Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Six times when La Liga's leader lost the title on the last day

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings, Al Capone used to drawl to his bodyguards whenever one of them got up at the end of an opera thinking the whole schebang was done for. Well, in football, it ain’t over till the man with the whistle blows that final peep.

As we go into the last day of LaLiga 2016/17, Real Madrid lead Barcelona by three points and have surely wrapped up the league title – their first for more than half a decade. History, though, teaches us that there is no such thing as “surely wrapped up” and Real Madrid will do well to heed the eternal warning that surrounds those that choose to willingly look past the teachings of the past. On the same note, Barcelona will do well to keep their chins up and keep fighting till the bitter end.

La Liga has gone down to the wire on 35 times, but only on 6 of those occasions has the side that’s gone into the final day leading the league, ever managed to lose it. Real Madird have done it thrice. Here’s a look at each of those momentous days:


#1. Sevilla lost out to Atletico Madrid

The year?

1939-40

What happened?

The first domestic season to be held after the end of the great Spanish Civil War, the 1939-40 one was filled with late plot twists aplenty. Going into the final day, Sevilla were leading the team then known as Athletic Aviation Club (which under the aegis of General Franco would soon become Atletico Madrid). The fixtures between the two had been incredible encounters, Sevilla beating Athletic Aviation 4-1 at home, while the Andalusians were thrashed 4-2 away.

Raimundo Blanco’s 18 goals, and Campanal’s 16 had meant that the Andalusians went to the final day in the lead – till they choked, drawing 3-3 with Hercules whilst Athletic won their fixture against local boys Real Madrid 3-1 to end up on 29 points as against 28 for Sevilla.

RankClub (12 team league)Points
1.Athletic Aviation Club (Atletico Madrid)29
2. Sevilla 28
3.Athletic Bilbao26
4.(Real) Madrid CF25
...9.FC Barcelona19

#2. Athletic Bilbao lost out to Valencia

Zarra’s goals went in vain!

The year?

1946-47

What happened?

The 16th La Liga was one of the most exciting with the top 6 being seperated by just 5 points at the end of it all. Going into the final round of fixtures, Atheltic Club (Blibao) were leading with no little thanks to the legendary Telmo Zarra’s 33 goal haul – in fact they’d been on top of the league for eight weeks running; whilst Atletico Madrid were second and Valencia were back in third having climbed up to a title challenging position just a week before that.

On the last day though, Atletico lost out 2-3 to Real Madrid, Athletic Club drew 3-3 with Deportivo La Coruna and Valencia smashed Sporting Gijon 6-0 to pip it at the end on the basis of head to head as Los Murcielagos had beaten the Basques 1-0 in both their fixtures

RankClub (14 game league)Points
1.Valencia34
2.Athletic Club (Bilbao)34
3. Atletico de Madrid32
4.Barcelona31
...7.Real Madrid27

#3. Real Madrid lost out to Athletic Bilbao

Di Stefano oversees a Madrid training session/photo shoot during the 82/83 season

The year?

1982-83

What happened?

In the 52 year of it’s establishment, Real Madrid dominated La Liga under the coaching aegis of the legendary Alfredo di Stefano and led the tournament for the vast majority of the season. Lurking just behind them was Athletic Bilbao, though, who had been doing just enough to be within striking distance as the final day of fixtures came around.

On the final day of the season (1st May, 1983), Real Madrid travelled to Mestalla only to come back empty-handed as they lost 1-0 to Valencia. Meanwhile, Athletic Club travelled to the Canary Islands and decimated Las Palmas 5-1 to march away with the title that had all but been Real Madrid’s!

Madrid, though, only had themselves to blame – they’d beaten the Basques 2-0 at home and 4-2 away but that final slip up against Valencia was to prove too costly – it wasn’t like Valencia were a great team at the time either; Los Murcielagos finished 15th in the league and survived relegation merely on the basis of head-to-head over Las Palmas!

RankClub (18 team league)Points
1. Athletic Club (Bilbao)50
2. Real Madrid49
3.Atletico de Madrid46
4.Barcelona44

#4. Real Madrid lost out to Barcelona

Paco Buyo’s error on the final day was crucial in the LaLiga title race!

