in his native Yugoslavia against Red Star Belgrade.
Panathinaikos and Anderlecht were also put to the sword leading to a final against the winners of the other group Barcelona (as was the format then).
Ronald Koeman’s injury time free kick would prove to be the difference between the sides as Katanec, playing in an unfamiliar left back role, and his team mates despaired.
Whilst Katanec certainly enjoyed more success than failure during his time in Italy, the European Cup Final will certainly be seen as one that got away.
Even a point against England at Wembley tonight would go some way to helping ease the heartache for Katanec.
