Real Madrid v FC Barcelona (1916 Copa del Rey)
Football match / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the semifinals of the 1916 Copa del Rey, Real Madrid defeated Barcelona after facing each other four times in just under three weeks and of several highly controversial decisions by the referee José Berraondo, a former Madrid player.[1]
Event | 1916 Copa del Rey | ||||||
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First leg | |||||||
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Date | 26 March 1916 | ||||||
Venue | Camp del Carrer Muntaner, Barcelona | ||||||
Referee | Leandro Aguirreche | ||||||
Second leg | |||||||
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Date | 2 April 1916 | ||||||
Venue | Campo de O'Donnell, Madrid | ||||||
Referee | Ezequiel Montero | ||||||
Replay | |||||||
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Date | 13 April 1916 | ||||||
Venue | Campo de O'Donnell (Atlético Madrid), Madrid | ||||||
Referee | José Berraondo | ||||||
← 1902 1936 → |
In the first leg at Barcelona, the Catalans defeated Madrid 2–1, and in the second leg at Campo de O'Donnell, the whites finally achieved their first official victory against Barcelona: 4–1. At the time, there was no goal difference, so they had to go to a tiebreaker, which sparked the very first conflict between both clubs, namely about the choice of the venue, O'Donnell again, and the referee, José Berraondo.[1] In the replay, Berraondo awarded three penalties in favor of his former team, two of which were saved by Barça's goalkeeper Luis Bru (one of which with his head), but the third was converted by Santiago Bernabéu in the 118th minute to salvage a 6–6 draw, thus forcing another replay, which was also refereed by Berraondo, who again made several questionable decisions, such as giving yet another last-minute penalty, which drove the Barça players to withdraw in protest.[1] Madrid thus advanced to the final against Athletic Bilbao that was played in Barcelona, where some banners in the stands even asked for Berraondo's head; Madrid lost 0–4.[2][3]
This clash is often listed as one of the most controversial ones in the history of Spanish football. Thanks to its resounding result, behind-the-scenes drama, and controversy for a total of 24 goals in 4 matches, including a 6–6 draw, this match is regarded as one of the most important and notable football clashes of the first half of the 20th century.[3] Some historians ascribe the match a lasting impact on both Madrid and Catalonia football history, contributing to the birth of the well-known football rivalry between the two regions.[1]