Sunday, June 9, 2024

The Soccernostalgia Interview-Part 90- A video Interview and blog presentation with Spanish Author and Historian Mr. Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro, discussing Real Madrid’s UEFA Cup adventure in 1984/85 season)






 

For this interview, I look back at Real Madrid’s UEFA Cup adventure in 1984/85 season.

The Interview will be as a video link companion, while the Blog will be a presentation of the events.

The Interviewee is:

Spanish Author and Historian Mr. Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro

 

Mr. Vilariño Ferreiro is the author of ‘MÉXICO 70. 50 AÑOS DE FÚTBOL EN COLOR’

 

 

Mr. Vilariño’s contact info:

On Twitter: @SVilarino

Book Link; https://www.libreriadeportiva.com/libro/mexico-70-50-anos-de-futbol-en-color_73780

 

 

My contact information:

on twitter @sp1873 and on facebook under Soccernostalgia.

https://linktr.ee/sp1873

 

Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EWi0UuEpNNfLpC3J3T8iK?si=YQKVtHohRNKCj0LEdlxVzA&nd=1&dlsi=37dbeac900684f85

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soccernostalgia-talk-podcast/id1601074369?i=1000658357685

 

 








Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup 1984/85

 

As the 1984/85 season kicked off, Spanish giants Real Madrid were to compete in the UEFA Cup. All was not well in Madrid, as they had not won the League title since 1980. In Europe, the once greatest Team on the continent, had not won any European silverware since winning its sixth Champions Cup in 1966.

In the previous years they had reached the Finals of the Champions Cup in 1981 and the Cup Winners Cup in 1983 but ended up losing both to Liverpool and Aberdeen respectively.

Therefore, it was unimaginable that this campaign would end up kickstarting Real Madrid’s European legacy and the tradition of ‘Remontadas’.

The club still under the stewardship of President Luis De Carlos appointed former great Amancio to manage the Team.

He had been managing Real Madrid’s nursery side Castilla in the previous seasons to such great effect and had produced for the First Team what would become the legendary ‘La Quinta del Buitre.

Emilio Butragueno, nicknamed ‘El Buitre’ (the vulture) along with Michel, Rafael Martin Vazquez, Sanchis and Miguel Pardeza were to be the future of Real Madrid.

Amancio was seen as the best man to integrate this generation into a side that included veterans such as Camacho, Gallego, Santillana, Juanito and the West German Uli Stielike.

Given the financial situation of the club, transfer activity was light. The only significant arrival was that of the Argentine forward Jorge Valdano from Real Zaragoza.

Otherwise, Real offloaded foreign talent like the Dutchman Johnny Metgod and Englishman Laurie Cunningham, as well as the retirement of Vicente Del Bosque.

 

Photo From: Special thanks to Josele Carbonell

(Real Madrid squad 1984/85)


In the first round of this 1984/85 UEFA Cup, Real Madrid faced Austrian side Wacker Innsbruck. It was a rather comfortable round, as Real won the First Leg at home (5-0) and could manage to lose the return leg (0-2).

 

In the Second Round, they faced Yugoslav side NK Rijeka. In the First Leg at Rijeka, the home side defeated Real Madrid (3-1) to take a seemingly commanding lead.

In the end, Isidro’s late goal for Real was important.

The return leg at Bernabeu on November 7th, 1984, Real attacked relentlessly and broke the deadlock in the 67th minute through a Juanito penalty. The two late goals by Santillana and Valdano helped Real to overtake the deficit and Real were through.

However, there was some controversy as Rijeka had three players sent off, including the deaf-mute Damir Desnica.

 

 

 

At this point, Real Madrid were struggling in the League behind a rampant Barcelona. In fact, Real would finish fifth in the League that season and perhaps this may be a reason why Europe was their main priority.

Their main ray of hope was the emergence of Emilio Butragueno who was becoming a star and getting attention from media outside of Spain.

