The 35 Leagues of Real Madrid

Fifteenth League: 1971-72. After the renewal of the template, victory

“Renew or die”, so says the Spanish proverb. And that is what Madrid did at the beginning of the 70s to face the new times. The whites had had two bad campaigns in the 1969-70 and 1970-71 seasons. In the first, they finished in sixth position, yes, tied on points with Sevilla, Barcelona and Valencia, all with 35 points… but very far from the champion, Atlético de Madrid, although the latter won the League in the last game. The following season, the whites would finish in fourth place behind Valencia, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. In addition, the defeat in the Cup Winners’ Cup final against Chelsea angered the Bernabéu. He considered that a strong, deep and painful renewal had to be made (they discharged Gento, who had been in the white squad since 1953): in short, ten players left Betancort (34 years), Calpe (31), Espíldora (23 ), De la Fuente (23), Sanchís (33), Chato González (27), Fermín (23), Jiménez (24), Manolín Bueno (31) and Gento (38), and seven entered: García Remón (21 years , goalkeeper), Verdugo (23, lateral), Antonio González (25 years old and youth squad), Anzarda, an Argentine winger with more goals than overflow to replace Gento. And three young Racing players: the club’s scouts had recommended the signing of Aguilar (22 years old), so the Bernabéu went to see him live… and ended up falling in love with the Racinguista striker, Carlos Alonso, known as Santillana. Corral, a 23-year-old goalkeeper, also arrived. The amount paid saved Racing from disappearing. And Miguel Muñoz relied on the mix of veterans and young newcomers to put together a team that would fight for the League again. He continued to rely on Amancio, Pirri, Grosso and Velázquez, but gave Aguilar, Anzarda, García Remón, Verdugo and Santillana the starting lineup from the first match. Against Betis, on matchday one, Amancio’s position stood out, playing as a midfielder. The whites took the lead on matchday two and would not go down from there for the rest of the season. Winter champions were proclaimed with 26 of 34 possible. The new sap mixed well with the veterans, although the League was played until the end by Barcelona, ​​who squeezed until the last moment. However, on the penultimate day, the azulgrana played in Córdoba and the whites faced Atlético at the Calderón. Both lost: Muñoz’s men, thrashed by the rojiblancos (4-1), but in the city of Córdoba, Michels’s men fell due to a penalty converted by Fermín, who had left on loan to the Verdiblanco team. On the last day, the whites thrashed Sevilla (4-1) and lifted their fifteenth League title. It would also be the last League for Miguel Muñoz… The coach would leave Madrid halfway through the 1973-74 campaign.