The 1957âÂÂ58 European Cup was the third season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Real Madrid, who beat Milan 3âÂÂ2 in the final, in extra time following a 2âÂÂ2 draw after 90 minutes. This was Real Madrid's third European Cup title in a row. However, the 1957âÂÂ58 season was marred by the air disaster in Munich, when eight Manchester United players died on their way home from Belgrade, after a 3âÂÂ3 draw in the quarter-final second leg with Red Star Belgrade. The English champions were ultimately defeated in the semi-finals by the eventual runners-up, Milan of Italy, after being highly touted to win the competition and dominate European football for many years like Real Madrid before them, with the "Busby Babes" having an average age of only 22.
It was the first time that teams from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and East Germany participated, while Turkey could not send any club, since the Turkish FA failed to register Beà Âiktaà  for the draw in time. Sevilla was invited despite having been runners-up in Spain the year before, as Spanish champions Real Madrid had already qualified as holders; the two Spanish sides met in the quarter-finals, the first time two sides from the same country played against each other in the competition.
A total of 24 teams participated in the competition.
Ajax, Benfica, CCA BucureÃÂti, Dukla Prague, Glenavon, Royal Antwerp, Saint-ÃÂtienne, Sevilla, Shamrock Rovers, Stade Dudelange, Vasas, Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt and Young Boys made their debut appearances in the European Cup while Rapid Wien, AGF and Real Madrid marked their third.
All participants were their respective associations champions, except for Sevilla and Gwardia Warsaw.
The draw for the preliminary round took place at the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Paris on Tuesday, 23 July 1957. As title holders, Real Madrid received a bye, and the remaining 23 teams were grouped geographically into three pots. The first four teams drawn in each pot, and four more teams in pot 1, would play the preliminary round in September, while the remaining clubs received byes.
The calendar was decided by the involved teams, with all matches to be played by 30 October.
Rangers won 4âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
Aarhus won 3âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
Sevilla won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Red Star Belgrade won 14âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Manchester United won 9âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Vasas won 7âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
Milan 6âÂÂ6 Rapid Wien on aggregate; play-off needed.
Gwardia Warsaw 4âÂÂ4 Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt on aggregate; play-off needed.
Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt qualified due to a coin toss, after their play-off against Gwardia Warsaw was abandoned with the result of 1âÂÂ1 after 100 minutes due to floodlight power failure.
Milan won play-off 4âÂÂ2.
Red Star Belgrade won 4âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
Ajax won 4âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 8âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Vasas won 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Sevilla won 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Manchester United won 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund 5âÂÂ5 CCA BucureÃÂti on aggregate; play-off needed.
Milan won 6âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Borussia Dortmund won play-off 3âÂÂ1.
Manchester United won 5âÂÂ4 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 10âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Vasas won 6âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Milan won 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Real Madrid won 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Milan won 5âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
The top scorers from the 1957âÂÂ58 European Cup (including preliminary round) were as follows: