“Remained unforgettable”: 50 years ago the Coke can flew on the Bökelberg
from Morten Ritter
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It is considered the best game in club history and at the same time the biggest fraud – the 7-1 win against Inter Milan 50 years ago. The focus: the red Coke can that found its way back to Borussia in an adventurous way and now has a place of honor in the museum.
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The famous Cola can still looks good after 50 years, it has a special place in the Borussen Museum and hangs behind glass in a room called “Magical Nights”.
A piece of red sheet metal, barely rusted, behind which a truly immortal story is hidden. “This throwing the rifle is part of the club’s DNA,” said the goalkeeper and former national player at the time, Wolfgang Kleff. And Max Eberl, a representative of the younger generation of Borussia, knows how important this story is for the club. “Since I’ve been in Gladbach, the name Boninsegna and the 7-1 win against Inter in 1971 have been buzzing around us,” said Borussia’s sports director.
The story of a European Cup game, of which there are only a few TV pictures, has achieved fame far beyond the borders of Mönchengladbach, also because it did not end on October 20, 1971. After the Italian international Roberto Boninsegna was allegedly hit in the head by a Coke can in the 28th minute, he sagged and let himself be carried off the pitch in the commotion.
The great game of Gladbach, perhaps one of the best in the club’s history, was canceled, repeated, and in the end Borussia were eliminated after a 0-0 and 2-4 win against Inter Milan. “It hurts that this game was deleted from the statistics. This fantastic evening was taken from us, ”said Gladbach’s world champion Rainer Bonhof in“ Kicker ”.
Dose was first exhibited in Arnhem.
Borussia’s current vice-president has spoken out with Boninsegna, but the Italian remains with his version of fainting and head-hitting to this day. Who threw the rifle from the stands of the Bökelberg Stadium could not be determined. An initially suspect was released. There was also speculation that the rifle wasn’t supposed to hit Boninsegna at all and was possibly thrown out of a group of Italian fans. “The box was meant for me, Boninsegna was hit by chance,” said Borussia defender Ludwig Müller at the time.
Mönchengladbach’s Danish striker Ulrik Le Fevre (r) raises his arms cheering, while the Milanese-Inter goalkeeper Vieri lies defeated in his case.
“/>Mönchengladbach’s Danish striker Ulrik Le Fevre (r) raises his arms cheering, while the Milanese-Inter goalkeeper Vieri lies defeated in his case. | Photos: dpa
Borussia owes the fact that the Coke can can be admired in the club’s museum today to a fan from Tilburg and co-author of the online magazine “Torfabrik”. The Dutchman had identified and visited the referee Jef Dorpmans, who was then and has since died. Dorpmans took the rifle with him and later handed it over to his Club Vitesse Arnheim for the club museum.
In 2012, after more than 40 years, the Gladbachers received the rifle back at a small ceremony. “It’s a wonderful, friendly gesture from Vitesse,” said Gladbach’s managing director Stephan Schippers at the event. Borussia has cultivated the whole story and cultivated the myth. An event room in Borussia-Park is now called “Gun Throwing”, and for the anniversary the media department has dedicated a book to the memorable event called “The Gun Throwing from Bökelberg – The Whole Story”. The authors Markus Aretz, Michael Lessenich and Matthias Rech want to “set a monument” to the great game and events of that time. Borussia’s team captain Günter Netzer also liked that, who wrote in his foreword: “That people still talk about it today, that one even writes books about it, that is what football needs, that keeps football going. The game, our game, remained unforgettable. He will be told about when we are all gone. “
