Coming up a final review of Di Stefano’s domestic season. In addition, right after the season ended, Di Stefano and Real Madrid would play in the Copa Latina or Latin Cup, which was a prestigious predecessor to the European Cups. It involved only the Latin champions of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Cup
Friendly 17/04/1955 Oporto 5-2 Real Madrid Stadium: Oporto, Portugal 40 thousand turned out to witness their home side trash the Spanish league champs 5-2. The only goals from Madrid were scored and set up by Di Stefano. Now Madrid would prepare for the Latin Cup, Di Stefano’s first true test outside of Spanish fields. Summary: 1 goal, 1 assist https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550419-47.html
Friendly 16/05/1955 Real Madrid 2-2 Botafogo (Brazil) In the last preparations for the Latin Cup, Madrid took on a Brazilian club, Botafogo. It was a match where Garrincha did not play but Dino shined for the visiting team. For Madrid, twice Di Stefano had set up goals when the Brazilians had the lead. Now Madrid would travel to Paris to compete in the Latin Cup. Summary: 2 assists https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550517-55.html
Latin Cup Semifinals 22/06/1955 Real Madrid 2-0 Os Belenenses Stadium: Parc des Princes, France In this mini tournament of 4 teams, 30 thousand turned out to witness the “favorites” Real Madrid defeat the Portuguese champions. ABC Madrid headlined: “Gento was the best player, and Zárate and Pérez the scorers” ABC Madrid wrote, “The 30,000 spectators who had come to see Di Stéfano, Rial and Matateu, announced by sports critics in Paris as the top "stars" of the night, were met with the unexpected presence of a player who shone like a real star — perhaps as those wandering stars who sometimes pass very fast by the firmament — by galloping through his band avoiding obstacles, pushing the ball decisively, without hesitation: Gento, the predicted "boy" of my admired JVP, who by far was the best man in the game - and the most suitable representative of that football, made of shining reflections, physical force, and love of the great whiplash, the motive "of the very fast" sprint " , followed by the shot, which is the supreme synthesis of what football as a sport represents.” About Alfredo, ABC Madrid said this: “Di Stéfano, the juggler whom everyone wanted to see, was rarely in the dangerous zones, and only on rare occasions did he show glimpses of his admirable technique. Therefore, Gento, the stubborn man with the lighter feet, remained as the figure of this meeting of extinguished stars.“ The Portuguese side was truly outclassed and only one team showed up: Real Madrid! Mundo Deportivo wrote, “The game was rough (...) The best players for Madrid were Rial, Gento, Di Stefano and Lesmes.” Now Real Madrid would play in the final for the crown vs Stade de Reims. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/06/23/pagina-5/629520/pdf.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550623-55.html
Latin Cup Final 26/06/1955 Stade de Reims 0-2 Real Madrid Stadium: Parc des Princes, France And so Di Stefano would conclude the season with another trophy. ABC Madrid headlined: “In a match played in an admirable way by the whole team, Rial scored two goals, one in each half” “Zárraga completely shut down the dangerous French striker Kopa” “The whole team played well. There is no qualms to put on this occasion to the game played by the Real Madrid. Madrid chose a solid system and brought it out without hesitation. It was prudent and elastic. Combined well, it annulled the most dangerous man, who was far from being the irresistible destroyer who unraveled the Milanese lines a few days earlier, Kopa, and knew how to impose at almost every moment the safe and constant cadency against the throbbing, irregular and very boisterous, of the rapid team of Reims. This admirable building, with a more practical than brilliant game, was built on an impeccable performance of the eleven white players, which can be summarily reflected like this: ALONSO (goalkeeper): He stopped with excellent style and safety the five or six direct shots that went against his goal and was very successful on several occasions when he was quick and decided to cut deep forays by the French strikers. NAVARRO. He did one of his characteristic matches. Lively. Very sure in the cut and with the background and energy of always to launch the attack and become, when the opportunity was good, another forwards. OLIVA. The central defender totally surpassed his median performance of the match against the Portuguese. Well placed on the ground, he tirelessly cut the combinations that Bliard and Glowackiy attempted and was quick and effective in clearing. He replaced Lesmes with advantage. He was a quick man, able to regain ground effectively, bluntly cutting off the incursions of the French right wing, and very sure of the old man. MUNOZ. He made one of his great matches. Once again the owner of the long stride that characterizes his rested and intelligent game, most of the encounter was the great pawn of connection between the forward and retreating movements. He had a very good time and knocked on the door a few times, because he preferred to serve him at all times from the best place. ZÁRRAGA. He made a memorable match, he was in charge of the very difficult ballot to stop Kopa and if he did not succeed at all times, he could follow him in his actions and prevent him from being more dangerous in his intelligent passes to the front. From the middle of the second phase, already there was no lesser name in the center of the field than Zá-. rraga. The prodigious French striker (Kopa) sunk with fatigue, had practically disappeared. MOLOWNY. Unknown of faculties and will, he played very well at the forefront as a forward and sometimes as an interior and had energy to go frequently in aid of the defense and look for rear-guard balls to inject into their teammates. PÉREZ PAYA. A hard worker, resisting the fatigue of tireless work, he created many dangerous situations and was a constant cause of concern for Jonquet. Despite not having been lucky when it came to scoring goals, he was one of the most outstanding men in the front. DI STÉFANO. Tonight the Argentinian battering ram returned for his privileges. In addition to doing an enormously practical job, creating play in the midfield and infiltrations at the forefront, he was the author of five or six of his characteristic moves, based on the brilliant "print" and the extremely intelligent penetration through the smallest gap that occurred in the adversary defense. RIAL: As always, the practical Madridista interior was one of the props of victory. He played a lot in the center of the field, he had a good time in the forward zone and he was opportune and very intelligent to score the two goals of the Madrid victory. GENTO: The left winger confirmed the enormous impression that his game against the Belenenses had produced on the public. Flashing with speed, determined in the incursions, precise in centering and always dangerous in the shot, the "boy" confirmed that at the moment he is the best left winger in Spanish football. [Stade de Reims and their performance] “The French, accepting defeat made a very notable match. The men who stood out were Jonauet, who fought unfailingly against the combined efforts of the Madrid central team, and was a very sure prop in the center of the "Reims" area. Penverne made a dry, effective game, without brilliance, very well helped by the middle wing Siatka, another of the deaf, but effective men, of the French team. Kopa, always the most dangerous man, showed off his disconcerting dribbling and his very quick intelligence, to produce the holes and give the ball to his teammates; but it was exhausted before the Zárraga tidal wave and he sank definitively in the second half, leaving the French team dismantled. The rest of the men showed their quality in momentary gusts; but after the twenty minutes of the second half, the fatigue produced by the rhythm of Madrid and the extensions played days before in his match against Milan, the referee-Portuguese, Mr. Campos, did a discrete job. A gesticulant with excess, he sometimes gave the impression that Madrid's manly game was harder than it was for a correct conduct, and it had some unfavorable flaws in our colors, which may be debatable but within these notes, the grades that can be applied is excellent.” After the match various people in the presidential, political circles gave their opinions, as well as some players. The ambassador of Spain, Count of CasaRojas: "It was a colossal encounter. Madrid have followed the same tactics as Reims in their match against Milan. It has been a great injection that has authenticated the value of Real Madrid in European football and demonstrated the class and the technique that the Spanish clubs possess. Congratulations to the players, and also their Board of Directors. Don Pablo Hernández Coronado, from the Royal Spanish Football Federation:" The win has been fair. Madrid has played very well, with more style than the Reims A style that here does not like, but which is the most effective of all Central Europe. The defense and attack have been the most notable of Real Madrid in this night. Don Ricardo Cabot, Secretary General of the Spanish Federation:" Madrid has honored the Spanish representation. It has been one of the best matches I have seen them play. My most enthusiastic congratulations. Don Benito Pico, vice president of the Real Madrid:" I think Madrid has been the best team in the Copa Latina. They have not conceded any goals in the two games played and the numbers are more than eloquent than the words. “Don Carlos Arjona, secretary of RealMadrid:" I am excited. The boys, just like in Caracas, have achieved a great triumph and it is not to record the joy we have when Real Madrid achieved the second victory in an international tournament. Don Raimundo Saporta, treasurer of Real Madrid:" I suppose that the official Spanish sports organizations will be satisfied with Madrid's performance in the Copa Latina. The members of the Real Madrid must be proud of the coach Villalonga and also of the players, for their brilliant victory. Don Félix Fernández, manager of RealMadrid:" I cannot say anything, because the excitement and nerves do not leave me. "Tabares da Silva, Portuguese national soccer coach. Before the game he told us:" Madrid will win. "After the match, he stressed:" My forecast was fulfilled. Juan Antonio Ipiña, technical delegate of Real Madrid: "It has been a deserved triumph. Madrid has done more on the field and has shown that they not only have enthusiasm and fury, but also technique. Ben Barek:" I have seen Real Madrid play many games, but like this late in the Princes Park, never. Reims have played exactly the same as against Milan, and Madrid have surpassed them. I have come here to change the locker room to congratulate all the players from Madrid, who are very close to me. "In the Reims' booth there was a silence, won very well. It was a deserved victory. It was also a good match. Our players have been a little tired, but I am happy with the performance of the team. Sinibaldi (Stade de Reims goalkeeper): “I was very worried throughout the match with Rial and Di Stefano but he was not very marked by Jonquet, but, nevertheless, the Madrid center forward was better this afternoon than last Tuesday. Madrid's players are tough. The game was very important and I liked Madrid, because it has proven to be the best team in the competition. Paúl Nicliolas (French FA president) “It was a good and deserved victory. The best of the teams has been Real Madrid tonight. They have deserved to win by three or four goals difference over the Stade de Reims.” https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550628-35.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550628-36.html Mundo Deportivo headlined how magnificent the White team played, with Molowny standing out above even Gento or Di Stefano, who alternated between centre-forward and midfielder. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/06/27/pagina-3/629542/pdf.html Courtesy of ABC Madrid:
With that last game I will wrap up with a final review of Di Stefano’s season in numbers and performances. Stay tuned.
