steady progress in the league, they managed to be in another Cup Final. Opponent on 6 June 1984, Panathinaikos again, this time in the Athens Olympic Stadium, which was also used by the "greens" as home ground. This fact, coupled with the modest appearance of AEL, apparently justified by the intensity of the semi-final battle against Iraklis, (which took place just three days earlier) and the loss of the suspended Valaoras, brought normal|y a 2–0 defeat, leaving AEL bitterness, which diminished by the ticket for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, once Panathinaikos had won the double. The next season, president Kostas Samaras and coach Andrzej Strejlau (who brought with him from Poland another great player, named Krzysztof Adamczyk), were very optimistic about the team's course. Indeed, its participation in the Cup Winners' Cup for the period 1984–85 was impressive and established the name of the Thessalian team in the European football map. The "crimsons" came up to the "8", where they have been excluded after two sensational quarter-finals by the Soviets of Dynamo Moscow. The unique, however, distinguish in the institution of the Cup Winners Cup that season, made a big impression and showed how great this team was and capable for even bigger achievements. This team however—that many believed was playing the best football in Greece by that time—was unstoppable and determined to finally overcome and get to a title. This title was not the championship, (although succeeded a record for best offensive productivity in the season), but the Greek Cup, the final of which AEL qualified for the third time. 1984–85 Greek Cup winners The final against the 1985 champion PAOK, has been recorded as one of the top performances in the history of AEL. The "crimsons" played "total" football, smashed with 4–1 their opponents and eventually came to their first title. However, in the pregame of that fight a common point united the two teams...AEL and PAOK lined up before the referee Makis Germanakos without their two key players (left back Nikos Patsiavouras and top scorer Christos Dimopoulos), since they both had already agreed to sign for Panathinaikos! As for the actual game, on 22 June 1985, on the Athens Olympic Stadium before 30,000 shared fans, AEL seemed to have the upper hand from the start, but completely dominated from the 19', when Vassilakos was expelled by direct red card (hit Adamczyk off-phase) and reached its first