October 28, 1959 ABC publishes the following: "Seven goals and yet people did not leave content. They are not yet enthused with their team. It is wiser not to exaggerate now when the winter comes, and wait. The good form of Puskas, who turned from gardener (last season) to land surveyor (current season), not to mention timely gunner, help a lot for one to be able to live with it". "Considering the period it took the former gardener (Puskas) -today a restless parade on the Madrid green- to adapt, we would need to give until next year for world champion Didí without protests nor booing. Lets be patient with his inhibitions, his trotting accompanying rival attackers until introducing them to the white defense. Lets let him follow with curious demeanor the fight and struggle of his teammates. Lets think that Real Madrid, a powerful team, wants to field a world champion, keep a guy in case a FK comes up 20-30 meters from the rival goal. In one word, lets have patience. Nobody doubts the class, catefory and football virtues of Didí. And lets keep in mind this year is his adaptation phase". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/10/28/073.html On the eve of the Madrid derby ABC writes this on November 1, 1959: "Atletico (youth and pace) vs Real Madrid (maturity and wisdom)" "The rojiblanco directives would have feared Mateos more than Didí in the white attack". "Can Atletico beat Real Madrid (fourth and first in La Liga at the time, respectively)? Doesnt look like an easy endeavor. However, a few days ago two notable Atletico executives told us: Please cheer for Didí these days. It would kill our chances if they benched him on Sunday and Mateos came out. In other words, the red-whites expect to take advantage of the gap Didí opens with his slowness to assault the Madrid system and win the hard match. Once again is set out the confrontation between vertiginous energy and rhythmyc technical superiority". "The only hole we see in RM is the one that opens between Herrera and Di Stéfano due to the coldness/indifference of Didí in his withdrawn position. As long as that gap is not filled there is the athletic possibility to infiltrate through it towards Dominguez". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/01/091.html
November 2, 1959 Game 8: Atl. de Madrid 3 - Real Madrid 3 Mundo Deportivo reports like this: "A good game in the first half that vanished due to ref decisions" Started out nervous but RM calmed down after their early goal. As time went by RM kept growing until Marquitos got sent off to then finish the first half with a similar play in the other box that was not sanctioned. In the second half with one less player and another one injured (Gento was visibly hurt) RM held its ground however it could to get the final draw (Atletico's third goal came in the last minutes). An unfair result for Real Madrid. "RM did not let Atletico take advantage of its physical inferiority. Then again, they could not do much themselves lacking an attack since Herrera took Marquitos' place and both Di Stéfano and Didí were very withdrawn in charge of defending the advantage achieved. Thus, the attack was reduced to Puskas and Gento, the latter hindered anyways". "Individually speaking, few stood out. Di Stéfano in first place, then Vidal for Madrid and the Atletico wingers. Worse of all Dominguez". (Since I am at it, about Vavá: "Vavá continues to fail at showing the category of the Vavá of 1958 in Sweden. Here in his current club he blurs out in unsuccessful attempts".) Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Lesmes; Vidal, Zárraga; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Puskas, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/02/pagina-4/1361998/pdf.html# La Vanguardia published this: "As we are used to see RM came out againt Atletico like they do against any other rival. Thus, we saw the 4-2-4 of Fleitas Solich. In my view in the preparation of any battle it is important to look at the tactic: but I also believe that it has to be elastic enough to adapt to the rival according to the circumstances; the rigid 4-2-4 tactic of Real Madrid I find absurd. Even the games RM wins they could win them more easily against weak opponents with a full forward line that, on top of things, is or must be one of the best in the world. With two true mids RM could score many more goals than it does. Until now for what I have seen at least, Didí in his withdrawn positioning as mid all he does is lose balls or pass them around rather poorly. On the other hand I feel two men, Lesmes and Zárraga, require replacements urgently. Dominguez if different for his moving on should not be due to seniority but to inefficiency. I do not recall seeing a full good match of him. This way I give my view on the failures of Real Madrid since after this match not many virtues of them can be talked about. The best, Di Stéfano, and every now and then Vidal until he got tired, Gento until he got injured and Puskas when he tried or could". http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1959/10/31/pagina-33/32739103/pdf.html?search=Didí
