Johan Cruyff matches and goals scored

Prior to Cruyff's next match in the final of the Spanish cup, the newspaper of Mundo Deportivo interviewed him and this is what stood out:

"I want to leave the club with a title won"

"We are superior to Las Palmas, but in a final..."

"This season was full of psychological tension and we lacked luck"

"I'm leaving tranquil; a league title was won and I gave spectacle"

'Don't you think you let the home fans down?'
"No, why?... We won a liga and I provided spectacle. What more can you ask."

'Well, League titles, Spanish cups, and the UEFA Cup. Mr. Cruyff...'
"Yes, but that's not always possible. The fans are in their right to ask for that but they have to understand that many times it's not possible. In football, like in many orders in life, things turn out well and others not. We have to accept it."

'Globally, what did Johan Cruyff provide to Barcelona?'
"Very simple: all of my will."

'But on more than one occasion you have been accused of playing when you felt like it...'
"That's a lie. I always put all my effort for the club. Furthermore, I will say that to accuse me of that is an attack to my professionalism."

"La liga is very hard... and in the UEFA Cup we came up against very good sides. PSV was better than us... we suffered many injuries, suspensions, etc... we lacked some luck, but we are not machines and we made mistakes... a lot of tension was lived and things were bound to fall down..."

'You have been accused of mortgaging the club and destroying the career of a player like Sotil?'
"I think not. I got paid to play and provide spectacle... Sotil is my friend, I had nothing to do with his inactivity for a year."

'But you did have something to do with the dismissal of Weisweiler?'
"That's not true. The club and him reached an agreement... anyway, I'd lie if I said we were friends."

"Did you reach football by obligation?'
"No, I liked it, I started practicing as a kid and saw that I had qualities and followed that path."

'Wouldn't you have like to be a lawyer, doctor or architect?'
"Perhaps yes, but honestly I never had time to think what I liked..."

'Are you intelligent?'
"I don't know, that's for others to judge and decide."

For those interested here's the entire interview in Spanish:
http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/04/17/pagina-3/1038386/pdf.html

 

Yes, thanks for the view from the Dutch side. It's always good to have as much sources as possible to cross-compare.

 

Thanks to Vegan and Puck (and few others) that this Cruijff thread became almost complete (in term of games, goals, assists and some details in comments)

Superb!

 

19/04/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Las Palmas [Spanish Cup, final]

Headline: "Clear victory in a final of substandard category"

"Rexach the star of the match"



For the losing side the PK should never have been given and according to them it influenced the outcome of the match.

Munoz (Las Palmas' manager): "Only the ref has been worse than the quality of the game."

Michels: "Finally a title... I'm satisfied to a certain extent because out of 3 titles we won 1. The group deserved it."

Cruyff: "This win was necessary."

 

You are welcome.

 

La Liga: 23/04/1978 --- Barcelona 5-1 Elche

Headline: "A toast with five goals"

"With a joyful display of football, exhibiting the first touch, looking for the open space, and with enormous depth, Barcelona showed an image seldom seen this season. It's true that Elche facilitated things, but despite their lower ranking in the table, they are not one of the worst team's in La primera, there are worse like Cadiz, Burgos or Santander..."

"Cruyff gave spectacle"

"Barcelona put on an extraordinary performance, led by Cruyff. The Dutchman had a sensational match, one of his best with the azulgrana. Cruyff ran like few times in the recent past, and what's more important, he didn't take 10 minute rests, as is common in him. Cruyff may or may not be the best in the world, but what is beyond any doubt is that he's the most intelligent player."

The goals:
minute 7: Trobbiani put the visiting side ahead.
minute 19: Esteban leveled with a low-footed shot.
minute 21: De la Cruz, from an Asensi shot, deflected the ball in.
minute 36: Cruyff sends a ball through the defense to Rexach to score.
minute 58: Bio scores off an individual effort.
minute 65: Excellent individual play from Cruyff, with a precision pass to Bio, who rounds the keeper to score.

Summary: 2 assists

 

La Liga: 30/04/1978 --- Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Barcelona

Headline: "The wind blew the azulgrana's football"

"In a boring match Rayo adapted better to the meteorological circumstances"

The match was played under strong winds in Madrid, which the home side took advantage. However, Barcelona did make sufficient merits to leave with a draw.