Sorry, it seemed Di Stefano had his hands on the first goal, technically awarded him an assist, as per the video footage and description in the texts. Summary: 1 assist
A brief summary of Di Stefano’s second year at Real Madrid. La Liga campaign: This Real Madrid side was stronger than the previous season, powerful in attack and solid defensively (the strongest attack + defense in the league). This time Di Stefano, although putting up great numbers, produced the opposite impression than the previous season. If in his first year it took him halfway through the season to adapt and become the best player, this time in contrast his second half to this season tailed off a bit. He had more lackluster performances than in his first season. Nevertheless, still a spectacular and successful campaign, with some very high performances. Latin Cup Real Madrid were too strong for their rivals. Di Stefano played better the final than in the semifinal, but again, the whole team was stacked in all areas, and when you have a great supporting cast, the job becomes so much easier. Coming up a summary of all statistical production of Alfredo during this 1954-55 season that was covered.
Overall summary of Alfredo Di Stefano matches 1954-55 I have put in red the friendly matches and the Latin Cup in blue to differentiate from the league matches and in bold the goals and assists. 1954-55 Friendly 29/08/1954 Real Murcia 0-6 Real Madrid 1 goal Friendly 05/09/1954 Real Madrid 9-1 Hércules 1 goal La Liga 12/09/1954 Real Madrid 1-2 Valencia La Liga 19/09/1954 Real Sociedad 1-3 Real Madrid 1 goal (penalty), 1 assist La Liga 26/09/1954 Real Madrid 7-0 Las Palmas 3 goals, 1 assist La Liga 03/10/1954 Hércules 1-1 Real Madrid 1 assist La Liga 10/10/1954 Real Madrid 4-1 Málaga 1 goal Friendly 12/10/1954 Real Madrid 6-1 Rott-Weiss 2 goals La Liga 17/10/1954 Sevilla 1-0 Real Madrid La Liga 24/10/1954 Real Madrid 3-0 Santander La Liga 31/10/1954 Alavés 2-4 Real Madrid 1 goal La Liga 07/11/1954 Real Madrid 3-1 Atlético de Bilbao 1 assist La Liga 14/11/1954 Español 1-3 Real Madrid 2 goals (1 with his left foot) La Liga 21/11/1954 Real Madrid 3-0 Barcelona 1 goal (penalty) 1 assist La Liga 28/11/1954 Celta de Vigo 1-1 Real Madrid La Liga 05/12/1954 Real Madrid 5-1 Deportivo La Coruña 2 goals Friendly 08/12/1954 Benfica 0-2 Real Madrid 1 goal, 1 assist La Liga 12/12/1954 Real Madrid 1-0 Atlético de Madrid La Liga 19/12/1954 Valladolid 0-1 Real Madrid Friendly 22/12/1954 Real Madrid 5-3 Atlético Bilbao 1 goal (header) La Liga 26/12/1954 Valencia 1-3 Real Madrid 2 goals La Liga 02/01/1955 Real Madrid 1-1 Real Sociedad La Liga 09/01/1955 Las Palmas 1-1 Real Madrid La Liga 16/01/1955 Real Madrid 3-0 Hércules 2 goals, 1 assist La Liga 23/01/1955 Málaga 3-1 Real Madrid 1 goal (free kick) La Liga 30/01/1955 Real Madrid 3-1 Sevilla La Liga 06/02/1955 Santander 0-4 Real Madrid 1 goal La Liga 13/02/1955 Real Madrid 4-1 Alavés La Liga 20/02/1955 Atlético de Bilbao 2-0 Real Madrid La Liga 27/02/1955 Real Madrid 5-1 Español 4 goals (1 free kick) La Liga 06/03/1955 Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid La Liga 20/03/1955 Real Madrid 5-1 Celta de Vigo 1 goal (header) La Liga 27/03/1955 Deportivo La Coruña 3-3 Real Madrid 1 goal La Liga 03/04/1955 Atlético de Madrid 2-4 Real Madrid 2 goals (1 header) La Liga 10/04/1955 Real Madrid 1-0 Valladolid Friendly 17/04/1955 Oporto 5-2 Real Madrid 1 goal, 1 assist Friendly 16/05/1955 Real Madrid 2-2 Botafogo (Brazil) 2 assists Latin Cup Semifinals 22/06/1955 Real Madrid 2-0 Os Belenenses Latin Cup Final 26/06/1955 Stade de Reims 0-2 Real Madrid 1 assist Summary La Liga: 30 games 25 goals + 6 assists Latin Cup: 2 games 0 goals, 1 assist Friendlies: 7 games 7 goals + 4 assists Total: 39 games 32 goals + 11 assists Real Madrid scored 80 goals in the league and Di Stefano converted and assisted on 31 out of those 80 = 38 percent of the team's goals. 2 of his goals came from the penalty spot and 2 with his head and he scored 2 from the free kick. He was runner-up as the top league scorer of the season.
In 1983 Gazzetta dello Sport made a poll utilizing 12 European managers of the highest order about the best European Ballon d’Or winner from 1956-1983. Some of those qualified managers consisted of Helenio Herrera, Nils Liedholm, Paisley, Muñoz, Van Himst, Ferruccio Valcareggi... All agreed that Di Stefano was the best with the exception of Paisley, who voted for Bobby Charlton. Di Stefano was unanimously viewed as the best player of the past 30 years and according to Van Himst, Belgian’s Anderlecht manager, there was no logic in comparing Di Stefano to Pelé as the greatest ever, since “technically Alfredo was perfect, he had an overwhelming efficiency, to direct and score at the same time, which makes it inadmissible to compare him with the Brazilian”. Helenio Herrera said, “I have no doubt Alfredo is the greatest of all-time (...)” El Gráfico mentioned this article that Gazzetta dello Sport published around the end of 1983.
