The forgotten European semifinal of Deportivo

Everybody has Deportivo's historic comeback against Milan in 2004 in the Champion engraved on the retinas. That 4-0 at Riazor, with goals from Pandiani, Valerón, Luque and Fran, who opened the doors to the Champions League semifinal. That feat was left without the icing on the grand final after Porto de Mourinho eliminated those of Irureta, who after 0-0 in the first leg fell in Riazor 0-1 with a penalty goal from Derlei.

What not so many people remember is that A few years earlier, Deportivo had already been one step away from playing a European final. The tournament was the extinct Recopa, that the Blue and Whites disputed after winning the previous season the first title in its history: the King's Cup in 1995 with Arsenio in front. It was the last service for Zorro de Arteixo, who was replaced on the bench by a John Benjamin Toshack who that summer added a Super Cup to the Blue and Whites' showcases after winning Real Madrid.

The Welsh coach finished LaLiga in ninth position and the Recopa was Deportivo's great competition that season. The A Coruña eliminated Apoel and Trabzonspor and in the quarterfinals they crossed with Zaragoza, who disputed the competition as reigning champion after conquering the tournament with the historic goal of Nayim to Arsenal (2-1) in the Parc des Princes. In the first leg the Galicians prevailed at home to those of Víctor Fernández 1-0 with a goal from the youth squad David Miramontes. On the return In La Romareda, a game that turns 24 today, the maños went ahead with a goal from Morientes, but Bebeto equalized in the 64th minute to get Depor into their first European semifinal.

The great march of the undefeated Depor in the competition, six wins and two draws, did not help him against a PSG that would end up being champion. The first leg was disputed in Riazor and the A Coruña fell in the 90th minute with a great goal from Youri Djorkoeff (0-1). The result conditioned the return and the French, led by Luis Fernández, re-imposed themselves 1-0, this time thanks to a goal by Loko, leaving Superdepor at the gates to play a European final.