Atlético returns to Glasgow today to face Celtic in the Champions League at Celtic Park, with whom it starred fifty years ago in the most epic match in its history, the first leg of a European Cup semi-final in the 1973-74 season that It ended in a goalless draw in what was called 'the battle of Glasgow'. The Turkish referee, Babacan, sent off three Colchoneros players and the eight that remained lasted the last ten minutes inside their area without conceding a goal. In the second leg, Atlético won at the Calderón (2-0) and entered the European Cup final for the first time, losing in Brussels against Bayern in a tiebreaker match after the first team's 1-1 draw. thanks to a German goal in the last minute of extra time.
There is not a single Colchonero fan whose eyes do not moisten when remembering that. They were different times. It was the first season in which foreigners were allowed in Spain and Atlético signed two Argentines, Ratón Ayala and Cacho Heredia. But there were already others; among them two of the toughest defenders who have played in Spain: Panadero Diaz and Iselín Santos Ovejero. His coach was also Argentine, Juan Carlos Lorenzo. He was not an Atlético that messed around.
After beating Galatasaray, Dinamo Bucharest and Red Star in the previous rounds, Atlético was paired in their semi-final with Celtic (the other was Ujpest Dosza-Bayern). That Celtic is not the one now. It was one of the strongest teams on the continent, with players like Kenny Dalglish, Billy McNeill and Jimmy Johnstone. In 1967 they had been the first British team to win the European Cup and in 1970 they had lost the final against Feyenoord in extra time.
Poorly classified in a league that Johan Cruyff's Barcelona would take down (Ajax had won the last three European Cups but without 'El Flaco' they had been knocked out of Europe that year by the modest CSKA Sofia), Atlético appeared nervous in Glasgow. The night before the game, during dinner, Panadero Diaz and Ovejero came to blows. Ovejero slept that night with a cold steak on his eye to reduce the swelling.
The match was played on an unholy Holy Wednesday, April 10, 1974. The atmosphere was electric, 73,000 Scottish gorges cheering on their team. The Scottish press was clear. That was a man hunt, especially the talented and petite Jimmy Johnstone. Jock Stein, Celtic's manager, later declared "they had signed those crazy Argentinians just to beat us up."
Atlético formed that day with Miguel Reina, Melo, Ovejero, Benegas, Eusebio, Panadero Diaz, Adelardo, Heredia, Irureta, Ayala and Gárate. Then, Benegas and Quique entered. Babacan whistled 51 fouls against the colchoneros, the first card to Ayala already after seven minutes. Between kicks to the knee and chilling tackles on the rival on a muddy field, Atlético managed to make the minutes pass without the scoreboard moving, supported by the saves of Miguel Reina, a former Barcelona player, from Córdoba.
For the Atlético players, the toughness came from both sides. Players like Adelardo don't remember ever being so intimidated before. Reina does admit that "some of my colleagues went a little overboard." The Madrid press harshly criticized Babacan's refereeing as homemade. For a time, while in Catalonia in the stands of the stadiums when they wanted to insult a referee they chanted "Guruceta, Guruceta", in Madrid the same was done with "Babacan, Babacan".
The final stretch was the worst for the red and whites because Ayala, Panadero Diaz (for a kick in the ribs of Jhonstone) and Quique were sent off. The remaining eight players defended themselves tooth and nail for almost ten minutes inside their area.
After the game ended at 0-0, the colchoneros ran towards the locker room tunnel pursued by the Scottish players. To their surprise, the local police, instead of protecting them, beat them to death inside the tunnel before reaching the locker room. The president himself, Vicente Calderón, was one of those attacked.
The last bad news came at the airport. When passing customs control, the players handed their passports to the police officer on duty. When it was Panadero Diaz's turn, the agent took the passport, violently threw it to the ground and spat on it.
Atlético had six casualties for the return and threatened to close the stadium. They won 2-0 and reached the final, which they lost in the second game against Bayern. It was then that Vicente Calderón said "We are the pupas."
Atlético will take to the Celtic Park pitch today wearing the red shirt they played here half a century ago. It is his tribute to his Glasgow heroes.
