1987–88 UEFA Cup

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The 1987–88 UEFA Cup was the 17th season of UEFA’s secondary club competition. It ran from 15 September 1987 to 18 May 1988 and featured 64 teams from 31 associations, all starting in the first round and progressing through six knockout rounds.

Because all English clubs were banned from European competition that season, their three berths were allocated to other associations. This was the third season with the English ban in place.

The final was played over two legs: at the Estadi de Sarriá in Barcelona, Spain, and at the Ulrich-Haberland Stadion in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer Leverkusen won their first major title by defeating Espanyol on penalties after the tie finished 3–3 on aggregate. It was Leverkusen’s second season in European football, making the win a remarkable achievement.

Across the tournament, 126 matches were played and 308 goals were scored (about 2.44 per match). The top scorers, with six goals each, were Kenneth Brylle Larsen (Club Brugge), Kálmán Kovács (Honvéd), and Dimitris Saravakos (Panathinaikos).

Champions: Bayer Leverkusen
Runners-up: Espanyol