Norwich City knock Bayern Munich out of the UEFA Cup (1993)
On 3 November 1993, Norwich City drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich at Carrow Road and knocked the German champions out of the UEFA Cup, going through 3-2 on aggregate. Jeremy Goss scored again on the night, two weeks after his volley had helped win the first leg 2-1 in Munich. It was the standout result of the Canaries’ only European campaign, the night a club with no major trophy dumped a European giant out of the competition.
The win everyone remembers came two weeks earlier, in Munich on 19 October, on a ground where no English side had ever won.
Key Facts
- Second Round of the 1993-94 UEFA Cup, played over two legs, with Norwich City through 3-2 on aggregate.
- First leg, 19 October 1993, at Bayern’s Olympic Stadium in Munich: Bayern Munich 1-2 Norwich City.
- Second leg, 3 November 1993, at Carrow Road: Norwich City 1-1 Bayern Munich.
- Jeremy Goss scored in both legs; Mark Bowen added the second in Munich, and Christian Nerlinger replied for Bayern.
- Norwich reached the round by beating Vitesse Arnhem 3-0 on aggregate; they went out in the next round, losing 0-2 on aggregate to Inter Milan.
- Mike Walker was the Norwich manager; it remains the club’s only run in European competition.
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The volley in Munich that set it up
Norwich’s third-place finish in the inaugural Premier League season of 1992-93 carried a club that had never won a major trophy into European football for the first time. They saw off Vitesse Arnhem in the opening round, winning 3-0 at home and drawing goalless away in the Netherlands for a 3-0 aggregate, and the draw then paired them with Bayern. This was Norwich’s only venture into Europe, set against a Bayern side that had already won four European trophies and a dozen German titles.
How Norwich City Bayern Munich turned on three first-half goals
Norwich won the first leg 2-1 in Munich on 19 October, and all three goals arrived before half time. Jeremy Goss opened the scoring with a volley from distance, Mark Bowen doubled the lead, and Christian Nerlinger pulled one back for Bayern, leaving Norwich a goal in front going home. Goss has never been shy about the strike that made him, calling it “such a sweet strike” and reflecting that he is now remembered above all for that goal against that team. The Bayern team he beat was no reserve side: Lothar Matthaus, Jan Wouters, Mehmet Scholl and Christian Ziege all started, with Raimond Aumann in goal.
Norwich’s record at Bayern’s Olympic Stadium
Norwich’s win at Bayern’s Olympic Stadium came in that 19 October first leg, not in the Carrow Road draw. They were the only English club to win at the ground across the more than 30 years Bayern played there. Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Leeds and Coventry had all tried and failed before them.
| Leg | Date | Result (home first) | Norwich scorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| First, Munich | 19 Oct 1993 | Bayern Munich 1-2 Norwich City | Goss, Bowen |
| Second, Carrow Road | 3 Nov 1993 | Norwich City 1-1 Bayern Munich | Goss |
Carrow Road, and finishing the job
A one-goal lead from the first leg could easily evaporate against a side of Bayern’s quality, so the return at Carrow Road on 3 November was a test of nerve rather than a lap of honour. It finished 1-1, and the man who settled it was again Jeremy Goss, scoring once more to keep Norwich in front on aggregate. The draw carried Norwich into the third round, and the arithmetic held: 3-2 across the two legs, with Bayern eliminated. Mike Walker had done his homework, spending the build-up working out how to exploit Matthaus. For a club that had never lifted a major trophy, it was the deepest European night in its history.
The run did not last much longer. Inter Milan knocked Norwich out in the third round, winning 1-0 in each leg for a 2-0 aggregate. That was the end of the campaign, and of the club’s European story to date. Walker left for Everton in January 1994, and Norwich have not been back in continental competition since.
READ MORE: More cup upsets and forgotten European nights in our On This Day series →
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Norwich City Bayern Munich in 1993
What happened when Norwich City played Bayern Munich in the 1993-94 UEFA Cup?
Norwich City knocked Bayern Munich out of the 1993-94 UEFA Cup in the Second Round, winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate. They won the first leg in Munich 2-1 on 19 October 1993, then drew the second leg 1-1 at Carrow Road on 3 November 1993. Jeremy Goss scored in both legs. It was the standout result of the only European campaign in the club’s history.
What were the scores in the two legs between Norwich City and Bayern Munich in 1993?