So the 1955-56 season would bring the introduction of the European Cup, which consisted of elimination playoffs right from the first round. This was also the first year of France Football’s Ballon d’Or. Next season coming up!
Friendly 28/08/1955 Córdoba 6-12 Real Madrid Real Madrid. — Juanito González (Visa), Navarro, Marquitos, Lesmes; Muñoz, Atienza (Manolín); Molowny; Pérez Paya, Di Stéfano (Marsal), Rial and Gento. Córdoba. — Montes (Segóvia); Navarro, José Luis, Alfaro; Encinas, Joaquín; Padrón, Quintín, Uribarren, Luisito and Fustero. Yes, that was the score line with 18 goals in one match. The match was against a lower 3rd division side in the Southern part of Spain in Andalusia. Probably the most interesting part is how Córdoba were allowed to put 6 goals past the champions. Di Stéfano played less than 45 minutes and scored 1 goal and set up another. Summary: 1 goal (header), 1 assist https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550830-32.html
European Cup (First Round) 08/09/1955 Servette 0-2 Real Madrid (1st leg) Stadium: Parc des Sports de Charmilles, Ginebra, Switzerland Spectators: 7000 SERVETTE FC, 0; REAL MADRID, 2. Goles: 0-1 (74′) Muñoz. 0-2 (89′) Rial. Servette FC: Toni Rüesch; Rudolf Gyger, Gilbert Dutoit, Franz Josefowsky; Charles Casali, Werner Kaelin; André Nagy, Charles Kunz, Hanspeter Friedländer, Francis Anker, Bernard Coutaz <entrenador: Karl Rappan>. Real Madrid CF: Juanito Alonso; Joaquín Navarro, Joaquín Oliva, Rafael Lesmes; Miguel Muñoz, José María Zárraga; Luis Molowny, José Luis Pérez-Payá, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Héctor Rial, Francisco Gento <entrenador: José Villalonga>. Reservas: Juanito González (p), Marquitos Alonso, Ángel Atienza y Joseíto Iglesias. Newspaper of Marca: “Real Madrid's constant dominance game against a very defensive Servette. Real Madrid did not take advantage of some occasions in the first half that, had they been successful, would have greatly facilitated the Spanish game. Instead, the Swiss made several counterattacks that Juanito Alonso solved well. Gento played much of the injured match, as did Hungarian Nagy.” Opinions of the protagonists: José Villalonga: «It has not been an easy match, because it can never be an act against a team that, like Servette, uses such a« closed »bolt. On the other hand, the ball was a "brief" and could not be shot hard. Karl Rappan: «The Servette could not use any other system than the one it has used today, because if we had acted with the lines open the result would have been much more extensive. Marca also stated that 8 men of the home side were pulled back into a defensive line that formed a bolt. Di Stefano’s run led to the first goal. http://www.cihefe.es/cuadernosdefutbol/2013/11/i-copa-de-europa-1955-56-real-madrid-cf/ ABC Madrid headlined: “The defensive tactics of the Swiss side made the victory difficult for the Madrileños, in spite of their dominance” “Rarely, as on this occasion, could it be said that it has been more difficult for a team to break a defensive system. The Servette, convinced of its technical inferiority, resorted to its famous "lock up" procedure. Thus the first part passed in a mutual struggle: Madrid trying to open the gap and the Genevans resorting to all imaginable procedures to prevent it. There was a tie in the first part, in which a clear Madrid superiority was already clearly and emphatically manifested. In the continuation, Madrid came out more determined. Until then, they had played more in the center, because every time Gento arrived in the area he always found the man who crossed paths with decision, energy and violence, and the same happened on the side of Molowny. Perhaps Madrid made the mistake of not to run. Football has always been played running, and in Madrid those customs were not appreciated at other times, although - both Rial and Gento and Di Stéfano - did not try. Finally, in the twenty-ninth minute, after rehearsing the shooting, all the forwards, the media and even on some occasions the defense, Muñoz was right and scored a goal. This goal gave new strength to the inhabitants of Madrid (...) Already in the last minute the goal came and riveted the great Madrid victory. Rial went to the left and finished