Rayo Vallecano went two goals up after 17 minutes (one of them from an own goal by Neeskens) and then De La Cruz cut the lead right after the half, but it would not be enough.

"Cruyff was the best attacker for Barcelona in Vallecas" and had to endure the rough "Police" marking from Nieto, but as was the case this season: Barcelona lacked finishers that could capitalize on his creativity.

Michels: "For the occasions we had, we should have left with the win... They have scored two early goals and then pulled back to defend. We dominated the 2nd half but we've again shown to lack the ability in resolving situations that we create." [He was then asked about his final impressions of this season]: "We have to take into account that from January to April, we had to play two games per week, with many cards against, injuries, but despite this we fought to the end. For that, I have to be satisfied."

This would be Cruyff's last game in Madrid, and the following week he would say farewell in La Liga to the Barca fans at the Camp Nou.

 

La Liga: 07/05/1978 --- Barcelona 1-0 Valencia

Headline: "Victory, farewell, and end to a season"

"With a goal from a header by Bio, after a fine individual play from Cruyff, Barcelona won in the last match of the league, where the Camp Nou congregated many in numbers, among other things, to witness the farewell of Cruyff"

"Cruyff started the game in an advanced position, but after the goal dropped back in order to help out his defense."

"The ref tolerated roughness"

"Cruyff received a severe man to man marking"

"But overall both sides exchanged blows"

The only goal was produced after Cruyff escaped from several defenders on the right wing and supplied a cross to Bio.

It was the last official match of Cruyff with the club but he still had two more friendlies that remained.

Summary: 1 assist

 

25/05/1978 --- Napoli 1-1 Barcelona [Friendly]

"Barca drew in Naples"

The Italian press considered this to have been an entertaining game with many spectators wanting to witness what was considered to be Cruyff's last game on Italian soil. Cruyff showed "flashes of exceptional class" and played the entire match.

Zuviria missed a PK.

Goals were scored by: Esteban and Ferrario.

 

27/05/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Ajax [Friendly]

And so Cruyff's career at the club came to an end at the Camp Nou. His farewell against his former team in a match which was deemed "football vulgar" with Barcelona deciding it in the final minutes.

Cruyff showed moments of "brilliant individual actions" and had one 1 assist.

Goals were scored by Bio, Esteban and Vila for Barcelona and Ling for the visiting side.

After the match Cruyff said: "Thanks for everything"... 'What's your favorite memories?' "At the moment everything is a good memory" 'And the worst?' "The expulsions." 'And NY Cosmos?' "I will never play there."

Carrasco (accidental President) said: "The best player of all time leaves us."

Nicolas Casaus: "It will be difficult to replace him."

Montal: "A phenomenon retires"

Summary: 1 assist

 

I will soon give a summary of the entire season.

 

