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What if the European Cup had not been turned into the Champions League, and had maintained its old format - that of a knockout tournament between the winners of their respective national tournaments - to the present day? Well, stop wondering, because here is a vision of what could've happened. Our tale begins midway through the OTL 1991-92 European Cup: no group stages are formed, and the knockout bouts continue.

1991-92 European Cup

Quarterfinals

Anderlecht 0 - 0 Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos 0 - 2 Anderlecht (a.e.t.) (OTL result: 0 - 0)

Anderlecht wins 2 - 0 on aggregate; I based the ATL result on the teams' point difference in the OTL group.

Sampdoria 2 - 0 Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade 1 - 3 Sampdoria

Sampdoria wins 2 - 0 on aggregate.

Dynamo Kyiv 1 - 0 Benfica
Benfica 5 - 0 Dynamo Kyiv

Benfica wins 6 - 0 on aggregate.

Barcelona 3 - 2 Sparta Prague
Sparta Prague 1 - 0 Barcelona

Sparta Prague wins on away goals.

So far, the results are all OTL, except the matches took place in the group stages.

Semifinals

Anderlecht 3 - 2 Sampdoria
Sampdoria 2 - 0 Anderlecht

Sampdoria wins 4 - 3 on aggregate.

Benfica 1 - 1 Sparta Prague
Sparta Prague 2 - 1 Benfica (a.e.t.)

Sparta Prague wins 3 - 2 on aggregate; I based the ATL result on the teams' point difference in the OTL group.

Final

Sampdoria 2 - 0 Sparta Prague

Sampdoria is the ATL champion of the European Cup; I based the ATL result on the teams' point difference in their respective OTL groups.


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