After this same game this is what ABC wrote: "Seven draw against thirteen" "If we consider the expulsion of Marquitos and the inutility of Gento and Lesmes (both injured) we find that Real Madrid became reduced to seven men that fought against the eleven of Atletico, which was at the same time reinforced by Dominguez, far more useful to the Atletico attack than to the Real Madrid defense, and the ref, the 13th player for Atlético this afternoon". How is it that seven players -among which was the hardly operating Didí- were able to salvage a game that seemed utterly lost and sustain themselves victors for over half an hour? Because Di Stéfano was once again the giant of his best days. Because he displayed the amazing ubiquity that allows him to become three defensive men and two in attack all in one person". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/03/074.html
November 7, 1959 After the second leg against the Luxemburgo side for the European Cup, obviously an easy win, this is what ABC says: "Di Stéfano is currently the genuine director and playmaker of the champion" It is a piece about the individual and collective problems of Real Madrid somewhat exposed in Luxemburgo. Starts by talking about keeper Dominguez because he has been rather weak in his performances so far. Says Vidal and Ruiz are a good couple of mids. About Didí: "Didí stayed in the dressingroom at the last minute. It seems to be the cold bothered him considerably much. Up to now we ignored it would be any dangerous to sink a chunk of ice in a barrel of icy water... It is very much talked about in certain media that the intention is to de-distefanize/un-distefinize Real Madrid. They say that the intention is to replace Di Stéfano's command for the Brazilian player. An inconceivable mistake in our view. Firtsly, because Di Stéfano is still at this moment a greater player than Didí. Secondly and more importantly, because a team like Real Madrid which needs to never forget its grit, which needs to possess a will of steel, which needs determination without faints for those matches that must not be lost... It cannot trust this mission to a man soft in character, to a man of intermittent performance, to an ace as marvelous as you want but unable to conquer his own inhibitions. If looking at the future forces to seek substitutes for Di Stéfano, because like every human being he too will reach a declining point, it will not be Didí the one able to take his place. And let it be clear that we are fully responsible for what we here state and by no means do we intend to offend or underestimate a footballer that even if it has yet not shown he must be an authentic champion". "Real Madrid should decide its tactical system taking Di Stéfano as its creative base seeking substitute for him not immediately but progressively, and having the inside right play in a way the right winger does not become isolated, a man we believe be Herrera for we can see (as opposed to Canario)". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/07/077.html
STATS of season 59-60: Didi played 19games LigaW14 D3 L2 = very good record Di Stefano played 23games W16 D4 L3 = very similar record as Didi Puskas played 24games Liga W17 D3 L4 = very similar record
November 9, 1959 Game 9: Real Madrid 1 - Sevilla 0 Mundo Deportivo reports like this: "Very little to note over 90 minutes of defficient play. Didí scored the only goal of the match. Manolín saved a PK taken by Puskas" Says expectations were not too optimistic since RM was missing Marquitos, Lesmes and Gento, plus Dominguez' poor form as of late. Sevilla could not put RM in trouble mainly due to the inefficiency of their forwards. RM had a discreet evening. The balance of the game is negative with very little quality to talk about. Didí's goal was a remarkable one. "Individualities to highlight were the six defenders of Sevilla and in its attack only the constant the work of Loren, more withdrawn this time than in his usual CF position. For Real Madrid would be Santamaría and Vidal, and up front Bueno of extraordinary debut in official match and promise of big things, and Di Stéfano, in constant action much like the already mentioned CF of the other team". Lineup: Dominguez; Pantaleón, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Puskas, Bueno http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/09/pagina-4/649928/pdf.html# On that same game the other source I have from Barcelona, La Vanguardia, says the following: "Didí won the game" "The famous Brazilian had another of those usual games of his since he plays for RM. This means that the famous Didí, in his withdrawn position which sometimes switched with Di Stéfano, did not recover well and did not pass much better either. Didí, who controls the ball impressively and shoots like no other, keeps losing the ball at the second dribble without showing the smallest ounce of heart in the struggle. Nevertheless, nobody can deny the game against Sevilla was won by Didí. In the 42nd minute Didí took a shot with incredible bend. Neither the public, the players nor the keeper thought it would go in, but it did. The goal was worth the ovation Didí received for it". Besides the PK Puskas missed there were two other, one for each team, that the ref did not call. http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1959/10/31/pagina-33/32740281/pdf.html?search=Didí
