Barça Rewind: 35 years since Urruti's famous penalty heroics

With the departure of star payer Diego Maradona in the summer of 1984, it appeared that the 1984/85 season would be one of transition for FC Barcelona. That was to prove not to be the case. A 3-0 victory in the Santiago Bernabéu on the opening weekend of the league campaign set the tone for the season as a Barça side coached by Englishman Terry Venables topped the table from the start to finish. 

With just six games left in the season, the blaugranes had the chance to seal the title away at Hércules. However, a 1-0 defeat, just their second of the season in the league, meant that the champagne had to put on ice for another week at least. The next opportunity came again away from home, this time with a visit to Real Valladolid's Nuevo Zorilla stadium on 24 March 1985. 

Terry Venables' Barça side were 2-1 up in the match with just minutes remaining when referee Sánchez Arminio awarded Valladolid a penalty for a foul by Julio Alberto on Víctor. A win for Atlético Madrid away at Racing meant that the blaugranes needed a win to claim the title as a draw would only put the celebrations on hold for yet another week. 

The legendary El Salvadorean player 'Mágico' González strode up to take the spot kick for Valladolid full of confidence. The striker's penalty was well struck, low and just inside the far post but Barça keeper Urruti had guessed correctly and flinging himself to his right he made a fantastic save to kick start celebratory scenes at the final whistle with Venables leading FC Barcelona to their first league title in 11 years in his very first season as coach.