IT'S ALWAYS THE FAULT OF THE ENGLISH ARBITER.

It has been a big week for anniversaries and on Monday 23rd November 1960, Real Madrid were "humiliated" by their old rivals Barcelona in the European Cup, second round. Real had won every European Cup from its beginning in 1955. They had never failed to win a European match at the Bernabeu. You may look at a previous blog about the 1943 El Clasico.

Both legs of this cup tie were refereed by Englishmen and it was Arthur Ellis,who apparently missed a linesman's flag in Barca's favour, with 3 minutes to go and Real 2-1 up. Barcelona played on, their Hungarian forward Kocsis was subsequently fouled in the penalty area and the resulting penalty kick was converted. An opponent left the Bernabeu stadium unbeaten for the first time in European Cup history.

In the second leg, another English ref, Reg Leafe disallowed four goals, three from Real and Leaf was decribed as Barca's best player. There were mutterings of a conspiracy by the ruling body to end Real's mastery in the cup.

Real got their own back two weeks later by beating Barca at the Camp Nou 5-3 and regained the La Liga title. They then won 5 titles on the trot and their sixth European Cup in 1966.

di Stefano with the first five European Cups.





Today is the 10th anniversary of George Best's death.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp7cTlvHgUQ