The mid-80’s was a boom time for Real Madrid. As Barcelona shipped Maradona out and Venables, Lineker, Hughes and Archibald in, Los Merengues made hay while the sun shined before Johan Cruyff moved back to Catalonia to assemble his ‘Dream Team’.
Having won back-to-back UEFA Cups in 1985 and 1986 ( a mere consolation prize for a club that craves European Cup success), Leo Beenhakker’s side were in the process of winning five consecutive La Liga titles.
With a team packed full of stars like Jorge Valdano, Michel, Manuel Sanchis, Emilio Butragueño and legendary Mexican goal-getter Hugo Sanchez,
Real Madrid stormed to domestic success.
The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu crowd were no strangers to crying “Ole” as Spanish and foreign visitors were regularly cut down by Real’s fearsome attacking prowess. English champions Everton – absent from European competition because of the Heysel ban – were shown exactly what they were missing in a 6-1 demolition job in a 1987 friendly with Spain’s finest.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_VaPtHrnE8&w=420&h=315]
Famed bicycle kick exponent Sanchez (5 times) and Butragueño (once) carried off the title of “Pichichi” winner for Spain’s top goalscorer six times and formed one of the most lethal striking partnerships in world football.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee_P35-EVec&w=420&h=315]
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