Arsenal legend Seaman convinced Uefa were anti-Gunners during 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup final after spotting podium declaring Parma as champions before game
The former north London shot-stopper relives the club's last European victory 25 years ago ahead of their Europa League showdown with Chelsea in Baku
IT’S 1979, and a 16-year-old David Seaman has fallen in love with European football.
Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest have beaten Malmo in Munich thanks to Trevor Francis’ thunderbolt of a header in first half injury time.
"What sticks in my mind is that after his header he fell onto a concrete slab used for shot-put and discus – it was a fantastic moment," recalls Seaman, as if he is sat in front of that TV in his hometown of Rotherham once again.
Fast forward 15 years and the 6ft3 moustached shot-stopper was appearing in a final of his own – the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup for Arsenal against Parma.
The nerves of appearing in his first major European final, and Arsenal’s first for 14 years, were nowhere to be seen – partially because he had three broken ribs keeping him occupied.
He said: "It happened about a week before away at QPR. I had to have three or four injections before the game and at half time to bare the pain.
"I also had a special cast moulded around my ribs – until you get out there and stretch it you don’t know how you’re going to react.
"But then Zola hit one at me in the first half and I had to make a really good save with my right hand to tip it over the bar – after that I knew I’d be fine."
UEFA BIAS?
An early Alan Smith volley and the famous Gunners back four under boss George Graham ensured the pain was worth it for Seaman – even if UEFA were thinking otherwise.
Seaman explained: "We arrived at the ground on the coach and saw a podium that read ‘UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Winners Parma’ on it already.
"We were all like ‘hang on, have a look at that lads’ – UEFA must have been so confident that we would lose. That gave us the inspiration we needed.”
He continued: "We trusted our defence so much. The rest of the players knew that if we could get a goal, we could defend it. That’s where the whole 1-0 to the Arsenal and that song came from."
It was a win that also sparked several years of European near misses for Arsenal.
The 2-1 loss to Real Zaragoza in 1995 after Nayim’s extra-time half-way line lob is stuck in the mind of Seaman for all the wrong reasons.
And they were cruelly denied the UEFA Cup in 2000 under Arsene Wenger after losing out on penalties in the final to Galatasaray.
But for Seaman, who won three league titles and four FA Cups over a 13-year stay with Arsenal, those memories of playing in some of Europe’s footballing hotbeds remain some of his fondest.
";It was about going out into the unknown," he admits.
"I had played for England a few times before joining Arsenal but to play abroad with your club is something else.
"I remember going to Greece and Turkey - you go out onto the pitch an hour and a half before the game and the ground is full.
"Great atmosphere, but they are quite intimidating.
"There was one against PAOK in 1997, they were proper mad. We went onto the pitch to warm up and they are booing and whistling and then suddenly the entire ground stands up and to sing the same song and you’re like ‘woah’.
"We ended up losing 1-0 but it’s something I have never forgotten.";
It’s now 25 years on and Arsenal are still yet to add a European title to the Cup Winners’ Cup Seaman remains proud to be a part of.
The 2006 Champions League final defeat to Barcelona in Paris is the closest they have come, until now – a showdown with Chelsea in Baku to return to winning ways outside of the UK.
Seaman hopes Unai Emery sticks to his guns and plays his strongest side – even if that means crushing the heart of retiring keeper Petr Cech.
"It’s a hard decision for Emery," Seaman says, "But it would always frustrate me when Wenger would start David Ospina in the Champions League. It’s like putting out a weakened team.
"I feel a bit like that with Cech but he won’t let the side down – even with the controversy about him being linked with a director role at Chelsea next season.
"It’s not the best timing for it to be leaked – it makes you wonder who leaked it in the first place."
But for Seaman, a Europa League win for Arsenal and a place back in the Champions League would be overshadowed if rivals Tottenham go one better.
Gunners legend Perry Groves last week admitted he would rather Arsenal lose to Chelsea if that meant Spurs would lose to Liverpool in Madrid.
Seaman sighs: "I totally know what he means. Say if Arsenal and Tottenham both win – at the Super Cup the teams will come out of the tunnel with their respective trophies.
"The Europa is a great trophy to win but at this moment in time our rivals have a chance to win one that’s even bigger. I can’t think of anything more demoralising."
