30 years of KSC against Valencia
When Euro-Eddy drove the wildlife park crazy
November 2nd, 2023, 1:30 p.m
Anyone who saw this game will not forget it: 30 years ago, “Euro-Eddy”, Oliver Kahn and Karlsruher SC experienced the “Miracle from the Wildpark”. The Spanish league leaders from Valencia could only watch helplessly, commentator Jörd Dahlmann freaked out.
Edgar Schmitt beamed, he clapped his hands again and again and screamed with joy. 25,000 fans stood up and paid homage to their new hero, who from now on they should respectfully call “Euro-Eddy”. “Simply brilliant,” said Schmitt after the best substitution of his career. The game of his life was still going on, but the goalgetter’s conclusion was already clear: “Really the greatest thing of all.”
7-0. Seven to zero. 30 years ago, on November 2nd, 1993, Karlsruher SC, led by “Euro-Eddy”, goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and coach Winfried Schäfer, celebrated their “Miracle from the Wildpark” against FC Valencia. And anyone who saw the game won’t forget it. Schmitt, whose sweaty hair hung on his face, who repeatedly showed his fist after his goals, and whose jersey was completely smeared with dirt.
“I’m freaking out! I’m freaking out here. That doesn’t exist,” shouted commentator Jörg Dahlmann into the Sat.1 microphone: “A great moment in the European Cup. That’s not possible, it’s unbelievable, unbelievable, I can’t get it, I don’t … I’m going crazy here!”
KSC had lost the first leg of the second round of the UEFA Cup to the Spanish league leaders 1:3, and nobody expected that KSC would still have a chance. But Schäfer reached into his bag of tricks and pushed his team. And even gave a speech in the dressing room even though he was suspended for the game. And then they couldn’t be stopped.
Even Zidane can’t stop KSC
The Polish referee Zbigniew Przesmycki even had to have the kick-off repeated – three KSC players had already stormed into the center circle before the whistle. And they didn’t let up: after 63 minutes it was 6-0 – Schmitt had scored four times. Schäfer’s likeness was displayed on the scoreboard – underneath it was written “Winnie madness”. And Schmitt couldn’t get rid of his new nickname either.
“There’s a nice picture of me looking around the stadium and thinking: You’ve never experienced anything like this before,” said Schmitt, who had a serious car accident shortly before the game, to the magazine “11Freunde”: ” It was crazy how people hugged each other.”
The fans happily sang “Take the swimming trunks off the Spaniards,” but the KSC had also “had a lot of luck,” said Schäfer: “But of course that was also because we weren’t afraid at all.” The then UEFA Cup newcomer was not stopped by Zinédine Zidane’s PSV Eindhoven, Boavista Porto and Girondins Bordeaux.
Casino Salzburg was only the final stop in the semi-finals. But hardly anyone remembers that anymore. However, they will never forget November 2, 1993 in Karlsruhe.