Norwich won the first leg 2-1 in Munich on 19 October 1993. The second leg at Carrow Road on 3 November 1993 finished 1-1. That gave Norwich a 3-2 aggregate win. Bayern’s goals came from Christian Nerlinger in the first leg and one reply in the second.
Who scored for Norwich City against Bayern Munich across the two legs in 1993?
Jeremy Goss scored in both legs of the tie. In the first leg in Munich he opened the scoring with a volley and Mark Bowen added the second in a 2-1 away win. In the return at Carrow Road, he scored once more in the 1-1 draw. Christian Nerlinger scored for Bayern in the first leg.
Where was the Norwich City v Bayern Munich first leg played in October 1993?
The first leg was played at Bayern Munich’s Olympic Stadium in Munich on 19 October 1993. It was the venue Bayern used before their later move to a new stadium. Norwich won there 2-1, with Goss and Bowen scoring. The return leg was then held at Norwich’s Carrow Road on 3 November 1993.
Were Norwich City really the only English club to win at Bayern Munich’s Olympic Stadium?
Yes. Norwich were the only English club to win at Bayern’s Olympic Stadium across the more than 30 years the German side played there. Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Leeds and Coventry had all tried and failed before them. The win came in the first leg on 19 October 1993, not the Carrow Road draw.
How did Norwich City qualify for the 1993-94 UEFA Cup?
Norwich qualified by finishing third in the inaugural Premier League season of 1992-93. That was the highest league placing in the club’s history and marked their entry into continental football. It was their European debut. They then came through the first round against Vitesse Arnhem before meeting Bayern.
Which round of the 1993-94 UEFA Cup was Norwich City v Bayern Munich?
It was the Second Round of the 1993-94 UEFA Cup. Norwich had eliminated Vitesse Arnhem by a 3-0 aggregate to reach it. After eliminating Bayern, they went into the third round. There they lost to Inter Milan.
Who was the Norwich City manager against Bayern Munich in 1993?
Mike Walker managed Norwich City through the 1993-94 UEFA Cup run. In the build-up he had studied how to unsettle Bayern’s Lothar Matthaus. It was the club’s only European campaign, and Walker its manager for it. He left for Everton in January 1994.
What happened to Norwich City after they knocked out Bayern Munich in 1993?
Norwich went into the third round of the UEFA Cup and lost to Inter Milan, beaten 1-0 in each leg for a 2-0 aggregate. That ended their European run. They have not returned to continental competition since.
Was Jeremy Goss’s goal in Munich his only strike of the Bayern Munich tie?
No, Jeremy Goss scored in both legs against Bayern Munich. His volley in Munich on 19 October 1993 is the more celebrated of the two, a sweet strike from distance. He then scored again in the 1-1 draw at Carrow Road on 3 November 1993. Two Goss goals were central to the 3-2 aggregate win.
Which Bayern Munich players faced Norwich City in October 1993?
Bayern fielded a strong side for the first leg in Munich. The line-up included Lothar Matthaus, Jan Wouters, Mehmet Scholl and Christian Ziege, with Raimond Aumann in goal. Christian Nerlinger, who scored Bayern’s goal, also started. It was not a weakened team, which is part of why the result carried such weight.
Why is the Norwich City v Bayern Munich result in 1993 remembered as a shock?
It is remembered as a shock because Norwich had never won a major trophy and were in Europe for the first time, while Bayern were one of the continent’s most decorated clubs. This was Norwich’s only European campaign, against a Bayern side with four European trophies and a dozen German titles by then. Beating that team, in Munich, made it the high point of Norwich’s history. The aggregate scoreline of 3-2 sent Bayern out.
Did Norwich City play in Europe again after the 1993 Bayern Munich tie?
No, the 1993-94 UEFA Cup remains Norwich City’s only European campaign. After losing to Inter Milan in the third round, they did not qualify for continental competition again. The Bayern result therefore remains the defining night of a single, self-contained run. That is part of why it is still retold so often.
Why Norwich City Bayern Munich still gets retold
The record is clean enough: two legs, two Goss goals, a 3-2 aggregate and Bayern out. For more nights when a smaller club got the better of a giant, keep exploring our On This Day series.
Sources: Belfast News Letter, FourFourTwo, All Football, Overtime, Sportskeeda, RSSSF.
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