 

For the Third Round, Real Madrid faced top Belgian side Anderlecht. The side had won the UEFA Cup in 1983 and reached the Final in the previous year 1984.

This great side included Captain Frank Vercauteren and new 18-year-old star Enzo Scifo, as well as other Belgian Internationals such as Erwin vandenbergh, Rene vandereycken, Alex Czerniatinski and George Grun.

Their foreign contingent included Danish stars such as Morten Olsen and Frank Arnesen and Yugoslav defender Luka Peruzovic.

In the First Leg on November 28th, 1984, at Brussels, Real Madrid predictably struggled away from home.

After constant pressure, Anderlecht broke the deadlock in the 66th minute. They scored twice more for a seemingly insurmountable (3-0) lead.

The second Leg, on December 7th, 1984, Real Madrid achieved one of its most European ‘Remontadas’ that it would become known for in the coming years.
Real Madrid were simply irresistible as they won (6-1) against one of the best sides in Europe (at a time, when they were struggling domestically).

New star Emilio Butragueno had a hat trick while Valdano chipped in with two of his own.

This was the first ‘Remontada’ of the ‘La Quinta del Buitre’ era.

 

 

On March 6th, 1985, Real Madrid faced Tottenham Hotspur in the quarterfinals. In the First leg at White Hart Lane, Real won (1-0) through an own goal by Steve Perryman.

In the Second Leg on March 20th, 1985, at home, Real held Tottenham to a scoreless tie and advanced to the semifinals.

This would be the most underwhelming of Real Madrid’s rounds in the competition that season. The surprise was that Real had won away from home.


Photo From: Special thanks to Josele Carbonell

(Real Madrid squad, March 6, 1985, UEFA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur 0-Real Madrid 1)



 

 

 

 


In the semifinals, Real Madrid faced Italian side Internazionale Milano. Inter included West German star Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Irish midfielder Liam Brady, not to mention then-current and former Italian Internationals such as Bergomi, Giuseppe Baresi, Marini, Causio and Altobelli among others.

History favored Real as they had eliminated Inter in the recent years in the 1981 Champions Cup and 1983 Cup Winners Cup.

However, despite advancing in Europe, Real were in terrible shape at home and many feared this would catch up with them in Europe.

In the First leg in Milan, on April 10th, 1985, Inter won (2-0), a seemingly comfortable lead when it came to defensive Italian sides.

This defeat was too much for the Real Madrid hierarchy and Amancio was sacked and replaced with Luis Molowny for the last month of the season.

In the Second Leg at home on April 24th, 1985, Real Madrid produced yet another ‘Remontada’ and eliminated Inter (3-0).

Santillana scored twice to tie the series and Michel, on the verge of International stardom, scored the wining third goal.


Photo From: France Football, Issue 2038, April 30, 1985

(April 24, 1985, UEFA Cup, Real Madrid 3-Inter 0)



 

 



The Final was against surprise Hungarian side Videoton. Real Madrid were favorites, especially given their seemingly impossible comebacks.

In the First Leg at Székesfehérvár on May 8th, 1985, Real Madrid won (3-0) away from home and the trophy was all but theirs.

In the return leg at Madrid on May 22nd, 1985, Real Madrid were never really in danger and Majer’s goal near the end was too little and too late.

There was not much drama in the Finals as Real had grown in confidence and seemed destined to win.

Real Madrid had won its first UEFA Cup and their first European trophy in 19 years.

Real Madrid followed by winning the League Cup to further save a disastrous domestic season.

Real Madrid would build upon this season’s success with ‘La Quinta del Buitre’ as its center piece.

They also had a new ambitious President Ramon Mendoza, not satisfied with this one trophy.

