On October 2, 1966 the Estadio Coliseum Manzanares, later to be christened the Estadio Vicente Calderon, opened for business. Here we look at 50 great moments from the 50 years of play at this iconic stadium.
LUIS ARAGONES - THE FIRST GOA
LOne of the most important and most beloved players in the history of Atletico Madrid, how fitting that Luis Aragones should open the scoring at the brand new stadium. On opening day, Aragones headed the Rojiblancos in front, only for Paquito to tie the match for Valencia late on.
THE DAY PELE PLAYED
The Santos side that included Pele came to town in tribute to Rivilla, on September 17, 1969. The Brazilian side triumphed 3-1 before 50,000 spectators who enjoyed one of the best teams in history.
LUIS' BIG NIGHT AGAINST CAGLIARI
The comeback in the second round of the European Cup in 1971 against Cagliari - the Italians had won 2-1 in the first leg - is considered as one of the best games in the history of Atletico. A hat trick from Aragones, one a penalty, sent Atleti through.
THE DAY CRUYFF'S AJAX LOST
Cruyff's Ajax won the European Cup in 1971, the first of three consecutive triumphs, but a shock semi-final was in store at the Manzanares. The first leg ended 1-0 (Irureta with the goal), although the Dutch side rallied in the second leg (3-0) and went on to the final, where they beat Panathinaikos.
LA LIGA 72/73
The 72/73 season was the first that Atletico played under the new name Vicente Calderon. They needed to beat Deportivo and did. Aragones, Adelardo and Garate with the goals.
EUROPEAN CUP SEMIFINAL AGAINST CELTIC
Atletico reached the first European Cup final in its history on April 24, 1974, after beating Celtic 2-0 with goals from Garate and Adelardo. A night for history at the Calderon, as well as the first leg, when the team held the Scots to a goalless despite finishing with eight players in a match that became known as 'the battle of Glasgow'.
REVENGE FOR REAL MADRID AGAINST BARCELONA
On February 17, 1974, Barcelona won one of their most legendary victories, the 5-0 at the Eastdio Santiago Bernabeu. A few months later, on June 29, 1974, they clashed again at the Vicente Calderon in the Cup final. This time it was Madrid who claimed revenge with a 4-0 thrashing of the Catalans.
LUIS ARAGONES' DEBUT AS COACH
Aragones overnight went from player to coach. His debut in the dugout was against Valencia (1-1). Atleti supporters had to wait a week to see him on the bench at home, on December 8, 1974. Atletico won 2-0 against Hercules.
THE INTERCONTINENTAL
It was peculiar that Atleti played an Intercontinental Cup without winning a European Cup. It was in 1975, following the resignation of Bayern, the winners of Europe's top football competition. At that time the Intercontinental was played over two legs. Goals from Irureta and Ayala in the second leg at the Calderon saw Atletico become King's of the football world.
LEIVINHA EMBARRASSES IRIBAR
In his debut season of 75/76, Leivinha scored a goal that Iribar will always remember. The legendary goalkeeper of Athletic Club put the ball on the floor after a corner, not realizing that Leivinha was behind him. The striker stole the ball and scored and would later also the second.
4-0 TO MADRID IN 76/7776/77 was the season when Atletico won their eighth league title and also won at the Bernabeu in the penultimate game of the season. Earlier, in the first game of the campaign, Atletico Madrid scored four at the Calderon. Ruben Cano, Panadero Diaz and Bermejo did the damage.
HOMAGE TO GARATE
Illness accelerated the withdrawal of Jose Eulogio Garate, one of the finest and noblest players who played at the Calderon. On June 1, 1977, after a season in which he could only play a match, Atletico dedicated a tribute to him. The image of him lifting the title that Atletico had won fifteen days before is always remembered.
THE DAY BECKENBAUER CAME
As a tribute to Luis Aragones, Atletico faced Franz Beckenbauer's New York Cosmos on 30 September 1978. The US side won 3-2, with the 'Kaiser' as leader.
THE DAY BRAZIL PLAYED ZICO
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the club, Atletico invited Brazil, who were touring Europe to prepare for the World Cup of 1978, to play at the Calderon. Brazil won 3-0 and Zico was the undoubted star. Scorers were Nunes, Toninho and Mendonca.
ALFONSO'S OMELETTEDr. Alfonso Cabeza, Atletico president in the early 80s, asked the rojiblancos fans not to go to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the derby of 1980/81, for alleged persecution of his team. Instead, he invited them to come to the Calderon to listen to the game on the radio and eat omelette. The images say it all and Atletico lost 2-0.
