Guruceta, one of the best known Spanish referees (The Journal)
Emilio Carlos Guruceta Wall was, for many, one of the best Spanish referees that has existed. But nevertheless, His successful career was not without tremendous controversies like the ones we will remember in this article..
ran the season 1969-1970. The Atletico Madrid he had proclaimed himself the League champion and neither Barça nor Madrid were going through their best moment. The madridistas finished in a pitiful sixth position in the league championship and clung to the Cup as a lifeline for a disastrous year.
Luck wanted Barcelona Y Real Madrid faces were seen in the quarterfinals. The culés came from eliminating Espanyol and Celta while the whites had overcome Castellón and Las Palmas. In the first leg, played at the Santiago Bernabeu, the locals got a good result from 2-0 to face the return at the Camp Nou.
Scandal at the Camp Nou
Guruceta was the designated referee for said return match. The locals went out for all and at the break they won by 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Carles Rexach. The comeback was possible. But nevertheless, in the second part came the move that would lead to the great scandal.
The minute was running 59 Y, in a race between Velázquez Y Rifé, the referee of the match signals a penalty before the amazement and outrage of Barcelona. In addition to being a contentious offense, the action occurs outside the area. Barça footballers threaten to leave the field of play, something your coach avoids, English Vic Buckingham. After 8 minutes of trouble, with pad rain included, the maximum penalty is thrown and Amancio achieves the 1-1. Eladius, local player, ironically applauds the referee and is sent off.
From there it was no longer possible to play. Constant stops for throwing pads and all kinds of objects onto the field of play and invasion of the field by some spectators. All this causes Guruceta suspend the game in the absence of 10 minutes to go with a draw result.
Photo showing the rain of pads that invaded the Camp Nou lawn (The Double Six)
What are they complaining about? It was a penalty like a house!”
The subsequent declarations of both directives did not help calm the spirits. Montal, Barca president, Draws up an allegation requesting that the game be resumed from the minute 59 without the penalty. Bernabéu declares: “What are they complaining about? It was a penalty like a house!”.
The matter becomes so great that it arrives, even, al Minister council, due to the anger that exists in Catalonia. Finally the result is considered good and Real Madrid goes to the semifinals, yes, the Camp Nou does not close despite serious incidents and Barça is fined 90.000 pesetas.
Who did have a harsh sanction was Guruceta. The Basque referee is sanctioned with 6 months without being able to arbitrate for “Disturbance of public order”. As data, say that the Real Madrid ends up winning that Cup, allowing you to play the next edition of the European Cup Winners Cup and save the season.
Guruceta's death
As a curiosity, add that Guruceta He no longer arbitrated Barcelona in an official match. His career, despite that incident, was quite successful to the point of being international but the 25 February 1987. That day, the referee died in a car accident when he was going to arbitrate a Osasuna-Real Madrid Cup.
10 years after his death, President Anderlecht confessed to UEFA having bribed the Spanish referee. The Belgians won a match against him Nottingham Forest and managed to qualify for the next round thanks to a rather unlikely penalty awarded by the trencilla. The club was sanctioned for a year without being able to participate in a European competition.