Meanwhile ABC has: Notes in the title that RM has regain the top spot in the league due to Barcelona's draw with Granada and says "(RM) Played a slow unexciting game beating 1-0 a Sevilla in great form" "Real Madrid, where the imagination seems to have taken a vacation, set out to play in their usual squeme. The left mid, this time Ruiz, set back so almost always is in line with the defenders, and Didí withdrawn as the electronic brains of the forward line. The fact that Di Stéfano, due to his free will, dropped even deeper than Didí and forced the Braizilian to position himself up front more than a few times does not refute the system for it is an anomaly unforseen and unwanted -in our view- by Mr Fleitas". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/10/053.html DIDÍ, PUSKAS AND DI STÉFANO "At first glance it may seem Didí was the best man in the Madrid attack. He even seemed quicker than in other occassions. However, such appearance is after all an illusion. The apparent quickness of the Brazilian is an optical illusion produced when comparing his movements with Di Stéfano's disenchanted perambulation -in radical inhibition most of the match- and with the highly limited intervention of Puskas in the game. In fact, Didí was as slow as always and having spent a lot of time up front he only shot three times on goal. One of them was scored. Then again, a goal of authentic phenomenon". "Puskas, in a performance full of boredom, he barely resembled the dangerous finisher of previous games. He worked little, ran even less and only twice unleashed his feared left foot". "Di Stéfano came out for a stroll. For the first time we have seen him refrain, hold back his tremendous passion for playing, seek for neutral grounds, transfer to Didí the full responsibility and task of finishing. Di Stéfano, knower of the exact spot for the corner kicks did not want to take it in none of the six opportunities the Sevilla defense conceded. What was it with the great player? We can guess it, but we do not think it is proper to say right now". They deem Santamaría as the best player that game. http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/10/054.html
November 13, 1959 There was another friendly/benefit game between Real Madrid and Manchester United, which the Spanish won 6-5. After that game ABC publishes this: REAL MADRID, A VULNERABLE TEAM "After the game Mr Fleitas Solich said "We scored six times, in Manchester we had scored another six... what else can you ask for?!" "The error of Mr Fleitas is tremendous, inconceivable and it triggers our purpose to comment on a certain aspect of the game. That of the goals conceded. As you all remember Atletico scored on RM three times. The extra-naive and extra-amateur Luxemburg side did it twice and now Man. Utd., five times. Ten goals in total. Evidently the white goal has become extremely vulnerable". Says that it is true there were some absencies in defense last game (though rather temporary ones), but they have exposed a lack of quality subs. Then again, when the starters play RM continues to concede goals with relative ease. Why is that? "In our view because right now RM barely plays at all in midfield. Didí never holds the rivals. He may be a genius as big as you want, but Didí at the moment trots curiously around the plays of the adversary never intervening in them. Since Vidal and particularly Santisteban are attacking mids, the rivals can perform one of the hardest manouvers in modern football: to cross the midfield zone quickly". (....) "Our conclusions: A) Sides of the defense must be reinforced. B) Must find a true insider (Didí is not) that can organize from behind but also defend, or go back to Di Stéfano as director of the game. C) Must occupy the midfield with a lateral mid able to launch the right winger and every now and then open the ball to the left wing. If these necessities are not complied with urgently (or otherwise quit the 4-2-4 to go back to the 3-3-4) Real Madrid will be suffering some tough times. In some of those the League can be lost, or the European Cup. He who warns is not a traitor". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/13/057.html
November 16, 1959 Game 10: Oviedo 1 - Real Madrid 1 Mundo Deportivo writes about it the following: "With the PK Oviedo was unfairly punished Real Madrid managed to snatch a draw" Says heavy rains during the previous days and even during the game had left the pitch like little less than a pond of mud. On the first half highlights talks about two great shots, one by Didí and another by Di Stéfano, both brilliantly saved by the Oviedo keeper. For the second half all that is said about either is that "Di Stéfano has completely given up the attack and became another mid". "The European champion has played a decent first half to then fade gradually during the second one. Very well did Dominguez, very bad the defenders particularly on the sides, feisty the mid line where Vidal rose higher than all other RM men. In attack, where as we said Di Stéfano never showed, the speed of Gento -well contained by Marigil- , some things by Mateos and the ease and power in Didí's shot". Lineup: Dominguez; Pantaleón, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Mateos, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/16/pagina-5/649975/pdf.html# On the same game ABC goes like this: "Inexistent Didí and Di Stéfano, brilliant Dominguez prevented the RM defeat" "(...) Ruiz in great shape infiltrating again and again the enemy lines, but all ball going lost due to the complete inhibition of Didí, the man that most suffered the horrible state of the field, and of Di Stéfano, completely faded. Only Gento and Herrera showed any interest..." "Nowhere to be seen up front, Di Stéfano and Didí are positioned in a quiet zone that they did not leave during the entire match". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/17/055.html "Didí and Di Stéfano gave the impressino they were abcent. Dominguez was actually the real star of the champion side". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/17/056.html
