40 years since the "Urruti, I Love you!" league

It is 40 years today since Barça's famous league title win of 1984/85. Under Terry Venables, the Catalans utterly dominated the competition and the crowning moment came when Javier Urruticoechea, the goalkeeper known to the fans as Urruti. made a brilliant penalty save against Real Valladolid's El Salvadorean striker 'Mágico' González to ensure the trophy was blaugrana. 

11 year drought

Catalan commentator Joaquim María Puyal famously yelled “Urruti, I love you!” following that save in the 87th minute at the Nuevo Zorrilla. Barça had not won the league for 11 years, and hopes were not high in 1984 either, following the departure of Diego Maradona and the need to rebuild the team. But after winning 3-0 away to Real Madrid on the very first day, things went a lot better than expected and the Catalans finished up as clear champions.

Leaders all the way

Barça stayed top of the table all season, and having lost just once, were already in a position to secure the league mathematically with six games to go. That first opportunity passed them by, for a 87th minute penalty meant they were beaten 1-0 at Hercules (Alicante). On March 24, they had their second 'match ball'.

Glorious save

English coach Venables picked a starting line-up of Urruti, Gerardo, Migueli, Alexanco, Julio Alberto, Víctor, Schuster, Rojo, Marcos, Clos and Archibald. Barça were 2-1 up going into the closing minutes thanks to goals from Clos and Alexanco, but then another late penalty call meant it looked like the celebrations would have to wait another week.

"Urruti, I love you!"

González was a penalty specialist and he struck this one well. But Barça stopper Urruti was on it like a hare, and Puyal's outbreak of emotion on Radio Barcelona – Cadena SER is now legendary, and which we are able to reproduce here from its archives.

Moments later, the final whistle blew, and Barça were finally champions again- A moment that ended over a decade of waiting.