European Cup 1960: Real Madrid vs Barcelona

On Wednesday April 21 marked 51st anniversary of the first playoff in the European Cup between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It was also in the semifinals, also the first game at the Bernabeu Stadium and the second at the Camp Nou. It was long ago. But at that time a Rea Madrid vs Barcelona was more than just a football match.

On April 21, 1960, Madrid hosted the first leg semifinal between the four-time European champion, Real Madrid, and the Spanish champion, Barcelona, with Helenio Herrera, Ramallets, Kocsis and Evaristo. The white club lived the first great age (and best) of its history, but opposite was a Barcelona that snatched the league this season and the previous one, getting the right to play the top European competition.

European Cup 1960. Di Stefano celebrates a goal against Barcelona

Times were different. In fact, Spain was the only country with two representatives in the tournament and Barcelona made ​​its debut this season in the European Cup, which had set up four years earlier. The Catalan club won the League on the last day (both finished tied on 46 points, but Barceona had better numbers of goals). Europe was the scene of Real Madrid's revenge).

Because in Europe there was not so much equality as in the League. Real Madrid won 6-2 on aggregate, with respective 3-1 victories in both the first leg and on the return. In the first match played in Madrid, a second goal by Di Stefano gave his team a comfortable income in the final minutes. In turn, played on April 27 in Barcelona, there was no option for Barcelona. Gento and Puskas (two goals) led Real to its fifth final, the legendary Hampden Parkmatch against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Puskas, genius Magyars, scored against the Germans four goals more to reach the figure of 49, adding all competitions. A record that Leo Messi overtook on Saturday, scoring the second goal in Barcelona's win over Osasuna. But Messi has taken three games more than the great "Pancho" Puskas.