November 23, 1959 Real Madrid played a friendly against Malmoe, won 3-2 in Bernabeu. Mundo Deportivo says the Scandinavian side caused a positive impression. Real Madrid only fielded three of its regular starters (Marquitos, Vidal and Didí), but the Swedish team also was missing some players. "Didí, a bit withdrwan, was the orchestrator and delivered good passes which were well celebrated by the public like the one for Canario's second goal. A compensation for the booing he earned in other occassions due to his absolute lack of fighting spirit". http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/23/pagina-4/649387/pdf.html# ABC publishes the following regarding Didí's performance: "(...) Because despite his halo, which he has yet not justified here, the Brazilian Didí is uncapable of directing the game of the European champion even when the RM forward line has men that would not need a Didí to direct them and would handle themselves well with a much less reputed name behind them. All this showed in the first half but also the second". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/11/24/073.html
November 30, 1959 Game 11: Real Madrid 2 - Barcelona 0 Mundo Deportivo writes: "All in all, a RM playing with 3 or 4 men in attack and Barcelona with 2 or 3. With a much populated midfield and with men very eager to run counter attacks at the smallest opportunity.... and always cautiously, respecting/fearing the rival, particularly Barcelona". They vindicate Dominguez saying that the Argentine keeper so drastically critizised as of late was one of the keys of the RM win. He was perfect during the entire match. "About Didí it can be said that for 70 minutes he did nothing but cushion very well the ball and play walking -what a great signing for the Italians!- while he invariably gave the ball to the barcelonistas. To think that some complain Czibor plays only at times...! Didí did have, however, some good minutes which took place right before the second Madridista goal". "By the start of the second half it was clear that Gento kept doing his thing, was the one to look out for, that Di Stéfano was dealing with a bothersome groin and that Mateos was properly injured". The second goal came towards the end of the second half. Di Stéfano headed in a cross by Didí. Barcelona claimed it was offside. Some comments after the match. Di Stéfano left limping and said he pulled his right groin muscle during the first half, which took away from his performance and was surprised about the offside claims since "I came running from behind". Didí said it was an exhausting game due to the nerves, the instability of the victory due to the single goal until the second one came, a magnificent one, by the way, Alfredo's goal, and due to the state of the ball and pitch, extremely heavy. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/30/pagina-3/644078/pdf.html# http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/11/30/pagina-4/644079/pdf.html#
The same game is reported by ABC like follows: Says RM was the just winner of the duel and that it played with confidence boosted by the efficiency of its two young mids (Vidal and Ruiz) and the speed of Gento. "Without Di Stéfano's injury in the 10th minute of the first half, which hindered the performance of the superplayer, RM would have controlled the game with absolute authority. With Di Stéfano slowed down and Didí failing to fit/match his personal rhythym to that of the rest the game stayed unresolved until the end though with visible incline favoring RM, the constant owner of the initiative". "RM was lucky enought that as its men kept falling victims of injury -Di Stéfano, Mateos, Gento and Marquitos- others stepped up to take charge of the fight. Didí had 20 great minutes during the second half. (...) Vidal and Ruiz, heroes of teh day". DIDÍ, MASTER OF CEREMONIES "When in the second half Mateos was practically unusable and Gento had quit his role of pegasus, with Di Stéfano hindered by the effects of his injury, then Didí took (finally!) the master of ceremonies baton. The Brazilian played 20 minutes of great football flanked by a sparkling Herrera and the trio Vidal-Ruiz-Zárraga owner of uncontainable rhythym and stamina". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/01/067.html (continues in the following pages)