26/07/1977 --- Hamburg 6-0 Barcelona [Friendly]
14/09/1977 --- Barcelona 5-1 Steaua Bucaresti (ROU) [EC-3, 1st rnd] 1 goal
25/09/1977 --- Barcelona 1-0 Atlético Madrid 1 goal
28/09/1977 --- Steaua Bucaresti (ROU) 1-3 Barcelona [EC-3, 1st rnd] 1 goal
02/10/1977 --- Cádiz 0-2 Barcelona
09/10/1977 --- Barcelona 3-0 Racing Santander 2 assists
16/10/1977 --- Hércules Alicante 2-1 Barcelona 1 assist
19/10/1977 --- AZ67 (NED) 1-1 Barcelona [EC-3, 2nd rnd] 1 assist
30/10/1977 --- Barcelona 5-0 Las Palmas 1 goal, 1 assist
02/11/1977 --- Barcelona (w. pens) 1-1 AZ67 (NED) [EC-3, 2nd rnd]
06/11/1977 --- Salamanca 1-0 Barcelona
13/11/1977 --- Barcelona 3-1 Sevilla 1 PK drawn, (1 assist???)
20/11/1977 --- Espanyol 1-1 Barcelona
23/11/1977 --- Ipswich Town (ENG) 3-0 Barcelona [EC-3, 3rd rnd]
04/12/1977 --- Barcelona 2-3 Real Madrid 1 assist
07/12/1977 --- Barcelona (w. pens) 3-0 Ipswich Town (ENG) [EC-3, 3rd rnd] 2 goals
11/12/1977 --- Real Burgos 1-1 Barcelona 1 goal
18/12/1977 --- Barcelona 1-0 Sporting Gijon
08/01/1978 --- Barcelona 1-1 Rayo Vallecano
18/01/1978 --- Getafe 3-3 Barcelona [Spanish Cup]
22/01/1978 --- Real Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona
29/01/1978 --- Barcelona 1-0 Real Betis Sevilla
05/02/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Athletic de Bilbao 1 goal
08/02/1978 --- Barcelona 8-0 Getafe [Spanish Cup] 1 goal, 3 assists
12/02/1978 --- Atlético Madrid 1-0 Barcelona
15/02/1978 --- Alavés 1-0 Barcelona [Spanish Cup, quarter]
19/02/1978 --- Barcelona 1-1 Cádiz
22/02/1978 --- Barcelona 2-0 Alavés [Spanish Cup, quarter] 1 PK drawn
01/03/1978 --- Aston Villa (ENG) 2-2 Barcelona [EC-3, quarter] 1 goal
05/03/1978 --- Barcelona 2-1 Hércules Alicante
08/03/1978 --- Real Sociedad 0-0 Barcelona [Spanish Cup, semi]
15/03/1978 --- Barcelona 2-1 Aston Villa (ENG) [EC-3, quarter]
19/03/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Salamanca
22/03/1978 --- Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad [Spanish Cup, semi] 1 PK drawn
26/03/1978 --- Sevilla 2-1 Barcelona
29/03/1978 --- PSV (NED) 3-0 Barcelona [EC-3, semi]
01/04/1978 --- Barcelona 1-1 Espanyol
08/04/1978 --- Barcelona 3-0 Real Burgos 1 goal
12/04/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 PSV (NED) [EC-3, semi] 2 PK’s drawn
19/04/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Las Palmas [Spanish Cup, final]
23/04/1978 --- Barcelona 5-1 Elche 2 assists
30/04/1978 --- Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Barcelona
07/05/1978 --- Barcelona 1-0 Valencia 1 assist
25/05/1978 --- Napoli 1-1 Barcelona [Friendly]
27/05/1978 --- Barcelona 3-1 Ajax [Friendly] 1 assist
_______________________________________________________________________________

La Liga: 25 games – 5 goals + 8 or 9 assists (some sources differ on assists)

UEFA Cup: 10 games – 5 goals + 1 assist

Copa Del Rey (Spanish cup): 7 games – 1 goal + 3 assists

Friendlies: 3 friendlies – 0 goals + 1 assist

Total: 45 games – 11 goals + 13 o 14 assists

 

I will then combine all seasons together from his Barcelona days.

 

There were some big miss at WC and became part of WC historY:
1- Many wonder the only "topscorer" missing in Pele's cabinet was a "WC goldenboot" - well Pele was missed twice at 62 and 66 while in his TOP FORM. I have no doubt Pele would be WC62 goldenboot (look 4 shared 4goals as topscorer there, with 6games? Pele would easily get 8,9 acording to his stats of 62) this is >80% true

2- Many wonder if Cruijff would make Holland a WC winner in 78:? I tend to believe so. The same team managed to be in the final, and Cruiff presence would only make them better! >60% true

3- Many wonder if Ronaldo was not sick in WC98 final, would he lead Brazil to WC winner? 50% true

4- Many wonder if Zidane was not inured before WC02, would he lead France to win WC98, Euro00 back to back (like Spain recently)? this is also 50% case

 

Summary at Barcelona:

1973/74
La Liga: 26 games - 16 goals + 14 assists
Friendlies: 12 games - 8 goals + 9 assists
Total: 38 games - 24 goals + 23 assists

1974/75
La Liga: 30 games - 7 goals + 12 assists
European Cup: 8 games - 0 goals + 6 assists
Friendlies: 13 games - 7 goals + 6 assists
Total: 51 games - 14 goals + 24 assists

1975/76
La Liga: 29 games - 6 goals + 11 assists
UEFA Cup: 9 games - 2 goals + 2 assists
Friendlies: 10 games - 3 goals + 1 assist
Total: 48 games - 11 goals + 14 assists