 

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 63, June 1985

(May 8, 1985, UEFA Cup, Videoton 0-Real Madrid 3)



 

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 63, June 1985

(May 8, 1985, UEFA Cup, Videoton 0-Real Madrid 3)


Photo From: France Football, Issue 2044, June 11, 1985

(May 22, 1985, UEFA Cup, Real Madrid 0-Videoton 1)



Photo From: World Soccer, June 1985

(May 22, 1985, UEFA Cup, Real Madrid 0-Videoton 1)


Real Madrid  (1984/85 season):

 

Goalkeepers:

Miguel Ángel González Suárez (December 24, 1947, Ourense) (aged 36-37 years old at the time)

Agustín Rodríguez Santiago (September 10, 1959, Marin) (aged 25 years old at the time)

Mariano García Remón (September 30, 1950, Marin) (aged 33-34 years old at the time)

José Manuel Ochotorena Santacruz (January 16, 1961, San Sebastian) (aged 23-24 years old at the time)

 

Defenders:

Miguel Porlán Noguera, Chendo (October 12, 1961, Tolana) (aged 22-23 years old at the time)

Isidoro San José Pozo (October 27, 1955, Madrid) (aged 28-29 years old at the time)

Manuel Sanchís Hontiyuelo (May 23, 1965, Madrid) (aged 19 years old at the time)

José Antonio Camacho Alfar (June 8, 1955, Cieza) (aged 29 years old at the time)

Alfonso Fraile Sánchez (January 15, 1960, Madrid) (aged 24-25 years old at the time)

José Antonio Salguero García (January 25, 1960, Fuente de Piedra) (aged 24-25 years old at the time)

Juan José Jiménez Collar (July 29, 1957, Cadiz) (aged 27 years old at the time)

Francisco Bonet Serrano, Paco Bonet (June 27, 1959, Almuñécar) (aged 25 years old at the time)

 

Midfielders:

José Miguel González Martín del Campo, Michel (March 23, 1963, Madrid) (aged 21-22 years old at the time)

Ulrich Stielike (West Germany) (November 15, 1954, Ketsch, West Germany) (aged 29-30 years old at the time)

Ricardo Gallego Redondo (February 8, 1959, Madrid) (aged 25-26 years old at the time)

Juan Lozano Bohórquez (August 30, 1955, Coria del Rio) (aged 29 years old at the time)

Rafael Martín Vázquez (September 25, 1965, Madrid) (aged 18-19 years old at the time)

Ángel de los Santos Cano (November 3, 1952, Huelva) (aged 31-32 years old at the time)

 

 

Forwards:

Emilio Butragueño Santos (July 22, 1963, Madrid) (aged 21 years old at the time)

Jorge Alberto Francisco Valdano Castellanos (Argenttina) (October 4, 1955, Las Parejas, Argentina) (aged 28-29 years old at the time)

Carlos Alonso González, Santillana (August 23, 1952, Santillana Del Mar) (aged 32 years old at the time)

Juan Gómez González, Juanito (November 10, 1954, Fuengirola, April 2, 1992, Calzada de Oropesa) (aged 29-30 years old at the time)

Francisco Pineda García (January 31, 1959, Malaga) (aged 25-26 years old at the time)

Isidro Díaz González (May 24, 1954, Gimialcon) (aged 30 years old at the time)

 

Coach: Amancio Amaro Varela (October 16, 1939, La Coruña -February 21, 2023, Madrid) (aged 44-45 years old at the time) (Sacked April 16, 1985)

Luis Molowny Arbelo (May 12, 1925, Santa Cruz de Tenerife-February 12, 2010, Las Palmas) (aged 59-60 years old at the time)

Team Captain: Carlos Alonso González, Santillana

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas

Shirt Sponsor: Zanussi

 

 

Transfer Activity:

 

Arrivals:

Jorge Valdano (Real Zaragoza)

 

Departures:

Vicente Del Bosque-Retired

Bernardo (Sporting Gijon)

Ito (Real Valladolid)

John Metgod (Nottingham Forest)

Laurie Cunningham (Olympique Marseille)

Julio Suarez (Elche)

Juan Alberto Acosta (Newell’s Old Boys)

Cholo (Real Zaragoza, loan)

Juan Carcelen (Hercules)

 




Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)