The year?

1991-92

What happened?

Leo Beenhakker’s Real Madrid absolutely dominated Johan Cruyff’s much vaunted Barcelona side and led the league for 32 gameweeks including going into the final day. On that day, 7th June, 1992, Madrid travelled to Tenerife while Barcelona hosted Athletic Club. They’d drawn each other 1-1 in their two fixtures of the season, and it would now be down to who could hold their nerve best.

Barcelona dispatched the Basques 2-0, while Madrid were leading 2-1 in the Canary Islands before fate struck with cruel certainity. Ricardo Rocha’s own goal made it 2-2 before Paco Buyo’s horrible gaffe allowed Tenerife’s Pier to take advantage, and make it 3-2. To the great joy of the Catalans, and the eternal disappointment of the Catillians, that was how it would end.

The game wasn’t without controversy – Luis Milla’s goal (which would have made it 3-1 Madrid) was called off by the referee for offside. Wrongly. But to chastise the referee for the choke is wrong. As he said it,

"I was wrong, but I did not score the second in my own goal," he said."Nor did I go after a ball that was heading out of play either.

RankClub (20 team league)Points
1. Barcelona55
2. Real Madrid 54
3.Atletico Madrid53
youtube-cover

#5. Real Madrid lost out to Barcelona... again

Romario (seen here in action against AC Milan in the UCL) was on fire in LaLiga

The year?

1992-93

What happened?

It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Before we get to that let us see the story of the season, though.

Benito Floro’s Real Madrid played second and indeed third fiddle to Cruyff’s Barcelona and Bebeto inspired Deportivo La Coruna as those two traded punches at the top till the last four gameweeks when Madrid made their late charge – leaving it late but going going into the final day with the lead over Barcelona and Depor.

As happened the previous year, Barcelona hosted a Basque outfit (Real Sociedad this time) and Real Madrid travelled to Tenerife (who were now being managed by Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano). This where history decided to do a repeat. Sort of.

Barcelona beat Sociedad 1-0 while Real Madrid outclassed a Tenerife side fighting for UEFA Cup qualfication but ended up losing 2-0 to the Canary Islanders. Much like before, there were threee 50-50 penatly calls for Madrid that all went the Canary Islanders (and therefore, the Catalans’) way! Again, little blame can be attached to the referee as without the benefit of TV replays there was no way he could have been 100% sure about the calls

"To give a penalty you have to be very sure and I was not.”

RankClub (20 team league)Points
1.Barcelona58
2.Real Madrid57
3.Deportivo La Coruna

54

#6. Deportivo La Coruna lost out to Barcelona

Johan Cruff’s Dream Team made a habit of leaving it late!

The year?

1993-94

What happened?

Johan Cruyff’s dream team was making a habit of this, weren’t they? Deportivo La Coruna lead La Liga for vast swathes of the season, including the last 23 gameweeks leading into the final day. Romario’s incredible goalscoring, though, had kept the Catalans in the hunt as the final round of fixtures approached (the Brazilian won the Pichichi scoring 30 goals that season!)

Needing a win, Depor hosted Valencia in the Riazor but only managed a 0-0 draw (they had a penalty saved – a goal that would have handed them the league crown!) while Barcelona hosted Seville and duly kept their nerves to thrash the Andalusians 5-2 thanks to goals from Michael Laudrup, Romario, Bakero and Hristo Stoichkov (a brace from the Bulgarian). This drew them level on points with Depor, but the Catalans succeeded thanks to their far superior goal difference (49 vs 36) – Depor had beaten them 1-0 at home, but had lost 3-0 away.

Real Madrid, meanwhile. reeling from those two consecutive knock-out punches at the death, didn’t even get into the top 3 at any point in the league season.

RankClub (20 team league)Points
1. Barcelona56
2. Deportivo de La Coruna56
3.Real Zaragoza46
4. Real Madrid45
youtube-cover

Quick Links

Edited by Staff Editor