When Paulo Futre refused to let himself win at Sarriá

Paulo Futre is one of the great idols of the hobby of Atletico Madrid. Portuguese footballer, who came from winning the European Cup with Porto and being named the Silver Ball, was the great electoral promise of Jesus Gil which took over the presidency of the mattress club in 1987.

The Portuguese player delighted the rojiblanca fans during 6 seasons in which he was the true idol of the stands. But nevertheless, as Paulo Futre himself tells in an interview the newspaper Record, there was some unpleasant episode with the president.

In the season 1990-1991, the Atletico Madrid arrived at the last day of the League without gambling. The Manzanares team was second classified without being able to aspire to the title and without being able to be reached by any of their pursuers. Quite the contrary that the RCD Espanyol, that was played, no more no less, that the stay one more year in the First Division.

Paulo Futre: “I refused to play that match. It's the only time something like this has happened to me”

It was then that, always in the words of Futre, the president of Atlético, Jesus Gil, asked him to lose the last game in sarriá: “We were at the hotel in Barcelona. The president called me and said that we couldn't win that game. That I told my classmates not to run. I refused and told him to go tell him. It is the only time this has happened to me”. In fact, Paulo Futre, that he did not suffer any type of injury, did not play that game.

Given the Portuguese's refusal, the athletic president himself had to go down to the locker room. Always according to the words of Futre, Jesus Gil he threatened his players to fire them if they didn't lose that clash.

The end result was a parakeet victory for 3-1. Thus, the Espanyol he achieved permanence and sent promotion to the Real Zaragoza who lost in Cádiz. They descended directly Castellón Y Real Betis. The hands, yes, they managed to continue in First after eliminating in said promotion the Real Murcia (0-0 Y 5-2).

As usually happens in these cases, the facts have never been proven. The agreement between the two presidents was that the Athletic I lost that game and, In return, Espanyol will let go Luis Aragones, parrot technician during that season, to the mattress set, as it were.