One of the most important players in the history of Atletico Madrid was Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre, and he played a pivotal role in matches against Real Madrid.
He arrived as a Silver Ball winner, with a European Cup under his arm, and became a star for the Rojiblancos in the 1980s.
The Portuguese spoke with MARCA and shared some of the juiciest anecdotes of those electrifying duels with Madrid.
A different history without VAR
"That is history, but facing the future it is just as important that Atleti break the psychological barrier of being beaten by their eternal rival in a European final. Since that day a new chapter has begun in the Madrid derbies and I know that Diego Simeone's men will play on Saturday without the ghosts of the past, just as we broke the psychological barrier with that win in 87 and set a turning point. Just look at the numbers: in total, I played eight times against Real Madrid at home, and three of them we won 4-0, 3-0 and the mythical final of 92. I won three derbies at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and it would have been more if VAR existed!"
4-0 win in the first derby
"I had a lot of pressure because a few months before I had been the most expensive signing in history after Maradona. I had a great season with Porto, with a great performance in the Champions League final against Bayern. I had already played a good game against Barcelona at the Camp Nou a few days before, and I was one of the big favourites for the Ballon d'Or, but the confirmation had to be against Real Madrid - and it could not have gone better. On my debut at the Santiago Bernabeu, 4-0 with two assists and a goal, with a defining performance against Paco Buyo and the Quinta del Buitre. All that pressure and responsibility that was on me disappeared, it was my way of punching the table and saying: Here I am, gentlemen! This is Atletico Madrid!"
Leaving the stadium in police vans
"As an anecdote, something happened that night and it was the only time I experienced it in my entire career: leaving the stadium in police vans. There was no way to go by bus, people were entrenched outside, it looked like a war scene. It was very early in the morning, so finally they decided that the team would leave in five or six police vans."
Breaking the mental barrier
"That was very important because of the psychological value, as I arrived after several years of cursed derbies. Just as the current team have done by winning the European Super Cup against Real Madrid. It's incredible and historic to beat the European champions and be crowned as the great King of Europe."
muoadelmor
0
remember every coin have two side
Lionaire
0
The antis show again that winning PAPA REAL MADRID is like winning a title. For the Real Madrid players there are 3 points and some laughs ... well, the laughs are all year round.
😂😂😂I remember ur cry at supercup and for the past 4 years at bernabeu..u cant even win against us on your home😂
Lionaire
0
Well..real madrid used to hire refs..so..all about money..now that var is here..derby is atletis !
WasimRaz
0
He is correct i thing........
M_B-7
0
Is that the hubbub and the consensual violence with which Madrid plays, has ended with the VAR. How do they know. They and the barcelona are not going to stop to discredit the VAR that takes away their benefits (20-30 points every season).
Last season Madrid lost 15 points because of bad Refereeing but no one bats an eye. Retards.
hamaka
0
Is that the hubbub and the consensual violence with which Madrid plays, has ended with the VAR. How do they know. They and the barcelona are not going to stop to discredit the VAR that takes away their benefits (20-30 points every season).
Barnhart
1
The antis show again that winning PAPA REAL MADRID is like winning a title. For the Real Madrid players there are 3 points and some laughs ... well, the laughs are all year round.
Footballlimr
1
If there had been var ...... you would not have played half of what I played for the theatre
oldesthle
0
In Spain it is normal for them to win the league, Barcelona or Real Madrid .. but now they will have to win it with more sweat, because the VAR will cut their arbitration aids as always ..
Carlcrain
0
always crying, they say that they would take two champions with the var and the truth is that they would be the same, with none because they had not reached the final, and in the first at minute 5 with one less by wild template of koke, if memory you have very little
fangchang
0
always crying, they say that they would take two champions with the var and the truth is that they would be the same, with none because they had not reached the final, and in the first at minute 5 with one less by wild template of koke, if memory you have very little
Proshkin
0
And some champion too, the abuses then in favor of Madrid were unbearable, more or less as it has been the last. Years in favor of Barcelona, that everyone knows. Now I do not see arbitration abuse if some referees with clear hobbies against certain teams, Var is the worst nightmare for Barça and it will be for Madrid. In Europe, because it is not enough to be better, you have to be refereeing fairly and that will match the competitions a lot.
Dianaa
0
There is one obvious thing, another is to want to publicly acknowledge .. but the VAR, it is known that with their application the most damaged teams would be Barcelona and Real Madrid .. because they have always benefited from the doubt ..
badly
0
At my Atleti I will encourage ... to give everything I have, to take you to victory would give until my last breath.
doltish
0
The thing about RM traps is not new. Apparently it is the custom. With the VAR for a lot of champions in the museum.
Wendydemi
0
The Pateti crying since time immemorial jajajja a club that believes something and that his only success is gaanr a shot once in a while and some derby
idleness
0
At the time. But Madrid with var is not going to scratch so much anymore
Brandonjick
0
Futre the best player that Atlético has had, that I have seen
Nicholasly
1
You can not imagine how good this player was ... I laugh at the "The Best" ...
Safariy
0
How well this player would have come, to the teams of today who like to play on counterattack ..
Possibly
0
Juas, now everyone would win more with the VAR against Madrid but the one that is benefiting is Madrid.
book
0
Legend has it that if you get into the traps, desperate hordes come calling you envious, anti, loser for being a soccer team, bilious ...
boosters
0
Throughout the world it is known which is the most thief team in Europe ...
Defenses
0
And if I had put the correct numbers of the primitive would be millionaire.
pplive
0
and if the matches lasted until the 91st minute, the Pateti would have a champions, but the 92nd minute there remains ....
bonding
0
As culé, this was the best player in the history of Atleti, I think he won the Champions League with his Porto in a magical night of an Algerian who can not remember the name, something like madjer.
DallasDK
0
And two Champions would have the Atleti with the ...
ORUVAL2
3
Same as the VAR would have helped Madrid in other matches where they were cheated. They are always two sides to everything... it could as well as It couldn't.