Sporting-Atlético de Bilbao 11 December 1985
Sporting played Athletic Bilbao for the 1/8 finals (round of 16) in the 1985/86 UEFA Cup. The first match was in Bilbao, and Sporting lost 1-2. The home leg was in Lisbon, the 11th December 1985, in a packed Alvalade Stadium. Sporting won 3-0 with goals from Manuel Fernandes (penalty), Meade, and Sousa, and qualified for the next round.
The referee was Jan Keizer, from the Netherlands, and the linesmen were M. Bannet and Chris van de Laar, a Dutch international referee from Enschede. Sporting offered a shirt to Chris van de Laar: not from the game, since in both Bilbao and Lisbon games Sporting wore the traditional green white hoops, but a longsleeved green away Le Coq Sportif shirt.
It was a number 17, which means it was a pre-season shirt. These were the days where the players entered the pitch wearing 1 to 11, and the subs were 12 to 16, since there were only five substitutes allowed on the bench. In friendly matches, however, there was no limit, and we know Sporting shirts of the 1980s going up to number 18.
So, after a friendly contact with Roy, Mr. Chris van de Laar's son, verdebranco obtained this shirt, which, said simply, is a beauty.
Sporting Clube de Portugal
1985. Shirt offered by Sporting to the line referee Chris van de Laar after the game Sporting-Athletic Bilbao UEFA Cup best of 16 round, 11 December 1985. Sporting won 3-0. The shirt is not from that game.
With thanks to Roy and Chris van de Laar
We show the match report that appeared in the Sporting newspaper, and also some photos of the game.
