 Thematch programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 1968–69 European Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 28 May 1969 | ||||||
| Venue | Santiago Bernabéu,Madrid | ||||||
| Referee | José María Ortiz de Mendíbil (Spain) | ||||||
| Attendance | 31,782 | ||||||
←1968 1970 → | |||||||
The1969 European Cup final was afootball match played at theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium inMadrid on 28 May 1969 betweenAC Milan of Italy andAjax of the Netherlands, to determine the champions of the1968–69 European Cup. Ajax made history by becoming the first Dutch side to reach the final, but they were beaten by their Italian opponents 4–1.[1][2]
As of 2024, Milan'sPierino Prati remains the most recent player to score ahat-trick in a European Cup or Champions League final.
Milan had a bye in the second round due to the withdrawal of a number of Eastern European clubs from the competition. In their semi-final, they knocked out defending European championsManchester United.
In the quarter-finals, Ajax were deadlocked 4–4 on aggregate against Portuguese sideBenfica after two legs, forcing areplay. The Dutch champions won 3–0 in the replay, but it took extra time to do so.
| Milan | Round | Ajax | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Play-off | |
 Malmö FF | 5–3 | 1–2 (A) | 4–1 (H) | First round |  Nürnberg | 5–1 | 1–1 (A) | 4–0 (H) | |
| Bye | Second round |  Fenerbahçe | 4–0 | 2–0 (H) | 2–0 (A) | ||||
 Celtic | 1–0 | 0–0 (H) | 1–0 (A) | Quarter-finals |  Benfica | 4–4 (r) | 3–1 (A) | 1–3 (a.e.t.) (H) | 3–0 (a.e.t.) |
 Manchester United | 2–1 | 2–0 (H) | 0–1 (A) | Semi-finals |  Spartak Trnava | 3–2 | 3–0 (H) | 0–2 (A) | |
         Milan[3] |     Ajax[3] |
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