Viral photos, fake news, blood and history: if after 50 years Estudiantes-Milan is the spaghetti western of modern football

The image of Nestor Combin, disfigured by the blows received during the intercontinental final Estudiantes-Milan, he immediately went around the world. The military had been with Argentina for three years Juan Carlos Ongania power and did not want to be seen as ugly, bad and losers. They served gods culprits, they will find three that will end up in a month prison. The game, played at Bombonera October 22 of fifty years ago, it was a massacre started in Milan two weeks before and ended precisely in a prison of Buenos Aires. At San Siro, Milan had won 3-0 (two goals from Sormani and goals from Combin), but the game for the Rossoneri had been simple only a level technical.

"We were waiting for the opponents on tunnel, before entering the field. Tapping the cleats on the floor, positioned parallel to our ordered row. Theirs captain he signaled to his companions, who shouted at us in the face battle cry. The impression is that they were pumped ", says the author of the two Rossoneri goals today. Then something happened in the field with Combin. "We are waiting for you in Argentine, deserter ”, they threatened him. Nestor was born in a village in the province of Santa Fe. With his family he soon moved into France, where he became a professional, even starting with the national. He had been in Italy for five years, Nereo Rocco had had it at Bull and brought it to the Milan. Few years ago Raul Madero, player of that Estudiantes and then official doctor of the seleccion of Bilardo is Maradona, he gave to Graphic an unpublished version: “Everything started from a provocation by Combin who told ad Aguirre Suarez: "In a month I earn what you take in two years." Then El Negro answered him: "In Argentina I will break your head".

TO Buenos Aires Suarez kept his promise. That Estudiantes was a team of provocateurs. He had built it Osvaldo Zubeldia, a coach who arrived five years ago a La Plata, without a large curriculum and with the team struggling in the lower part of the ranking. He aimed at the youths of the nursery, among whom the class of stood out Veron father, adding the midfielder to the group Bilardo and the attacker Conigliaro. Without thinking too much about the good game, they won a championship Argentine, an intercontinental and two Libertadores (they will reach three). The red and white fans went mad with joy, except the rest of theArgentine. That team had never happened before capital they had won so much and the kind of soccer played it was never fully appreciated.

"We went to Buenos Aires prepared by the warnings of the Mr. Rocco and the president Carraro – says Sormani. THE'Intercontinental it was the trophy we lacked and for us there was also a big one at stake prize match. For the whole race we received spitting, elbows and treads. We were good at not answering. At the Bombonera having seen what had happened at the outset we entered first, they followed us with a ball each, already an unusual thing, and they have kicked them all on. If the result was bad for us, I don't know how it would end. Certainly some punch I would have pulled him too ".

Milan scored at half an hour with Rivera, closing a game (almost) closed at the start. Then they scored forEstudiantes Conigliaro e Suarez. Two Argentine footballers Eduardo Manera it's the same Suarez were expelled, the latter for having brutally struck Combin. When the referee Massaro the end whistled, the nightmare continued. Nestor was in a sorry state: one mask of blood that he had fainted. He was however taken to the police station because he was considered a deserter, not having done military service in Argentine. It had already happened that Angelillo had missed South American tours and the free Miguel Longo he had not left with his Cagliari for the same reason. The Milan however he was informed to consulate where he had all the possible reassurances. Combin had carried out the civil service in France and would have run no risk. "Our managers were wrong – he says John Lodetti, in the field in both challenges – because it made no sense to risk, given the outcome of the first leg ".

It was a long and terrible night. Finally they released poor Combin and left for Milan all together. Lodetti then looked out of the window of the plane and made a liberating gesture ofumbrella. Meanwhile in Italy word had spread that in flight Pierino Prati, another one who came out badly from the meeting, was dead. The embrace with his wife who was desperately waiting for him Arrivals of Malpensa it was moving. Everything slowly settled for Milan, Rocco he was already beginning to think about the next championship match: "I will play all the games survivors", Played down as usual.

In Argentine instead things went badly for three players of theEstudiantes. The two expelled and the goalkeeper Poletti, who had particularly distinguished himself in violence during the game, were arrested. The nine of the Estudiantes Marcos Conigliaro, author of a goal also in the Intercontinental won the year before with the Manchester United, recalls: "The game was also a televison player Europe. The military wanted to set an example and arrested three of our own, including my great friend Poletti. The following year we played the final with the Feyenoord and the military entered ours locker room before the race, warning us that if there was any accident, we would all end up in prison".

Estudiantes fans were stationed for days in front of to the prison where the three players were locked up. Bilardo he went to see them as soon as he could. One day while crossing the gate said a phrase that remained in the jargon of futbol Argentine even 50 years later: “The glory o Devoto". Devoto, in fact, was the name of the Buenos Aires prison. In 1968 the general Ongania had received them at Casa Rosada to celebrate the victory over Manchester United, a year after three of his companions they had ended up behind bars. "In this country you have the glory if you win and Dutiful if you lose". Milan's players then don't enjoyed fully the victory for how it happened. It was only one sigh of relief for coming out of a nightmare. Almost all of them will meet in a few days restaurant Milanese to celebrate the anniversary. "I convinced everyone," he concludes Lodetti – even that head of Schnellinger… Rivera? No, obviously he does not believe us at his height ”.

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