1982 WORLD CUP MATCHES
The stadium hosted three games in the 1982 World Cup World in the group consisting of France, Austria and Northern Ireland. Platini, Genghini, Giresse, Tigana ... and Krankl's Austria. France won their two matches (1-0 against Austria and 4-1 to Northern Ireland) and qualified for the semifinals. The meeting between Austria and Northern Ireland ended 2-2.
THE ROLLING STONES CONCERT IN 1982
The Rolling Stones concert held on July 7, 1982 is still considered one of the best to have been held in Spain. Under a spectacular storm, Mick Jagger et al gave a historical performance.
JULIO PRIETO'S GOAL AGAINST BAYER UERDINGEN
In the first leg of the semifinals of the Cup Winners Cup, Julio Prieto hooked a volley that slipped by Vollack in goal. Atletico won but went out in the next round to Dynamo Kiev.
RECORD SCORE AGAINST MALLORCA
The biggest win at the Vicente Calderon was a 7-0 against Mallorca in the 87/88 season. Alemao, Eusebio, Landaburu, Parra, Julio Salinas and two from Futre were the scorers.
BALTAZAR's HAT-TRICK AGAINST REAL
Throughout history there have been many good derbies. That of 88/89 at the Calderon was one of them. Baltazar had made it 2-0, but Real Madrid fought back to lead with goals from Schuster, Butragueno and Losada. Disappointment turned into joy again in the stands when Baltazar equalised with a free kick.
SEVILLA PLAY AT HOME AT THE CALDERON
Sevilla is another team that has played at home in the Vicente Calderon. It was in the 1989/90 cup run. The result of the second leg was annulled, the Competition Committee ruling that the match to be played back at the Calderon - which Sevilla won again.
DONATO ELIMINATES MADRID
Atletico knocked Real Madrid out in the second round of the Copa del Rey of 90/91. After drawing 1-1 at the Bernabeu, Donato decided the tie.
LUIS ENRIQUE BREAKS RESINO'S RECORDIn the 90/91 season there was a time when it seemed impossible to score a goal against Abel Resino. He kept his clean sheet for 1,275 minutes, 14 consecutive days, until Luis Enrique scored in Sporting's visit to the Calderon.
CUP SEMIFINAL AGAINST BARCELONA IN 1991
Atletico had won 2-0 at the Camp Nou with goals from Futre and Manolo, however, two goals from Salinas evened the tie and although Patxi Ferreira again put Atletico ahead before the break, with twenty minutes left, Koeman's goal gave Barcelona the lead on away goals. Manolo scored late on to send Atletico to the final and the Calderon into rapture.
THE DAY UNITED KNELT AT THE FEET OF ATLETI
Alex Ferguson's Manchester United was one of the great teams to suffer at the Vicente Calderon. It was in October 1991, in the second round of the Cup Winners' Cup. Futre, the great idol of the fans at the time, scored twice, while the third came via Manolo.
IMPOSSIBLE COMEBACK AGAINST CRUYFF'S BARCELONAA memorable match on October 30, 1993. It was the ninth day of the season and Barcelona visited the Calderon. With three goals from Romario, the scoreboard indicated a resounding 0-3 at the break. In the second half, Atletico came from behind and won the match with two goals from Kosecky, one of Pedro and the winner from Caminero. Pirri had also been sent off for the Rojiblancos. The images speak for themselves: players hugging and the supporters going crazy.
THE DAY REAL MADRID PLAYED AT HOME AT THE CALDERON
On March 12, 1994, Real Madrid played at home in the Vicente Calderon, after the Bernabeu was closed because of an orange thrown at a linesman in a cup game against Tenerife. Real beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2.
KIKO'S GOAL AGAINST SALAMANCA
After leading the league throughout the 95/96 season, Atletico almost threw it away in Week 40. Salamanca equalized on 84 minutes but with time running out Kiko received the ball, turned and hit a venomous shot that beat Aizpurua. The explosion of joy because of that goal was unforgettable.
THE DOUBLE: VICTORY OVER ALBACETEAtletico has won five league titles since the Vicente Calderon opened, and only two of them were in front of their own fans. The title of 95/96 was especially celebrated because it had been 19 years since the last. Simeone and Kiko scored to defeat Albacete leading to delirium in the stands. A perfect season had been completed, for a few weeks before Atletico had won the Copa del Rey against Barcelona.
VIERI'S GOALIn the season that he was at Atletico, everything Christian Vieri did turned to gold. Especially remembered is his goal against PAOK from an impossible angle. That day the Italian scpred three in the 5-2 win but one of them will be remembered forever.
