# 1978–79 European Cup
The 1978–79 European Cup was the 24th edition of UEFA's European Champion Clubs' Cup, won by Nottingham Forest FC, who beat [Malmö FF](https://www.edgepedia.org/malmo-ff) 1-0 in the final at Munich's Olympiastadion on 30 May 1979 with a diving header from [Trevor Francis](https://www.edgepedia.org/trevor-francis) in the 45th minute[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/). It was Forest's first season in European competition, and they lifted the trophy at the first time of asking, joining [Real Madrid CF](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-madrid-cf) (1955/56) and Internazionale FC (1963/64) as clubs that had won the cup on their debut entry[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner | Nottingham Forest FC, first-time entrants, champions at the first attempt[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/) |
| Final | Forest 1-0 Malmö FF, Olympiastadion, Munich, 30 May 1979 (Francis 45)[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/) |
| Defending champions | Liverpool FC, eliminated by Forest in the first round, 2-0 on aggregate, without scoring in either leg[2](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html) • [3](https://theliverpoolbrief.com/archive/liverpool-nottingham-forest-1978-european-cup-exit) |
| Forest's route | AEK Athens beaten 7-2 on aggregate, Grasshopper Club in the last eight, 1. FC Köln in the semi-finals (3-3, 1-0)[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/) |
| Competition totals | 180 goals in 122 matches[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/) |
| Leading scorers | Claudio Sulser (Grasshoppers) 11 goals; Garry Birtles (Forest) 6[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/) |
| Context | Forest had won the 1977-78 English First Division in their first season after promotion, on a 42-game unbeaten run[5](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/when-nottingham-forest-ruled-europe) |
## Background
Nottingham Forest entered the competition as champions of England, a title they won in 1977-78 in their first season after promotion from the second division, clinched with four matches to spare during a run that reached 42 games unbeaten[5](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/when-nottingham-forest-ruled-europe). Their manager, [Brian Clough](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-clough), working with assistant Peter Taylor, had taken full control at the [City Ground](https://www.edgepedia.org/city-ground), and the squad included England international goalkeeper [Peter Shilton](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-shilton)[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/) • [5](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/when-nottingham-forest-ruled-europe).
The first-round draw paired them with Liverpool, the defending European champions, whom Forest had displaced domestically. An all-English tie in the European Cup was a novelty at the time; it was the first time divisional rivals had been matched in the continent's most prestigious competition[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-nottingham-forest-fa-cup-record-b2039297.html).
## First round: Forest end Liverpool's reign
On 13 September 1978, Liverpool opened their campaign for a third consecutive European Cup, but lost 2-0 away to Nottingham Forest.[2](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html) • [7](https://theliverpoolbrief.com/archive/nottingham-forest-liverpool-1978-first-leg) Garry Birtles scored midway through the first half, and with three minutes to go [Graeme Souness](https://www.edgepedia.org/graeme-souness) overcommitted going forward, Forest broke into the space he left, and Colin Barrett doubled the score[2](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html) • [6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-nottingham-forest-fa-cup-record-b2039297.html).
In the second leg at Anfield on 27 September, Clough produced a defensive performance behind a frenzied atmosphere, and the 0-0 draw meant Liverpool surrendered the European Cup without scoring in either leg[2](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html) • [3](https://theliverpoolbrief.com/archive/liverpool-nottingham-forest-1978-european-cup-exit) • [6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-nottingham-forest-fa-cup-record-b2039297.html). The defeat ended [Bob Paisley](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-paisley)'s chance of three consecutive European Cups; Liverpool instead went on to win the 1978-79 league title, while Forest added the European Cup to their trophy room[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-nottingham-forest-fa-cup-record-b2039297.html).
## Forest's route to the final
**Quarter-final opposition and beyond.** After eliminating Liverpool, Forest put seven goals past AEK Athens across two legs, winning 2-1 away on 18 October (John McGovern and Birtles scoring) and 5-1 at home on 1 November (David Needham, Tony Woodcock, Viv Anderson, and Birtles twice)[2](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html) • [1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/). They then dismissed Grasshopper Club of Zurich in the last eight, 5-2 on aggregate[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/).
