MADRID, 15 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Former Argentine defender Jorge Bernardo Griffa, one of Atlético de Madrid's legends of the 1960s, has died at the age of 88, as confirmed this Monday by the mattress team, with whom he played almost 300 games in his sporting career before to also play for RCD Espanyol.
“Today is a sad day for the red and white family. Our club is in mourning for the death of our former player Jorge Bernardo Griffa Monferoni, who was a defender for our team for ten seasons in the sixties,” Atlético lamented in its Web page.
Griffa played a total of 291 official matches for the Madrid club between the 1959/60 and 1968/69 seasons, “being a pillar of the defense, along with Rivilla and Calleja, in that prolific decade.” “His character and imposing stature led the team on the path to the achievements achieved. Eight were his goals that the Metropolitano stands sang during his stay in Madrid. The Argentine maintained the record of foreigner with the most games played with the red and white for more than 40 years, until in 2011 Luis Amaranto Perea surpassed that figure,” the mattress entity recalled.
Born in Casilda, Griffa began his football career in his country at Newell's Old Boys and from which he made the jump to Atlético in 1959, just after having been part of his country's team that won the Copa América that year.
Nicknamed 'Maestro', he debuted with the red and white team on September 13 of that year against UD Las Palmas, and was the protagonist of a positive decade of success for the Madrid team, with the first season he managed to lift the entity's first Cup title. a trophy that he would win on two other occasions, in 1961 and 1965. Furthermore, in 1966 he lifted the League, while in 1962 he participated in the club's first international trophy, the Cup Winners' Cup won against the Italian Fiorentina.
Later, after 10 years at Atlético, he continued his career in Spain, in the ranks of RCD Espanyol, which at that time was active in the Second Division and with which he achieved promotion before retiring to begin his training with grassroots categories, especially all in his native country, in Newell's and Boca Juniors.
Well-known names such as Mauricio Pochettino, Gabriel Batistuta, Lionel Scaloni, Américo Gallego, Walter Samuel, Maxi Rodríguez, Aldo Duscher, Gabriel Heinze, Santiago Solari, Eduardo Berizzo and Sergio Almirón passed through his hands during his training period.
The red and white team also pointed out that in memory of Griffa and member number 5 Miguel Henríquez de Luna Treviño, the flag in tribute to their fans located in the Cívitas Metropolitano flies at half-mast.
“With the departure of Jorge Griffa, the red and white family loses a symbol who gave everything to elevate Atlético de Madrid to the top of national and continental football. Our president, CEO, other members of the Board of Directors and all employees, we want to convey our most sincere condolences and we join the pain of his family and friends. May he rest in peace,” the club stated.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) also showed its pain at the loss of the defender. “The AFA, through its president Claudio Tapia, expresses his pain and expresses his condolences to family and loved ones for the loss of Jorge Griffa, a prestigious trainer of our football,” he said.
“We regret to inform you that Jorge Bernardo Griffa, a center back who played 46 games for the club during the 69-70 and 70-71 seasons, has left us. All our support goes to family and friends at this time. RIP,” RCD Espanyol said goodbye to him.
“We deeply regret the death of Jorge Bernardo Griffa. The 'Maestro', indisputable symbol of Newell's, was a player, youth coach and the creator of the 'leper' hotbed that gave enormous figures to the world. Your legacy will always be part of our history, May you rest in peace,” he stressed.