with the right. The match has taken place inside with an exquisite and wonderful camaraderie, because the Swiss, even playing with a lot of greed and in some moments conviction, did not incur punishable offenses (...) Mundo Deportivo headlined: “Madrid did not convince in Ginebra” The Catalán paper stated that Di Stefano was marked out the game and “did not have his day. I don’t recall a performance of his so lacking of enthusiasm, lacking in success and lacking sense in the game, like yesterday against Servette. On three occasions he was left alone in front of goal and blazed his shots 5 meters into the sky.” In the video below Di Stefano remembers those encounters and said that it was very difficult in the first leg where the central defender was a big man that made it a challenge. Summary: 1 assist https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550909-31.html http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/11/pagina-6/634074/pdf.html
La Liga 11/09/1955 Celta de Vigo 3-1 Real Madrid Stadium: Balaídos, Vigo So the first game of the league season was a failure. With only 2 days of rest after the difficult match in Switzerland, Di Stefano and his team virtually never showed up in Vigo, completely rolled over by the home side. ABC Madrid headlined: “Real Madrid disappointed and lacked team game in Vigo” Di Stefano went unnoticed and for this newspaper only Alonso, Muñoz and Rial performed well for the visiting side. https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19550913-26.html The newspaper of Marca gained access to the dressing rooms after the match and interviewed Celta de Vigo’s manager, Urquiri, who was asked what was the key to the victory: “I think Di Stefano was well marked, not by one man but by anyone that was close to him when he received the ball (...) The players that had a great game for Madrid were Muñoz and Zarraga.” For Mundo Deportivo only Muñoz and Rial played well for Madrid, while Di Stefano wasn’t even mentioned. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/12/pagina-4/628109/pdf.html
La Liga Round 2 18/09/1955 Real Madrid 2-1 Atlético de Bilbao Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu Marca headlined: “Accidental victory of Madrid” “Little football and lots of incidents, with the expulsiones of Gainza and Molowny” Although Di Stefano scored the opening goal, he was for the most part held in check, with a defensive Bilbao side that was “Rough and quick, where the best was the defender Garay, where Di Stefano could almost never beat (...)” According to Mundo Deportivo, Zarraga in Madrid’s defense and Di Stefano up front were the standout figures of their team. Di Stefano had been a constant threat for the Bilbao backline. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/19/pagina-4/628147/pdf.html Summary: 1 goal
La Liga Round 3 25/09/1955 Español 2-1 Real Madrid Stadium: Sarriá, Español ABC Madrid headlined: “A fast and enthusiastic Español defeated Madrid” “For Español it is difficult to make distinctions, since from Soler, who happily supplied Domingo, to Moreno, including the young Ruis, they all equally put the same enthusiasm to achieve success. For Madrid, Alonso had interventions that earned him deserved ovations: well-known defensive trio, and especially Navarro, who saved a bit already done; Muñoz, injured by his injury, did more than could be demanded from him, and Zárraga did his job, while DiStéfano was very battling up front, but without matching other performances that we have seen on Catalan soil. He had a good rapport with his peers, although Olsen and Rial shone more as supporters than as true forwards” Di Stefano scored Madrid’s only goal from an outside shot but when the match was in the last stages Di Stefano could have scored again, which would have leveled the game, but was tackled away from the defender Soler, possibly the man of the match. https://www.abc.es/archivo/buscador...dos&fechaDesde=1955-9-26&fechaHasta=1955-9-27 According to the Madrid paper of Marca, Olsen and Mateos were ineffective for Madrid and their team “slow”. It said of Di Stefano: “Tried to construct play, created individual plays — but apart from the goal and from a distance — only at the end did he enter the box.” For Mundo Deportivo, the Español win was well deserved. In the dressing rooms, Di Stefano was said that a draw would have been a fairer result, that some injuries to key players were the key to the defeat, and that Español resorted to too many fouls that cut the flow of the game. Summary: 1 goal http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/26/pagina-3/628183/pdf.html http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/26/pagina-4/628184/pdf.html http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/09/26/pagina-8/628187/pdf.html