FERNANDO TORRES' FIRST GOAL
Fernando Torres' first goal at the Vicente Calderon was not in the First Division, but in the Segunda. It was in the 2001/02 season, in a match against Jaen to open the scoring.
PROMOTION... BUT NOT AT HOME
Atletico expected to celebrate promotion on April 27, 2002 but had to win against Gimnastic, who ended up grabbing a 3-3 draw thanks to Tant's 89th minute equaliser. Leganes win in Huelva the next day meant the Rojiblancos would go up, so there was a party atmosphere - but held 24 hours later than it should've been.
OSASUNA SPOIL CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
On April 26, 2003, Atletico celebrated 100 years of existence and prepared a great feast before facing Osasuna. The festivities lasted until the game began, because on the pitch Osasuna won by Ivan Rosado's goal which killed the party spirit.
SPAIN V SLOVAKIA
Spain needed to win to qualify for World Cup 2006. The Calderon experienced one of the biggest nights in the career of Luis Garcia, who scored three goals against opponents Slovakia. Fernando Torres and Morientes made the final score 5-1.
BACK IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Atletico returned to the Champions League after eleven years beating Schalke04 in the qualifiers. The 1-0 first-leg loss was a dangerous result, but Sergio Aguero, with a goal and two assists, led the comeback in the second leg 4-0.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AGAINST PSV
In the 2008/09 Champions League, PSV won in a match that was played behind closed doors because of a UEFA sanction against Atletico. 2,000 fans stood outside the stadium and the scoreboards showed images of the them celebrating a goal as the Rojiblancos qualified for the knockout stages.
COMEBACK AGAINST PEP'S BARCELONA
Barcelona lost few games under Guardiola in 2008/09, when he won the treble, but Atletico showed once again that they were capable of beating the best. With two from Forlan and Aguero (the last in the 89th) Atleti had rallied to a 4-3 win.
COMEBACK AGAINST RECREATIVO IN THE CUP
It was the only time in history that Atletico has comeback from 3-0 down in the Copa del Rey. It happened in 2010. The rojiblancos won 4-0, Simao with the decisive goal.
EUROPA LEAGUE AGAINST LIVERPOOL... WITHOUT TORRES
Atletico were up against favourites Liverpool looking for a place in the final. The Reds were favourites but Atletico won the first leg 1-0, At Anfield Liverpool won 2-1 in extra time but Torres could not play either game because of injury.
SIMEONE'S DEBUT AS COACH
Like Aragones, Cholo's debut as coach of Atletico was away from home, a 0-0 draw against Malaga). In his first match at the Calderon he won 3-0 against Villarreal 3-0, with two goals from Diego Costa and one from Falcao.
EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIFINAL AGAINST VALENCIA
One of the first big games of Simeone's tenure was in Europe against Valencia, in the semifinals of the Champions League in 2012. The 4-2 (two from Falcao) achieved at the Calderon was the first step in reaching the final.
GUARDIOLA'S GOODBYE WITH A TITLE
Guardiola's last game as coach of Barcelona was the 2012 Cup final against Athletic Club. Two goals from Pedro and one from Messi gave Pep his fourteenth title in charge of the Catalans.
FIVE FOR FALCAO AGAINST DEPORTIVORadamel Falcao did something on December 9, 2012 that was not seen before, nor since. A footballer scoring five goals in the same game. Deportivo was the victim.
TRIBUTE TO LUIS ARAGONES AFTER HIS DEATH
On February 1, 2014 Luis Aragones died, perhaps the most important figure in the history of Atletico. The next day the club gave him a tribute before the game against Real with former teammates such as San Roman (who cried his eyes out), Rivilla, Calleja, Garate and Adelardo carrying a giant shirt with number 8 on the back. The 4-0 win saw Atleti top the league.
4-1 AGAINST MILAN
The seven-time European champion were put to the sword in a devastating display.Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern would follow...
PRESENTATION OF FERNANDO TORRESOn January 4, 2015, Fernando Torres' presentation was attended by 45,000 spectators at the Vicente Calderon who didn't want to miss the homecoming of El Nino'.
4-0 AGAINST MADRID IN 2014/15
There is no possible revenge for a defeat in a Champions League final, but Atletico avenged in some way the defeat in Lisbon. Tiago, Saul, Griezmann and Mandzukic scored the goals in an unforgettable evening for the red and whites.
PENALTIES AGAINST LEVERKUSEN AND PSV
The Calderon has witnessed two dramatic penalty shoot-outs in recent years, both in the Champions League and in the second round. Atleti were successful on both occasions against Leverkusen and PSV respectively.
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