Bern hosted the 1961 European Cup final. Benfica defeated Barcelona 3–2 at the Wankdorf Stadium in the Swiss capital on 31 May 1961.
The match was historically important because it was the first European Cup final not to feature Real Madrid, who had won the competition’s first five editions. Benfica’s victory marked the Portuguese club’s first European title and began a golden continental period under coach Béla Guttmann.
Barcelona took an early lead, but Benfica turned the match around with goals from José Águas, Mário Coluna and an own goal by Barcelona defender Antoni Ramallets. Coluna’s goal was particularly memorable: he had broken his nose early in the game but still scored Benfica’s third with a volley.
Bern is sometimes confused with other Swiss football centres such as Basel, Geneva or Zürich. The final’s venue was the Wankdorf Stadium, a famous ground that had also hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup final. The city, not merely the country, is the quiz’s key distinction.