La Liga Round 4 02/10/1955 Real Madrid 2-1 Cultural Leonesa Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu ABC Madrid headlined: “Madrid, in a fortunate minute, won a game that looked lost, against Cultural” “Facing Leonesa’s defense, the champions lacked speed and sense of the game” The game was decided in the last 15 minutes when Di Stefano from close range scored with a header. But ABC Madrid was not impressed with Alfredo’s game: “Di Stéfano, below his standards and Rial, hardworking, effective, soul of a somewhat soulless eleven, were the men of Madrid. If there were a prize for the honor, Navarro would have won it, if there were a punishment for the lack of enthusiasm, we would award it to Lesmes. The others, gray, and the color that we apply to them does them favors” MARCA pointed out how poorly Madrid played, with a lack of quality wingers. Leonesa, considered a very modest side from the second division, did what they could which was to kill the game off by obstructing any creativity of the home team. It was noted, that if la Primera consisted of less teams, surely this club would not make it. As for Di Stefano, MARCA wrote, “in the attack only Di Stefano was saved, although he is not the player of the previous season (...)” Mundo Deportivo said that Di Stefano only showed his class in flashes but was “apathetic”. Summary: 1 goal (header) https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551004-43.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551004-45.htmlhttp://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/03/pagina-4/628214/pdf.html
La Liga Round 5 09/10/1955 Real Sociedad 1-0 Real Madrid Stadium: Atocha, Real Sociedad Di Stefano’s first 5 league games + the European Cup first leg, have undoubtedly been the weakest in his tenure with the club. Talks about a decline in his form have surfaced since the previous season, but with the European Cup second leg vs Servette of Switzerland coming up, it may be that Di Stéfano and Madrid were pacing themselves for a long season and did not want to burn out so early on. MARCA headlined: “Another disappointing performance from Madrid” “The forward line of Madrid was absolutely ineffective” This was a game that Real Madrid’s manager, Villalonga, had said should be won before the game started, but Madrid were in for a surprise. The report stated that Madrid were defeated by a team that on paper was inferior and that Di Stefano, despite his attempts to score, eventually capitulated and faded as time went on. ABC Madrid wrote, “Bad moment for Madrid. The defensive quartet can only be saved by Alonso, who avoided a further greater defeat; The three defenders were lazy and frankly bad Marquitos; in the middle, Zárraga surpassed the crazy Manolín, "who did not know how to take advantage of his personal outbursts, and in the front Di Stéfano disappointed, so esteemed by the San Sebastian public, who this time harassed him for his continuous mistakes, Wilson pointed out good details in the first half and Gento was the most dangerous of the line, with Joseíto and Rial gone missing” Mundo Deportivo said that Ansola and Paz alternated in shutting down and canceling out Di Stefano and that for Alfredo had reached a low point in this period. http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/10/pagina-5/630154/pdf.htmlhttps://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551011-48.html
European Cup (First Round) 12/10/1955 Real Madrid 5-0 Servette (2nd leg) Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu REAL MADRID, 5; SERVETTE FC, 0. Goles: 1-0 (29′) Di Stéfano. 2-0 (44′) Joseíto. 3-0 (46′) Rial. 4-0 (54′) Molowny. 5-0 (61′) Di Stéfano. Real Madrid CF: Juanito Alonso; Joaquín Navarro, Marquitos Alonso, Ángel Atienza; Miguel Muñoz, José María Zárraga; Luis Molowny, Joseíto Iglesias, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Héctor Rial, Francisco Gento <entrenador: José Villalonga>. Reservas: Javier Berasaluce (p), José Becerril, Manolín Martínez, Wilson Jones y Ramón Marsal. Servette FC: Toni Rüesch; Rudolf Gyger, Gilbert Dutoit, Franz Josefowsky; Charles Casali, Max Rothacher; André Grobéty, Theo Brineck, Francis Anker, Aldo Pastega, Bernard Coutaz <entrenador: Karl Rappan>. ABC Madrid headlined: “Easy win of five goals to zero for Madrid against Servette of Switzerland” ABC Madrid wrote: Two key men Among our most beloved sports principles are two principles that we sponsor as