Table of Contents
35 years ago, the entire football world feared no player more than the world star Diego Armando Maradona. But when Werder Bremen met SSC Napoli in the winter of 1989, little of the Argentine’s glory was visible. This is also due to a man who was nicknamed the “axe” – Uli Borowka.
“I’m not afraid of that,” Bremen’s Uli Borowka confidently and confidently told a major German sports magazine a few days before the UEFA Cup first leg in Naples 35 years ago. “That” meant none other than the 1986 World Cup winner, the superstar of international football, Diego Armando Maradona. In the round of 16 of the 1989/90 season, Bremen met SSC Napoli in the Stadio San Paolo at the end of November, with real top-class players such as Alemao, Careca, Carnevale and of course the inimitable Argentinean exceptional talent in their ranks.
But despite “Maradona’s super show” (“Kicker”), the Bremen team managed their first little football miracle that evening in Naples. The team from the Hanseatic city won the hotly contested game against the Italian champions of 1987 3-2. Werder coach Otto Rehhagel had previously studied the SSC’s weaknesses in detail and provided three attackers: Karl-Heinz Riedle, Wynton Rufer and Frank Neubarth which should keep Naples’ slow defense, which is prone to counterattacks, busy. And it actually worked extremely well and successfully.
Italy expert Maurizio Gaudino, then in the employ of VfB Stuttgart, afterwards praised Werder for their courageous tactics. Bremen played in Naples “risky, clever and without fear,” said the Bundesliga professional from Brühl. And in fact, despite the “outstanding man in the stadium”, Diego Maradona, who went into the match injured and fit, Werder were able to return home victorious thanks to the late goal from New Zealander Wynton Rufer.
The fight for the jersey
To everyone’s surprise, Werder coach Rehhagel not only called up the three offensive players up front, but also came up with an idea when it came to guarding the Argentine superstar. Because although everyone assumed that Uli Borowka (“I’m faster than him in the first few meters”) would line up against Maradona, Mirko Votava in particular took care of Naples’ best player. Although the then 33-year-old native of Prague said afterwards that Maradona “didn’t destroy much”, the opinions of the experts after the game suggested that Otto Rehhagel would have to come up with something new for the second leg in Bremen. And that answer was Uli Borowka, also known as the “Axe”.
The Bremen defender, who was internationally known at the time for his physical style of play (“I now have a titanium plate in my foot so that the opponent’s shin rings better”), had already had the pleasure of meeting Diego Maradona a year and a half earlier. Borowka successfully coached the world star in the German national soccer team’s game against Argentina at the four-country tournament in Berlin. And so he took two things away from this game. First: “If you have the chance to get the ball before him – go.” And secondly, if the first wasn’t successful: “Stay back a step, then make a tackle.” Maradona himself will probably have particularly remembered point 2 of this game, i.e. the special duels, because there was a strange encounter that day right after the end of the game.
As the game in Berlin was slowly coming to an end, Borowka suddenly noticed how his teammates around Lothar Matthäus were positioning themselves conspicuously close to Maradona in order to have the best opportunity to reach for the Argentine’s jersey right at the final whistle questions. But the Werder defender was lucky. When the referee blew the whistle for the game, he of all people was standing in the immediate vicinity of Maradona. The Argentine also noticed this – and tried to get into the dressing room as quickly as possible.
But a door blocked his way. Borowka was able to catch up with him. And so Maradona, with a look of fear distorted in the face of the feared defender, quickly took off his coveted jersey – and threw it to the Bremen man with a proper safety distance. Borowka then didn’t put down the piece, which had slight blood stains on it, even in the shower, for fear of his greedy teammates.
Maradona remembered
And in fact, the man from Bremen had burned himself into the Argentine’s memory. Because when the Werder team drove into the catacombs of the Stadio San Paolo on the evening of November 22nd, 1989, the Bremen professionals saw the world star Maradona warming up with his teammate Alemao – the two played football tennis over a convertible in flip flops. When Maradona didn’t show up on the pitch to prepare for the game, Borowka went back to the underground car park full of curiosity. And in fact: the 1986 world champion and his Brazilian colleague still played football tennis together.
