Concluding its outstanding course, Panathinaikos arrived on the 2nd of June 1971 at Wembley stadium to compete in the final of the Champions Cup against Ajax.
The Dutch won 2-0, though the “Greens” were still shinning. Panathinaikos had to eliminate consequently Jeunesse d’ Esch from Luxemburg (by winning twice), Slovan Bratislava from Czechoslovakia (defeat 2-1 and victory 3-0), Everton from England (two draws 1-1 and 0-0) and the Red Star from Yugoslavia.
Panathinaikos represented the European Continent at the Intercontinental Cup, as Ajax denied participating against Nacional Montevideo, the Latin American Champion.
This was a unique event in Greek history. Although the “Greens” fought hard, they lost in petty details.
During 1984-85 season, Panathinaikos with Coach Jacek Gmoch, realized impressive appearances in the European Champions Cup.
The team went to the semifinals eliminating consecutively Feyenoord from Holland and its rising star Ruud Gullit (0-0 and 2-1), Linfield from Ireland (2-1 and 3-3) and the Swedes of Goteborg (1-0 in Sweden and 2-2). The team played against Liverpool and was disqualified; confronting the awful refereeing of the Dutch referee Kaizer, who disallowed a normal goal of Panathinaikos, scored by Rocha at the first game, while the result was still 0-0. Finally Panathinaikos lost 4-0 in England and 1-0 in ΟΑΚΑ Stadium.
Three years after participating in the semifinals of the Champions' Cup, a new important page about Panathinaikos is to be written in the European playgrounds.
The team coached by Vassilis Daniil eliminates firstly, young Eric Cantona’s, Auxerres (2-0 and losing 3-2) and then forces the great Juventus to bow. The Italians lost 1-0 in the Olympic stadium and got a sad victory 3-2 at home, while Panathinaikos celebrated its qualification. The defeat 5-2 from Honvent, the Hungarian team, in Budapest, provokes shivers but the revenge creates enthusiasm because the result 5-1 brings the qualification to the quarterfinals. At this stage the team confronts the Belgians of Bruges but the result 2-2 in ΟΑΚΑ stadium doesn’t give space for a lot of optimism. The loss 1-0 in Belgium stops the European course.
The map of European football is changing when the Cup of the Champions is reorganized into a very profitable competition under the name of Champions League. Panathinaikos was present during this transitional stage, of course.
In that first experimental “Champions League” of the season 1991-92 the “Greens” eliminated the Islanders of Fram and the Swedes of Goteborg qualifying in all groups, meaning the quarterfinals, once UEFA organizes two groups of four teams each. Having to play against Sampdoria, Red Star and Anderlecht, Panathinaikos gets four draws and two defeats and is disqualified.
Panathinaikos borders on to participate in the second final of a European competition in his history. The "Greens" eliminate Hajduk and enter the Champions' League group stage.
The team prevails over Nantes in ΟΑΚΑ and over Porto in Portugal, loses from Aalborg in Denmark but the victory against Aalborg in OΑΚΑ offer a qualification to the quarterfinals. Panathinaikos carries over Polish Legia by a no goal draw, in the swampy pitch of Legia and later wins easily 3-0 in ΟΑΚΑ. At the semifinals Panathinaikos confronts a monster: Ajax Amsterdam. Panathinaikos triumphs in Amsterdam 1-0 thanks to a goal by Warzycha, but yields in OAKA stadium after losing 3-0.
Panathinaikos was "touching" another qualification to the Champions League semifinals but the petty details were against.
In the preliminary stage the team prevailed over Slavia Prague and entered in the group stage. Then won consecutively Schalke, Mallorca and Arsenal and by one more victory over Schalke passed to the next stage. The “Greens” entered again into groups and were qualified again, mainly thanks to the home and away victories over Sparta Prague. In the quarterfinals the team confronted Barcelona and won in Leoforos 1-0 . In the revenge it held the advantage 1-0 but finally lost 3-1. At the very last moment of the match a shoot by Vlaovic went out, just skimming few centimeters over Barcelona’s post.
Panathinaikos participates again in the quarterfinals of a European competition, the UEFA Cup.
The team eliminates Litex Lovech in extra time, after a difficult game, defeat Fenerbahce in Leoforos ground and wins Slovan Liberec. After a tough “revenge”, the “Greens” prevailed over Anderlecht. In the quarterfinals they had to confront Porto, the team of Jose Mourinho. Panathinaikos wins 1-0 in Oporto, dreaming its qualification to the semifinals. At home match in Leoforos, though, Porto takes the match into extra time and wins 2-0 being qualified for the next round.
