Thanks to a goal by Patrick Kluivert in Spain in the 70th minute, the match in Amsterdam is still completely open. To give an idea of the opposition: a major talent in Zaragoza’s squad at the time is the then nineteen-year-old Fernando Morientes, later a striker for clubs including Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Valencia. Ajax faces Real Zaragoza, the winner of the 1994/1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup. The Spaniards defeated Arsenal 2–1 on May 10, 1995. On February 6, 1996, Ajax drew 1-1 in Spain.
The return leg was initially scheduled for February 20 but was postponed. The pitch at the Olympic Stadium was unplayable due to winter conditions.
Ajax was already at a training camp in Egmond aan Zee in preparation for the return against the Spanish side. One of the players who joined was Robert Gehring (20). He mainly played for the reserve team and had an amateur contract with Ajax. His call-up was partly due to a long injury list at Ajax, ranging from Jari Litmanen to Martijn Reuser and from Marciano Santos to Marc Overmars. Ronald de Boer and Nordin Wooter were suspended.
"When we were in Egmond, a huge amount of snow fell," the now 50-year-old former Ajax player recalls. "We heard during the training camp that the match had been postponed." On match day, it quickly became clear in the morning that the pitch at the Olympic Stadium was unplayable. Referee Lesley Mottram called off the match after inspecting the field. This happened despite Real Zaragoza having trained on the main pitch the evening before, much to Ajax’s dismay. The opponent’s training session had not improved the condition of the field.
'There Goes My Chance'
UEFA stated that the match had to be rescheduled before March 1. That succeeded. On February 28, Real Zaragoza finally faced Ajax. "When the match was first called off, I thought: there goes my chance," Gehring says now. "But eight days later, the injury list was still the same. I was included again."
Had the injured Ajax players returned, it would have been different, Gehring realizes all too well. His good childhood friend and fellow Ajax player Dave van den Bergh was also in the squad for the Super Cup. "We knew our place. On the other hand, we weren’t in the squad for nothing."
The training camp in Egmond aan Zee and the Super Cup were a major adventure for the then nineteen- and twenty-year-old Ajax players. Gehring had been with Ajax for six years and mainly played for the reserves. He was thrilled that Louis van Gaal included him in the squad for the European match, as he said at the time in Algemeen Dagblad. "My father will probably be proud. I’m going to give it everything in training, and then we’ll see what happens."
Both Gehring and Van den Bergh were also studying at the Haarlem business school (heao) alongside their football commitments at training complex Voorland and later De Toekomst. Because, as they both knew, a football career eventually ends. In hindsight, that proved to be an excellent safety net for Gehring.
Ajax is ruthless
Back to February 28, 1996. Ajax wins 4-0 in what was actually a fairly mediocre performance by the Amsterdam side. Ajax does not show the top form the club had displayed in the preceding months both domestically and internationally under Louis van Gaal. But the mid-1990s Ajax team is ruthless. Even with a long injury list, Zaragoza is no match.
In the first half, Ajax has a chance to take the lead with a penalty, but Frank de Boer chooses the same corner as Zaragoza goalkeeper Andoni Cedrún. Before halftime, Winston Bogarde does open the scoring. Shortly after the break, Finidi doubles the lead: 2-0. With two converted penalties in the space of two to three minutes, Danny Blind seals the fate of both Ajax and Real Zaragoza. The Spanish side is also reduced to nine men. With a 4-0 lead, Ajax professionally sees out the match.
Nothing noteworthy after that, one might say. For Gehring, however, it is different. He makes his debut in the 70th minute, coming on for Finidi. "Playing in a packed Olympic Stadium: incredible! It was a unique experience. Winning the Super Cup as well. The entire lap of honor, the celebrations, everything. With this trophy, Ajax also completed the 'treble', after previously winning the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup. That was unique and also a fantastic reward for Van Gaal and assistant coach Gerard van der Lem."
