So far there is only one Upper Austrian who has already played a football European Cup final: Christian Stumpf (55) shot Rapid in the truest sense of the word into the final of the then European Cup of Cup Winners in 1996. His most important goal: the last-minute 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of the round of 16, which Rapid just managed to put into extra time in a 4-0 win. He also scored 3-0 at home in the semifinals – the opponent was Gernot Trauner’s club Feyenoord Rotterdam, of all people. “The way to the final was sensational. In the final itself we were a bit too nervous and were beaten under our value. It wasn’t our best game, and the goal we conceded was also extremely unlucky. It was a very sad night afterwards,” Stumpf recalled the 0: 1 in Brussels against Paris Saint Germain back.
The rapid storm with Christian Stumpf and Carsten Jancker was legendary at the time. Today the German coaches the Styrian national league club Leoben. I never completely lost contact with my colleagues from back then. “We see each other regularly at the Rapid Legends Meeting in Vienna.” Stumpf, who looked after the Upper Austrian league club Edelweiß Linz for nine years, is employed by the Linz recyclables marketer GWV. Today he is hoping for a victory for Feyenoord: “I would really give Gernot Trauner a break. A defeat in the final – even if just taking part is a great success – hurts a lot.”
Source: Nachrichten
