This is how the myth of Real Madrid's European comebacks was born

The great European comebacks of Real Madrid, like everything in life, have an origin and a first day. And in this case we must go back 45 years, right to November 5, 1975. Eighth finals of the European Cup against Derby County. In the first leg played in the English field, Miljanic's team suffered a terrible roll (4-1), with a hat-trick of George, which included two penalties designated against the Spanish champion. In addition, the referee annulled a legal Pirri for an offside that only existed in his imagination and that of the linesman. But Despite being 4-1 and with the added legend that English clubs had, the club knew how to prepare a crazy atmosphere at the Bernabéu, in which more than 100,000 fans entered on an impressive night. The backdrops roared, with hundreds of white flags, while from the famous Chicken Coop of the 4th Amphitheater a single shout roared that was heard from the Plaza de Castilla: “Madrid, Madrid, Madrid!” They all believed in the seemingly impossible.

Madrid took the field with Miguel Ángel; Sol, Pirri, Benito, Camacho; Del Bosque, Netzer, Breitner; Amancio, Santillana and Roberto Martínez. The public carried their own, who from the first second played with the faith of one who feels capable of everything. At three minutes, Roberto Martínez, alias Pipi Longstocking, opened the dream by putting the toe near the small area, ahead of goalkeeper Boulton. The attack continued unbridled, until Roberto himself made it 2-0 after a series of rejections from Boulton and the post himself. Ten minutes into the second half, Netzer masterfully took an indirect free kick inside the area and there began Carlos Santillana's great night with a feline jump over the entire English defense. His header blew the net of the south end goal. 3-0 and half an hour ahead with Madrid already classified. But again George, the executioner of the first leg, put the uncertainty by scoring a goal through the squad with a shot from almost 30 meters. Back to start but each time with less time ahead.

But Amancio, with seven minutes to go, he got into the Derby County area and was pushed. Penalty that partially compensated the two that Madrid suffered in England. Pirri launched it masterfully to force extra time. Years later, the man from Ceuta explained it in a wonderful way: “When I threw it away, I only thought that I was putting it in safe and that we were going to extra time. Dog After hugging my teammates and seeing the joy of the Bernabéu stands I got a cold sweat, I was almost frozen. I noticed that it could have been terrible if I failed it. Curiously, I was scared when everything had already happened. That saved us. It was a very strange feeling, but luckily it happened quickly because we still had thirty minutes to go and we needed another goal … “.

And the stellar moment of the historic night arrived at minute 100, in the first half of the 'extra time', as the English would say. Santillana made a perfect chest control inside the area, he made an impressive hat to McFarland that culminated with a volley with his left foot that pierced the goal of the English team. The Bernabéu exploded with joy as it had never been seen before. Madrid had never been doomed to such a feat in Europe. Raising a 4-1 seemed like a chimera, but that night of November 5, 1975, the seed of the legend of Chamartín was sown on European nights and the rivals began to understand that for the whites it had not been impossible to overcome in their mythical stadium and before its people. Then come the comebacks with Anderlecht, Inter, Borussia Mönchengladbach … But we will tell you that another day.