One hundred years since a massive win

It  happened a long time ago. One hundred years ago, on November 1, 1913, Barça and Madrid met for only the third time ever. The game was played in honour of the players that had just won the treble of Catalonian Championship, Spanish Championship and Pyrenees Cup. These were times before the two clubs were such fierce rivals as they are today, but the game was much harder fought than the scoreline might suggest.

Start of season

Although it was late in the year, this was the first game of the 1913/14 season and was used to present the medals for winning the Spanish Championship and Pyrenees Cup the season before to Reñé, A. Massana, Irízar, Bori, Castejón, Alcántara, Peris, Berrondo, Apolinario, Tarré, Castells, Forns, Oller and Berdié, which were all presented by Joan Gamper.

Much expectation

The long awaited game in Carrer Indústria promised everything. Madrid FC (they wouldn’t be known as “Real” until 1920) had won the Central Championship in 1912/13 and had some of the big names of the era, including Rozitsky, Machimbarrena and Wycherstaff. In defence, they had Marcelo Bernabéu, brother of Santiago, who would be a striker for the team and later the president after whom the stadium is named.

Barça were still riding on the wave of euphoria of the season before, and had a wonderful team based around the Wallace brothers, Enric Peris and a young Philippine striker called Paulino Alcántara. Also, in their only two previous meetings, Barça had won both times (1-3 in Madrid in 1902 and 5-2 in Barcelona four years later).

Goal spree

They were still the days of the classic 2-3-5 formation, and as this was an exhibition match, both sides went out and attacked heavily in an end-to-end encounter. But the Madrid forwards were faced with an inspired Reñé, while Barcelona were lethal in attack. Carlier got two first half goals, and the floodgates opened after the break with Alcántara, Percival Wallace, Greenwell (penalty), Carlier and Percival Wallace all scoring, and Alcántara missing a penalty that would have made it eight.

Barça win again

The day after Barça and Madrid met again at the same venue. Perhaps because they wanted a more evenly matched game, Barça were not as strong the day after and only won 1-0, with a goal from Alcántara. Reñé was once again brilliant in goal, and the result meant that up to that point, Barça had won all four of the meetings between the two clubs.