The semi-final against 1. FC Köln, the German champions who had knocked out Rangers, was arguably Forest's toughest test. After a 3-3 first-leg draw at the City Ground, Ian Bowyer scored the only goal in Cologne to put Forest through 1-0[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/).
## The final
The final in Munich pitted Clough against another English coach, Malmö FF's Bob Houghton, whose Swedish side had beaten AS Monaco, FC Dynamo Kyiv, Wisła Kraków, and [FK Austria Wien](https://www.edgepedia.org/fk-austria-wien) on their way[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/). Malmö had kept four clean sheets in five games before the final, but Swedish hopes were spoiled by Trevor Francis's diving header on the stroke of half-time[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/). Contemporary accounts described the match as a poor spectacle, heavy on offsides, with Malmö instructed to negate Forest's attacking play[8](https://thesetpieces.com/latest-posts/if-you-know-your-history-197879/).
## The competition in numbers
Across the 1978-79 edition, 122 matches produced 180 goals[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/). The leading scorer was Grasshoppers' Claudio Sulser with 11 goals, including the two that eliminated Real Madrid in the second round; Forest's Garry Birtles followed with 6[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/) • [1](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/). The players with the most appearances, 9 each, were Jan Ove Kinnvall of Malmö, Larry Lloyd of Forest, and Peter Shilton[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/).
## Aftermath
Forest retained the European Cup the following season, beating Hamburg in the 1980 final in Madrid, giving the club two European Cups against a single domestic league title[9](https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2025/01/06/l-ame-de-nottingham-forest-est-toujours-presente-apres-les-trefonds-de-la-troisieme-division-anglaise-le-club-renoue-avec-son-glorieux-passe_6484656_3242.html). Liverpool, having won the cup in 1977 and 1978, were knocked out at the first-round stage in both 1978 (by Forest) and 1979 (by Dinamo Tbilisi)[10](https://cdnc.heyzine.com/files/uploaded/v3/78ef5864898e06a4562bc43f38ca5dbdd04e836c.pdf).
## References
1. [1978/79: Forest join elite club, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0ea6687c95ea-1cc4f4a550f7-1000--1978-79-forest-join-elite-club/)
2. [European Champions' Cup 1978-79 - Details, RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec197879det.html)
3. [Liverpool 0-0 Nottingham Forest: the European defence ends, The Liverpool Brief](https://theliverpoolbrief.com/archive/liverpool-nottingham-forest-1978-european-cup-exit)
4. [Season 1978/79, UEFA Champions League, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/seasons/1978/)
5. [When Nottingham Forest ruled Europe, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/when-nottingham-forest-ruled-europe)
6. [Remembering when Liverpool and Nottingham Forest shared the biggest rivalry in Europe, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/liverpool-nottingham-forest-fa-cup-record-b2039297.html)
7. [Nottingham Forest 2-0 Liverpool: Barrett doubles the damage, The Liverpool Brief](https://theliverpoolbrief.com/archive/nottingham-forest-liverpool-1978-first-leg)
8. [If You Know Your History (1978/79), The Set Pieces](https://thesetpieces.com/latest-posts/if-you-know-your-history-197879/)
9. [L'âme de Nottingham Forest est toujours présente, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2025/01/06/l-ame-de-nottingham-forest-est-toujours-presente-apres-les-trefonds-de-la-troisieme-division-anglaise-le-club-renoue-avec-son-glorieux-passe_6484656_3242.html)
10. [Season 1980-81, Liverpool club publication](https://cdnc.heyzine.com/files/uploaded/v3/78ef5864898e06a4562bc43f38ca5dbdd04e836c.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › UEFA competitions › UEFA club competitions › European Cup and UEFA Champions League*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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