Uli Borowka didn’t hesitate for long and wanted to remind himself of the Argentine before the game. Without any false shyness, he ran towards the two professionals from SSC Napoli and had almost reached them when Maradona suddenly stopped, abruptly stopped playing football and quickly pulled his warm-up shirt over his head. Again he threw it – with a proper safety distance – into Uli Borowka’s arms. He caught the jersey, thanked him, somewhat taken aback, and then ran back into the Werder dressing room.
Two weeks later, Werder Bremen hosted SSC Napoli at home for the second leg of the UEFA Cup round of 16. “Werder had Maradona firmly under control” was written the next day in “Kicker” under a photo that showed Uli Borowka in a warm embrace with the Argentine superstar. Werder shot SSC Napoli out of their own stadium 5-1 and easily reached the next round of the competition. “Werder disenchants Maradona. Humiliation for Italy’s No. 1” and the “Greatest football miracle. Europe raves about Werder” were the enthusiastic headlines in the newspapers.
At the end of this debacle evening for SSC Napoli, Diego Armando Maradona left the pitch with his head bowed. He couldn’t take a single step on the green grass of the Weserstadion without the breath of his opponent, nicknamed the “axe”, breathing down his neck. Over thirty years later, Uli Borowka said in an interview that he did not win the game “alone”. That’s true, of course. But in addition to the five goals that his club conceded on that memorable evening, the Argentine superstar will probably remember the bitter duels with his Bremen opponent above all else.
**How does the narrative of the ”Axe” (Borowka) versus Maradona contribute to the larger theme of “David vs. Goliath” presented in the article?**
## World Today News Interview: Remembering Borowka vs. Maradona
**Intro**
Welcome to World Today News, where we delve into the captivating stories of sports history. Today, we’re joined by two esteemed guests to discuss an unforgettable football match that took place 35 years ago: the UEFA Cup clash between Werder Bremen and SSC Napoli, featuring the legendary Diego Maradona.
Our guests are [Name of Uli Borowka expert/biographer] and [Name of Maradona expert/ biographer], who will provide their expert insights and analysis on this thrilling encounter.
**Section 1: The Unstoppable Maradona**
* Both guests, Diego Maradona was considered the world’s best footballer in 1989. What factors contributed to Maradona’s dominance at that time, and how did Werder Bremen prepare to face such a formidable opponent?
* Knowing Maradona’s ability, did the Bremen team approach the match with fear or was there a sense of excitement to challenge the world’s best?
**Section 2: The Rise of the “Axe”**
* Uli Borowka was known for his physical playing style, earning him the nickname “The Axe”. How did his strengths and style play a crucial role in containing Maradona’s brilliance?
* The article mentions Borowka managed to secure Maradona’s jersey not once but twice. What does this anecdote reveal about the dynamics between the two players, and the respect (or lack thereof) Maradona may have felt towards Borowka?
**Section 3: Tactical Brilliance: Beyond the “Axe”**
* While Borowka’s marking of Maradona is highlighted, the article also points to the tactical brilliance of Coach Otto Rehhagel. How did Rehhagel’s strategy contribute to Bremen’s victory against Naple?
* What lessons can be learned from this match about the importance of team tactics and strategy in overcoming seemingly insurmountable opponents?
**Section 4: A Legacy of Grit and Determination**
* Werder Bremen’s victory against Napoli is seen as a “football miracle.” 35 years later, what is the lasting significance of this match in the history of Werder Bremen and football in general?
* How did this match demonstrate the unwavering spirit and determination of the underdog, and what lessons can we draw from their success?
**Closing**
This remarkable story of David vs. Goliath reminds us that even the most celebrated stars can be challenged and overcome with the right combination of strategy, skill, and sheer determination. Thank you to our guests for sharing their invaluable insights. We hope this discussion has revived the memories of this unforgettable clash between Maradona and Borowka, and sparked further reflection on the enduring power of sport.