inseparable from football as a sports event: youth and speed. Today, without implying a contradiction, to two players who are not young or fast: Muñoz and Molowny. Yesterday we could see how much Madrid changes depending on whether these two players are not in their ranks. With them, the team has intelligence, inspiration, ingenuity and the game climbs many steps to become an art. Without them disorder spreads, efforts are diversified, and lacking a creative spark, Madrid suffer improper defeats of the high quality of almost all their men. Along with Molowny, Di Stéfano recovers his cool air, his joy and electrifies the crowds with his inspired acrobatics. Next de Muñoz, Zárraga, is that excellent satellite player, he is once again a safe midfielder in court, well placed on the field, lacking only the dominance in the pass to be a top-tier man. With both, Madrid has, like yesterday, the air of a champion and ends up solving their ballots, although these are as arduous as the quiet and closed defense of Servette. We hope, then, that Madrid will go back to being what it was, when it has Molowny and Muñoz in their ranks, only if the whole team abandons the "masterful tempo" of their movements and decides to lose their temper a bit. Thanks to the stubborn Swiss defense, Madrid were almost completely relieved of half their task. They hardly had to defend themselves and they always saw plenty of terrain, distances and men to attend to, Navarro, Marquitos and Atienza. The two midfielders, with no insiders to fight with, were able to move into the front zone and support their forwards. And while Madrid was a compact block that contracted or slowly dilated to the beat of the game, Servette was like a lizard cut in half, whose two parts move, but without cohesion, in its lacerated elements. The outstanding players in Madrid were Rial, who shot a lot and well: Molowny, ingenious and elusive; Di Stefano, for his practical game and two or three great plays, and Muñoz, great organizer of the team. https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551013-45.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551013-46.html Mundo Deportivo said this about Di Stefano and his performance: “In the second half he played with lots of enthusiasm and was spectacular, taking advantage of the great insider which is Rial” http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/13/pagina-3/630168/pdf.html Marca headlined: “Easy win” “Despite the bolt that the Swiss side implemented, Madrid’s forwards played with leisure” After the match, Madrid’s manager amd Servette’s goalkeeper said this: José Villalonga: "Real Madrid played a good game ... perhaps the best of which we have this season." Toni Rüesch: “Madrid are too much an adversary. We could not do more than what you have seen us do” Di Stefano scored two goals and set up another. Summary: 2 goals, 1 assist
La Liga Round 6 16/10/1955 Real Madrid 3-2 Atletico Madrid Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu ABC headlined: “In a great afternoon, Madrid defeated unequivocally Atletico in Chamartin” “Di Stefano, once again quick and brilliant, was the pillar of Madrid’s triumph” Di Stefano vs his shadow, defender Herrera “The victory of Madrid had in Di Stéfano its cornerstone. In the duel between the striker and the central defender, the advantage was in favor of the attacker, a man with more powers than Herrera and possessed of a virtuosity unavailable to the dry and resounding red-and-white defender. Reduced Herrera to a zone marking, he had to remain powerless against a Di Stéfano who, from his backward position, came to him as the owner and dominator of the ball. But, in addition, the great striker, driven by an enthusiasm that honors him as a professional, was once again the man full of prodigious and extremely fast reflexes, improviser, juggler who anticipates the defense's designations and instead of waiting to be attacked by his marker, he attacks him, he initiates the play, thus providing himself all the advantages (...) Released in the field, Di Stéfano was the great forger of Madrid's triumph; he imposed his speed (...) Di Stéfano was the best man of the afternoon. Moved by an obvious desire for triumph, fast again, in his efficient gallops, intelligent, dominating the ball and shooting — twelve times he fired at the opponent's goal — he produced one of the most beautiful matches we have ever seen of him in Madrid.“ https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551018-39.