On the eve of Game 12 ABC publishes the following: The Real Madrid-Barcelona derby is such a relevant one that the press from other countries talk about it too. Such is the case in France and they publish some comments by a Jean Eskenasi from Paris. This guy writes that the Madrid-Barcelona is the most interesting match that can be seen in Europe and that Gento is the most beautiful attraction of European football. He was dazzled by the speed, energy and enthusiasm of the Madridista "new wave" (Herrera, Vidal, Ruiz and Mateos). The paper says they do not agree with some unimportant remarks made on Mateos and goes "Nobody messes with our Mateos!", but does not quote such remarks. He (Eskenasi) considers Didí, suffocated by the rhythym/pace, "a concert violinist cast away in an orchestra of gypsys" Rethacker is tougher with the Brazilian: "Didí had a catastrophic first half". Then some things about Mateos are said and the note ends like this: "We like it that these things are said about our friend Mateos. The small defects he has can easily be remedied. But his enthusiasm, courage and fever for the club are not easy to find. At least in virtuoso violinists." http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/06/110.html
December 7, 1959 Game 12: Valladolid 3 - Real Madrid 1 Mundo Deportivo: "Great performance by Valladolid and failure of the central (attacking) trio of Real Madrid" "The central attacking trio -Di Stéfano, Didí and Puskas- have played today like players of second or third division. Since Herrera has not been much either Gento has been the only one showing his usual form and became RM's leading voice". Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Puskas, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/12/07/pagina-4/643500/pdf.html# ABC says: "Real Madrid was more dominating but Valladolid was dangerous in the counter because the mids and Marquuitos were more interested in attacking than in defending". No specific comments on Didí not Di Stéfano. http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/08/074.html
December 9, 1959 Valencia plays a friendly against Olimpique Niza as tribute to Puchades. Was a 5-1 win for the Spanish side. About Didí, who played as inside left ABC writes: "Didí, who was having a good game, scored the third goal, a fantastic one after a grass grazing shot with a lot of power and bend". "At the 25th minute of the second half Valencia scored the fourth by way of Didí with an unstoppable shot that the French keeper barely managed to touch". Lineup (Valencia): Pesudo; Piquer, Quincoces, Mestres; Sendra, Puchades; Mano, Fuertes, Machado, Didí, Joel http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/09/073.html
Thank you James. Here goes the next bit. On Devember 13, right before the next game against Granada ABC writes the following: "Real Madrid counts on the advantage of having Granada pulling back against its own goal in Bernabeu, but has two dangers threatening them too: the lack of consistency when the defenders have to play with a lot of space around them, which they usually do wrong, and the suspect output/capacity of Di Stéfano and Gento, way too soon recovered from their injuries. In theory Didí has a great chance to shine but in practice it is probable that he will have a close marker and for what we know so far the Brazilian has not found a way to play the ball when tightly marked". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/13/109.html Some guy who signs "J.V.P." and I believe is the one always roasting Didí writes the following: "Our Atlético in unwilling to give its many fans a satisfaction, much like Vavá to score a goal. The fans must contain the joy they find in the disappointing performances of Real Madrid. We are in the so called top of the mud. In the muddy pitches crisis. With that consolation one can continue hoping. But Valencia, Zaragoza, Oviedo and the recent 'Pisuerga catastrophe' are too many calamities for nothing to change and continue claiming that the team 'responded'. Either Real Madrid makes a decision or the other contenders are going to outdo it in the claim of the top spot. Virtuosos are aplenty. What is needed is to shoulder the load, step up and not to leave it all to Gento's runs. The European champion has doctors to remedy the crisis. (...) But let it come already because the other will not sit around and wait. They are already after it. (...) The Brazilians won the WC in Sweden. Of those glories we keep feeding our tolerance over here. If Stockholm was not spoken about so much we would see Chamartín burn up for justified reasons. But the distant Sweden covers with veils and apologies an inability to adapt that even the blind can see. If local players were put up with the same way it is done with the imported ones labelled as magicians and football smarty-pants... if lost games and fading titles were tolerated in exchange for local player to gain experience and mature in two or three years we would have a very chauvinistic side. But not one trophy to show for. The bad thing is that the void of trophies can happen while giving time to the adaptation. And then we will not have one nor the other. And I hope we are wrong, but things march badly and a "black (*) horizon falls upon the future". * Thats a clear reference to Didí. Many times I speak of "the Brazilian" the paper actually says "el negro". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/13/112.html
