Before the PSG Champions League final against Inter on May 31, Daniel Duuel is the last scorer of a French club in the final of a European Cup. It was on May 15, 1996, during the return final of the 1995-1996 UEFA Cup lost against Bayern (3-1, after a 2-0 Munichois victory in Lescure). The former attacking midfielder mainly keeps in memory of the European epic of AJ Auxerre in 1992-1993, with Bruno Martini in goals, William Prunier and Alain Goma behind, Corentin Martins as a playmaker, Christophe Cocard and Pascal Vahirua on the wings, Gérald Batic in the forefront as well as Moussa Saïb and Lilian Laslandes. Just that!
In the UEFA Cup (the old name of the Europa League), the formation of Guy Roux beat Loko Plovdiv, FC Copenhagen, Standard de Liège and especially Ajax Amsterdam in the quarterfinals (4-2, 1-0). The AmstelloDamoise formation was led by Edwin Van der Sar, Frank de Boer, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Marc Overmars, Jari Litmanen and Dennis Bergkamp! Before a cruel semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund for elimination of penalties to the abbot-deschamps (2-0, 2-0, 5-6 TAB).
Daniel Duuel had never played in such a strong collective.
“We were a united team, in surpassing function. We all started in the center and there was such solidarity between us as a first team. This alchemy is what I have left ”he says. Elimination against Dortmund was therefore terrible: “On the match we have to win 5-0 or 6-0 and we lose in Pénos. What is unfair, we only remember from this match the failed penalty of Steph (Mahé). It marked us all. It was played for nothing. We all felt that we could have done better. After the match, we were all slaughtered, but at the same time we felt the feeling of having played at an exceptional level “.
Lilian Laslandes, “What a phenomenon! »»
From that season, Daniel Duuel returns with nostalgia to the arrival of Lilian Laslandes, spotted by the Burgundy Druid in Saint-Seurin in D2. The goalscorer was obviously a sacred night bird: “We were all impressed when Lilian joined Auxerre. We had a preseason internship in Annecy. It happened from Saint-Seurin and, one of the first times that we have come out together, we said to ourselves: 'Wow, that's very high level, what a phenomenon! If he is also good in the field … ' And it was very good! He loved the party. It didn't stop him from having a big career. »»
After two built-in seasons of Baticle, Laslandes became the intractable scorer of AJA, especially during the double championship cup in 1996. A few months later, during a new confrontation against Dortmund, this time in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, a huge return of Lilian Laslandes, refused for dangerous play by the referee, was remained in the referee. The striker joined Bordeaux to be champion of France a second time in 1999. He is now an assistant coach at SC Bastia.