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551018-41.html MARCA headlined: “A great second half decided things” The Madrid newspaper also confirmed Di Stefano’s superiority, classifying him as the “great vedette”, and as the key man in this victory. Mundo Deportivo was not impressed, they claimed that Madrid won because the opponent had been soft, and that Di Stefano only shined because his marker, Herrera, had played through an injury. Nevertheless, they noted his importance in forging a victory by getting his teammates involved, by elevating their game. After the match, Atletico Madrid’s manager, Barrios, said that the injury to Herrera affected the game. For Real Madrid’s coach, Villalonga, Atletico had been their toughest opponent thus far in the season. But stiffer tests lay ahead... http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/17/pagina-4/630199/pdf.html Summary: 1 goal The last goal of Atletico was found here:
This is my first time stumbling upon this thread. Another quality one, especially with all the translations. Keep up the good work!
Courtesy of ABC Madrid, published on 22/10/1955, after the local derby league match vs Atletico Madrid. It said: “The backheel shot, Di Stefano's genius, is one of the characteristics of his game, and they increased his fame in Spain and Europe”
La Liga Round 7 23/10/1955 Murcia 1-1 Real Madrid Stadium: La Condomina, Murcia This was a match between a minnow (Murcia) ranked in last place (16th) and the defending champs that had not started the season well, ranked thus far in 9th. MARCA headlined: “Madrid’s offense failed and Di Stefano was a decorative element on the pitch” “Di Stefano today was a decorative figure” — this in reference to being completely a passenger on the pitch, without gravitating. His marker Chancho played with ease because Di Stefano made things easy for him, according to the report. “Madrid were missing the help of Di Stefano, who passively accepted the shadow marking of Chancho (...)” After the match, Murcia’s manager, Urbieta, said Madrid were a great team and had been impressed by Molowny, but made no mention of Di Stefano, who went unnoticed in this match. Madrid’s manager, Villalonga, was asked what he had thought about Di Stefano’s performance and he replied, “well, he had a destroyer” in reference to a marker that shut him down. Mundo Deportivo headlined: “Murcia deserved to beat Madrid” http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/24/pagina-5/631614/pdf.html This time for ABC Madrid, I could not find any information about Di Stefano’s performance.
Speaking of Helenio Herrera’s views in more detail, he explained in March 1977 why he considered Di Stefano better than Pelé or Cruijff. “He was better than Pelé. He, in the same game, was the best defender, the best midfielder and the best attacker. And he scored goals. Pelé played in the middle of the pitch forward. Cruijff is similar to Alfredo but lacks his physical strength and will” El Gráfico
La Liga Round 8 30/10/1955 Real Madrid 1-2 Deportivo de La Coruña Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu A rare defeat at home for the white team, but recent negative results in the league had forecasted this possibility. However, this time it appeared they had been unlucky. Goals were controversially disallowed to the home team, some penalties were overlooked in a match played under the rain with a soaked pitch that made things difficult. ABC Madrid headlined: “Tamarit and Otero defeated a lively Madrid in Chamartin” The official, Tamarit, was inevitably criticized for his performance. He disallowed 3 goals and for the visiting side, goalkeeper Otero had been the star with his brave saves. For Mundo Deportivo, it said: “Di Stefano was the hardest worker, once again, attacking from deep, passing and also shooting.” But he had been unfortunate in front of goal due to the top goalkeeping of Otero. He did however set up the only goal for Madrid with a precise pass to Rial, but 2 goals from Pahiño for the visiting side had offset it. According to Marca Madrid, the best players for Real Madrid were Zarraga and Rial. After the match, Madrid’s manager, Villalonga, lamented the loss, stating that they did everything well but that the ball did not want to go in. For Deportivo Coruña’s manager, Rodrigo, Madrid were a great team and that the most outstanding individual for Madrid had been Di Stefano. Summary: 1 assist https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551101-33.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551101-35.html https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19551101-13.html http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1955/10/31/pagina-4/631646/pdf.html