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The confrontation between Athletic Club and FC Barcelona it has become a historic match in Spanish football. And if they meet in a final, even more. Both teams meet in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Seville in a very different climate from the one experienced in the 1984 final.

More than 35 years have passed since that game, but the context in which it developed and the outcome it had meant that it was never forgotten. Athletic Club and Barça met in the final of the Copa del Rey on May 5, 1984 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The rojiblanco team, led by Javier Clemente, won his 20th cup trophy thanks to Endika’s goal in the 14th minute.

However, what is most remembered about that encounter is what happened just after the final whistle. To understand the violent outcome, in which the green of the Bernabéu became a boxing ring, we must go back a few months. Schuster and Maradona, the two stars of Barça, had come to undergo surgery victims of injuries caused by Goikoetxea in previous crashes in the same campaign.

Since September 1983, the two teams had come across hints, insults, and mutual discredit. And all this ended up unleashing in the final battle on the Madrid stadium lawn. The days leading up to that final were already peppered by the protagonists in the media. Clemente called Maradona “an asshole by and by.” and the Argentine released that the Basque coach would not be able to call him to his face. Despite the voices calling for sanity and a ceasefire, the end was inevitable.

Athletic Shield / Flag

The early goal of Athletic Club through Endika he made the party even more rare. There was little football and the Barça team was unable to draw. The victory of the lions caused them to achieve a double in the League and Cup, something they had not achieved since 1956.

A final thong to forget

The party had already had violent actions and as soon as the referee decreed the end of the game, hostilities began to unleash. Schuster dropped an object from the stands and the German returned it to the rostrum from which it came. Maradona, he says, reacted to a cut of Sola’s sleeves: “I didn’t buy it and I fought” and several Athletic Club players went for Pelusa, which was also helped by Migueli. The Barça defender was another of the protagonists of that fight, using himself as a karate fighter, leaving behind the image of the flying kick.

The great protagonists of that battle, in addition to the two Barça players already mentioned, were Clos, Goikoetxea, Sarabia and De Andrés. Javier Clemente, in the press room, increased the tension even more and I blame Barça and more specifically the foreigners for that battle: “They have not known how to lose. We must end those who come from abroad and have no education.”

César Menotti, Barcelona coach, he was amazed: “I have never seen anything like it. If what we saw today was a football match, football is dead.”

Despite the fact that the referee did not reflect anything on the scoresheet, he left the playing field as soon as the end of the match whistled, the incidents were so high-profile that the Competition Committee had to impose various sanctions. Maradona, Clos, Migueli, Goikoetxea, Sarabia and De Andrés were punished for three months of all kinds of encounters, including friendlies, but clarified that the vacation period did not count for them to play with the Spanish National Team in the 1984 French Eurocup.

Therefore, the six players could reappear in the middle of October. However, no one ever complied with those sanctions. Diego Armando Maradona went to Naples and played, while the other five players were granted an amnesty so they could play. In a totally different context and with the aim of giving a great show, Barça and Athletic meet at La Cartuja to win the Spanish Super Cup.

Athletic Club 1-0 Barcelona

Athletic Club: Zubizarreta Urkiaga, Liceranzu, Goikoetxea, Núñez, Patxi Salinas, De Andrés, Urtubi, Dani, Endika (Sarabia), and Argote (Gallego).

Barcelona: Urruti, Sánchez, Migueli, Alexanko, Julio Alberto, Víctor Muñoz, Schuster, Rojo (Clos), Lobo Carrasco, Maradona, and Marcos Alonso.

Goals: Endika (1-0, min. 14)

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu

Referee: Ángel Franco Martínez

Incidents: Admonished Salinas, Urtubi and Liceranzu by Athletic and Carrasco, Muñoz, Schuster and Alexanko by FC Barcelona.

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