The 1959 European Cup final was a football match played at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart, Germany on 3 June 1959 as the conclusion to the 1958âÂÂ59 European Cup.
The match was contested by three-time defending champions Real Madrid of Spain, the only previous team to win the competition, and Stade de Reims of France and was a replay of the inaugural final in 1956.
Goals from Enrique Mateos and Alfredo Di Stéfano helped Real Madrid to a 2âÂÂ0 win as they successfully defended their title to lift the trophy for the fourth consecutive year.
Real Madrid had won the first three editions of the European Cup in 1956, 1957 and 1958.
Stade de Reims had only once played in the European Cup before reaching the inaugural final in 1956 and remaining unbeaten in the tournament until the final.
In the inaugural season of the European Cup, Real Madrid and Reims met in the final which was played at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France on 13 June 1956. Early goals from Michel Leblond and Jean Templin gave Reims a 2âÂÂ0 advantage after 10 minutes. Real Madrid rallied and goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano and Héctor Rial saw them level the score after half an hour. In the second half, Reims retook the lead through Michel Hidalgo but were pegged back by Marquitos. Rial scored his second of the game with 11 minutes to play as Real Madrid completed their comeback to win the match 4âÂÂ3 and lift the trophy.
Real Madrid qualified for the competition as defending champions and they were given a bye in the preliminary round.
In the first round, Real Madrid defeated Beà Âiktaà  of Turkey 2âÂÂ0 at home in the first leg before drawing the second leg 1âÂÂ1 to advance 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
Real Madrid then faced Wiener Sport-Club of Austria in the quarter-finals. After a goalless draw in the first leg in Vienna, Real Madrid won the second leg at home 7âÂÂ1 to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Real Madrid faced local rivals Atlético Madrid. After winning the first leg 2âÂÂ1 at home, Real Madrid lost the second leg 1âÂÂ0 away which resulted in a tie, 2âÂÂ2 on aggregate. As a result, a replay was held at a neutral venue in Zaragoza which Real Madrid won 2âÂÂ1 to advance to the final.
Reims qualified for the competition as winners of the 1957âÂÂ58 French Division 1.
In the preliminary round, Reims defeated Ards of Northern Ireland 4âÂÂ1 away in the first leg and 6âÂÂ2 at home in the second leg to progress 10âÂÂ3 on aggregate.
Reims then faced Helsingin Palloseura (HPS) of Finland in the first round. After winning the first leg 4âÂÂ0 at home, Reims won the second leg 3âÂÂ0 away to progress 7âÂÂ0 on aggregate.
Standard Liège of Belgium were Reims opponents in the quarter-finals. Despite losing the first leg away from hom 2âÂÂ0, Reims came from behind to win the tie after a 3âÂÂ0 win at home in the second leg, 3âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
In the semi-finals, Reims faced Young Boys of Switzerland. Similar to the previous round, Reims lost the first leg 1âÂÂ0 away from home but followed that up with a 3âÂÂ0 home win in the second leg to advance to the final 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate.