Real Madrid: Gento and a victory ‘made in Real Madrid’

Nor it is one of the finals that is most talked about, but for the players of the real Madrid It was a special moment. she explained it Jose Emilio Santamarawho the previous summer had come to the Bernabu from the ranks of the Montevideo National: “It set the tone for the team’s maturity. From that moment on we always left convinced that we were going to win.”

Because on May 28, 1958, at the stadium in heysehim and with the King of Belgium (Alberto III) in the box, Milan took the real Madrid to the limit The favoritism of the white team due to two European Cups already won was only in literature when the ball began to roll at the feet of the Atomium. The coach of Real Madrid was no longer the two first titles. Villalonga left the club in a surprising way. His replacement came from Argentina, Louis Carniglia. He had to deal with a game in which the team rossonero I spoke of tat to the mighty Madrid. So much so that the Lombard squad took the lead twice very close to the end: 1-0 (minute 59) and 2-1 (at 78 minutes of the match).

From 0-2 to 1-1 di Stfano

After a european cup placid for Madrid (global 8-1 with the Antwerp10-2 with him Seville and 4-2 with him glasses of Budapest), dominance in Europe was faltering. At the first blow of Milan with the goal of SchiaffinoUruguayan hero of the Maracanazo, a shot from cucchiaroni which the crossbar deprived of being the second milanista goal. In those a ball fell in the area to Di Stfano. And his dry whiplash was 1-1.

The tables restored by the Arrow in the 73rd minute they lasted three minutes. Another South American, this time the Argentine Cricket, beat Juanito Alonso again. Madrid saw the Third move away again… but only for 120 seconds. Those who took the ball to fall near rial. It was the afternoon of the players on the other side of the Atlantic and the striker born in Pergamino (province of Buenos Aires) invented an acrobatic shot to take the game to extra time. For the first time, the European Cup was going to need the extra half hour to say the champion.

The two reactions provoked in Madrid that state of ecstasy that he had before the Manchester City two weeks ago the most dazzling moment ever seen. The Brussels party stopped speaking with a South American accent to speak with the uco of the Cantabrian

the figure of Paco Gento took over the game. Shortly after the extension began, he crashed a shot at the base of the post. And when it seemed that Madrid was paying for the effort and might lack strength, the Cantabrian Galena I solved with a powerful left foot a long play devised between two geniuses: DiStfano and Kopa. The remaining 13 minutes were a white exercise of endurance and heart against the desperate attempts of the Milan. In that final stretch, santamara showed why Madrid launched to dress it in white. “Milan made us suffer a lot”, always remember Jos Emilio from that final.

When the veteran Belgian referee Albert Alsteen he blew the final whistle, the more than 4,000 Spaniards who were in the Heysel stands exploded. Among them were more than a hundred miners from the Basin of Charleroi. Because the Belgian mining industry of those years had an abundance of Spanish labor. For them, that victory far surpassed sports.

And if Gento does not score?

Today it seems surreal, but in 1958 the European Cup was taking its first steps. The resolution with penalties did not exist, so when the game ended with a draw, the problem of what to do if after the extra half hour the equality was maintained. Arriving in Madrid, Louis of Charlesdirector and future white president, explained what had happened: “Milan proposed a double game, on their field and on chamartnbut Mr. Bernabu advocated a new and unique meeting, in a neutral field, Marseilles, for example, within about 15 days. Fortunately, it was not necessary.”

The reception in decks It was again apothesic and overflowed all forecasts. For the second consecutive season, the fans of the real Madrid join the European Cup to the celebration of the League. The even today untouchable treble for the whites was closer than ever. around the corner Brussels got into the Cup final, but lost it in Chamartn against that Athletic baptized as of the villagers.