1976/77
La Liga: La Liga: 29 games - 13 goals + 13 assists
UEFA Cup: 7 games - 5 goals + 4 assists
Friendlies: 11 games - 6 goals + 5 assists
Total: 47 games - 24 goals + 22 assists

1977/78
La Liga: 25 games - 5 goals + 8 or 9 assists (sources differ on assists)
UEFA Cup: 10 games - 5 goals + 1 assist
Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup): 7 games - 1 goal + 3 assists
Friendlies: 3 games - 0 goals + 1 assist
Total: 45 games - 11 goals + 13 or 14 assists

 

Overall total:
La Liga: 139 games - 47 goals + 58 or 59 assists (some sources differ)
European Cup: 8 games - 0 goals + 6 assists
UEFA Cup: 26 games - 12 goals + 7 assists
Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup): 7 games - 1 goal + 3 assists
Friendlies: 49 games - 24 goals + 22 assists

Grand total: 229 games - 84 goals + 96 or 97 assists

 

When I get the chance I will give some final impressions of Cruyff's career at Barcelona quoting what a reporter stated at the time of his departure.

I will also try to cover his stint at Levante.

 

[This is translated as best as I could.]

"A King leaves the game of football"

"With Cruyff exceptional football is extinguished"

"Since Ladislao Kubala left the club no other player like Cruyff has been able to full up the illusion and the honor of those associated with the club, neither has anyone like him been able to vibrate with the lightning of his fantasy.

With Cruyff there is not a great player, because he never was a complete footballer, but what has existed is an authentic phenomenon. For years, no player has possessed the innate sense as Cruyff to convert any action into a jewel. His famous and incomparable change of rhythm, his elegance on the run, his ability to dodge, his vision of the game and his accurate instinct to discover the most minimum hollow space to place a deadly ball, have delighted millions of fans.

Five seasons at Barcelona have given him a meager harvest of titles: a league and a Spanish cup. Perhaps, from the point of view of his managers, Cruyff has not been a profitable player. He’s been criticized, and not without reasons at times, his conformism on the go, conformism derived from an ever more increasing indifference to the game which has given him money and fame only exceeded in scale in this decade by Pele and Beckenbauer.

For the fans, however, Cruyff has been an idol. Half a dozen of his plays resulted sufficient to transform a bad game into a paradise dream, to convert boredom and yawning into a roar of admiration or massive ecstasy.

Cruyff has been, above all in his career, an artist. And like a good artist he’s been somewhat anarchic, irregular, with parentheses of neglect but with sudden moments where he would transfigure and silence his critics with outbursts of wonderful spells of his exceptional qualities.

He has been, (and how couldn’t he be?) a conflictive player… But no ‘crack’ in the history of football has escaped from such similar deformations. The way Kubala used to shield the ball got on the nerves of his rivals which earned him insults. Alfredo Di Stefano would insult his own teammates. And the examples could fill entire pages.

The projection of itself of an “ace” makes him become stronger, brings applause but it also brings envy, admiration but also hate. Cruyff has possessed, in great quantity, a range of amazing virtues for his adversaries. And for certain adversaries there were brutal and insulting reactions, which explains to some point, the reactions not so diplomatic of Cruyff.

But that is just anecdotal, inconsequential, what won’t be counted in the moment of remembering his game. It will be difficult if not impossible for the generation that has witnessed him set foot onto any field in the world, to erase from memory a player gifted like few others and to make a sport played essentially with feet into a prodigious work of sorcery. The football of Cruyff has been dominated by an entrancing magic, by an enchanting and unlimited beauty.

Who cares if Cruyff was a player of limited capacity of maneuver, with scarce dominance in the aerial game and with a discrete index of finishing? In football, the conqueror, the element of capturing the devotion of the masses and the worshipping of the fans, is the one that performs the unexpected which no other can do.

Cruyff has been an unsurpassable footballer in value because of his manner to understand the game, but above all, his way to handle things theoretically impossible, which were exclusively privileges that belonged to him. The diamonds of football that he gave to us for the past five seasons at the Camp Nou constitute a gift to the spectators that understand this sport…

Cruyff hangs the boots at the age of 31, when his game can still produce sublime football… The genius retires and a myth is born."

http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/05/10/pagina-18/1033705/pdf.html
http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/05/10/pagina-19/1033706/pdf.html