The Miracle of the White Angels
Spartak Trnava outshone the aristocrats of Prague and ignored the Soviet tanks to reach the 1969 European Cup semi-final. Karel Häring recalls an incredible journey by Karel Häring CHAMPIONS MAGAZINE, Issue 34 - April/May 2009 There was no celestial intervention, but Spartak Trnava - known as the White Angels despite a black and red home kit - played a starring role in the 1969 European Cup when they reached the semi-finals, overcoming a Soviet invasion and ignoring the Warsaw Pact ban on the competition along the way. They even did it without the insiprational coach Anton Malatinsky, who led the rise of the small-town club from western Slovakia. Outshining and outplaying their illustrious opponents from Prague, Spartak rose from the second division to claim five Czechoslovakia titles in six years and remain unbeaten at home for seven seasons. But their most remarkable feat was coming to within a goal of beating Ajax to make the European Cup final, in seriously...