“When you look back on the history and you see what Real Madrid did for United after Munich … it’s incredible.”
Manchester United’s tragedy and history changed forever the following season, when the Munich Air Disaster wiped out most of the starting line-up and rocked the club to its core. Unsurprisingly, a makeshift, young United outfit were defeated by Milan in the semi-finals, who in turn were defeated by Madrid, the eventual winners. The Madrid president, Bernabéu, dedicated the trophy to United, and even offered the trophy to the club, who refused.
Bernabéu wanted to go further, and offered Madrid’s most prized asset, the most coveted player in the world – the great Alfredo Di Stéfano – to United the following year. All parties had agreed to a short-term loan deal being accepted, but astoundingly the Football Association blocked the move in the belief that it would halt the progress of a British player.
Bernabéu, and Madrid, were not perturbed in their efforts to help. They made a memorial pennant with the names of the Munich dead, called ‘Champions of Honour’, which was sold in Spain to raise money for United. They offered the use of their lavish facilities to the injured and families of the deceased for free, and then arranged a series of fundraising friendlies between the clubs.
These friendlies were an incredible gesture by Madrid, helping their great rivals back on their feet following one of the greatest sporting tragedies ever. Busby’s rebuilding process oversaw triumphs in the FA Cup and then the league. Fittingly, the 1968 European Cup victory was exactly a decade on from Munich, and saw them defeat Madrid in the semi-finals before lifting the trophy. Bernabéu remarked: “If it had to be anyone, then I am glad it was them.”
Manchester United’s tragedy and history changed forever the following season, when the Munich Air Disaster wiped out most of the starting line-up and rocked the club to its core. Unsurprisingly, a makeshift, young United outfit were defeated by Milan in the semi-finals, who in turn were defeated by Madrid, the eventual winners. The Madrid president, Bernabéu, dedicated the trophy to United, and even offered the trophy to the club, who refused.
Bernabéu wanted to go further, and offered Madrid’s most prized asset, the most coveted player in the world – the great Alfredo Di Stéfano – to United the following year. All parties had agreed to a short-term loan deal being accepted, but astoundingly the Football Association blocked the move in the belief that it would halt the progress of a British player.
Bernabéu, and Madrid, were not perturbed in their efforts to help. They made a memorial pennant with the names of the Munich dead, called ‘Champions of Honour’, which was sold in Spain to raise money for United. They offered the use of their lavish facilities to the injured and families of the deceased for free, and then arranged a series of fundraising friendlies between the clubs.
These friendlies were an incredible gesture by Madrid, helping their great rivals back on their feet following one of the greatest sporting tragedies ever. Busby’s rebuilding process oversaw triumphs in the FA Cup and then the league. Fittingly, the 1968 European Cup victory was exactly a decade on from Munich, and saw them defeat Madrid in the semi-finals before lifting the trophy. Bernabéu remarked: “If it had to be anyone, then I am glad it was them.”
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