Atleti Remembers the Intercontinental Feat: A Historic Milestone
Atlético de Madrid proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Intercontinental Cup, a title that signified sweet revenge after the bitter end in Brussels. That goal by Schwarzenbeck in the last gasp of extra time, which equalized Luis’s formidable free-kick goal, left the team psychologically affected.
The defeat in the play-off match was a hard blow. This fact led to the dismissal of Juan Carlos Lorenzo, and the arrival of Luis Aragonés to the rojiblanco bench. With a firm hand, Luis imposed new rules, marking the beginning of an era.
The Intercontinental was presented as his first great test. Atleti accessed the tournament due to the resignation of Bayern, European champion. In an era where South American teams imposed a very physical game, some European champions declined to participate.
However, Atlético, with its large presence of Argentine players, was not intimidated. After falling 1-0 in Argentina against Independiente, the rojiblanco team came back in the Manzanares with goals from Irureta and Ayala, conquering the title.
The image of Adelardo lifting the Intercontinental, on Capón’s shoulders, is an unforgettable symbol in the athletic memory. The club does well to remember this moment, because collective memory is the essence of the institution.