December 14, 1959 Game 13: Real Madrid 6 - Granada 0 Mundo Deportivo says: "The mids were the pillars of the victory and the winger were the executants" "In good portion was this 6-0 win Granada's own fault. Making things easy for a RM even when there was in their attack a Mateos that was today almost non-existent and even a Di Stéfano in an evening where the exceptional player was not able to show his classic interventions, perhaps because he did or was cautious not to aggravate his not yet healed groin injury. But Gento and Herrera were enough to animate the game...(...) If they were the executatns of the win (scored 4 of the 6 goals) the artifices were Vidal and Ruiz who dominated from start to end on the field re-living their performances against Barcelona". "The good call of this RM performance was in Didí as he opened the game to the wings possibly realising the poor practical result of the inside trio -including himself- to finish". Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Mateos, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/12/14/pagina-5/1353117/pdf.html# ABC publishes this: "Of RM Gento was the brightest and most active of all, followed by Ruiz, Santamaría and Dominguez. Di Stéfano reserved himself a lot. Mateos was not sharp. Didí improved his rhythym and intervention notably". Then there is graph with the shots taken by each team. Granada took 16 shots, 8 in and 8 out. Real Madrid took 30 shots, 14 in and 16 out. If you open the link you can see who took the shots and their aim. http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/15/073.html
On the eve of the following game ABC writes: "Can Real Madrid get past the marking of Real Sociedad and the weight of the mud that will stiffen Didí and slow down Di Stéfano, apparently very short of strengths, and Gento, tired of all the useless running in Parque de los Príncipes?" Then about Rial possibly taking Mateos' place as he suffered a minor hit last game. http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/20/109.html
December 21, 1959 Game 14: Real Sociedad 1 - Real Madrid 3 According to Mundo Deportivo: "The expulsion of Alquiza and the terrible refereeing of Birigay, primary factors in the loss of Real Sociedad" Says the pitch had been in good conditions as the rain had stopped early enough to have time to make it good. First Madrid goal was in minute 44, two minutes after Alquiza was sent off for reacting to a violent foul by Marquitos. MD says the call by the ref was unfair and exaggerated. For the second half Real Sociedad lost its impulse and Real Madrid dominated playing counter attack, with Di Stéfano withdrawn as center mid (sometimes among the defenders). The attack in the second half (at the counter) led by Gento on the wing and Didí playing up front (switched with Di Stéfano). "The best of Madrid were Dominguez, Santamaría, Di Stéfano, Herrera, Gento and Didí". Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Mateos, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/12/21/pagina-4/643582/pdf.html# ABC publishes this: "On Real Madrid's side Dominguez and Santamaría stood out; the mids were correct and up front Herrera, Gento and Mateos; Didí was fine and Di Stéfano reserved himself/held himself back". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/22/073.html
December 28, 1959 Game 15: Real Madrid 2 - Las Palmas 0 Mundo Deportivo writes: About the terrible state of the pitch that most likey caused all of the RM team to play too relaxed, helped by the fact they scored early too (in the very first minute). Nobody was too much into the game except Gento in the first half and Herrera in the second. But neither of them nor Didí were lucky with some shots (great goal by Didí and one barely saved by the keeper). Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Lesmes; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Puskas, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1959/12/28/pagina-4/645532/pdf.html# ABC publishes: "It was noticeable the the commendable effort by Didí to learn how to play -him being used to the solidity of the Brazilian pitches- in a new element of thick state (the muddy fields)". Talking about the individualities says it would be unfair to highlight any in a game were they all were so relaxed. Nobody was too keen in it except Gento, Herrera and Marquitos, these three more "into it" than the rest. http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1959/12/29/074.html
January 4, 1960 Game 16: Betis 1 - Real Madrid 0 Mundo Deportivo has this: "The hosts put together a formidable collective performance and neutralized the madridista efforts" "Betis sacrificed 3 men to neutralize the undeniable individual virtues of Gento and Di Stéfano". Says Isidro on the right minded Gento and Rojas, the Betis CF took care of Di Stéfano when he dropped deep while followed by Areta. Says Di Stéfano moved a lot to lose his markers but they switched on him (Rojas and Areta) very well all game. Nothing about Didí is said. Lineup: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaría, Zárraga; Vidal, Ruiz; Herrera, Didí, Di Stéfano, Mateos, Gento http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1960/01/04/pagina-4/1362140/pdf.html# ABC publishes this: "Vidal, gigantic, and Gento did not have the help of the white forwards" Some good plays by Didí and Gento in the last 15 minutes when RM tried to "wake up". Di Stéfano hit the crossbar from a FK. They highlight the pace and focus of Betis that earned them the very well deserved win. Vidal was without a doubt the best player of the game. "Key men in the attack like Didí, Di Stéfano and Mateos have not stood up, and if Gento was the only one dangerous enough to bring trouble to the Betis defense he did not find proper help in his attacking partners". http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1960/01/05/055.html