Copa Libertadores. Brazil did not participate, just like in 1969, when their Federation objected to the format of the competition. The conflicting matter was the time schedule – the tournament was finishing in mid-May. In the Brazilian view the schedule was too close to the 1970 World Cup and obstructing their preparation for the world finals. Since CONMEBOL didn't accept Brazilian needs and didn't change the schedule, Brazil refused to participate in 1969 and since nothing changed no Brazilian club participated in 1970 as well. Apart from that, the format was familiar: 2 teams from each country, paired in the same group of 4 teams – except in Group 3, where Chile, Paraguay, and Equador were grouped. The top 2 teams of each group went to the next stage, played also in groups – called 'Zones' – of 3 teams, except Zone 3, having only 2 teams. The winners of each Zone plus the reigning champion of 1969 proceeded to the semi-finals and the winners – to the final. Again as usual, the final was 2-legged and in case of equality a third match was to be played on neutral ground. It was obvious that the battle will be familiar one: between Argentine and Uruguayan clubs. If there was any surprise in the early stages, it was the elimination of Nacional (Montevideo) by Univerisdad de Chile (Santiago) in Zone 3 in the second stage.
Step by step 3 teams reached the semi-finals and reigning holders Estudiantes entered the competition. Penarol eliminated Univerisdad de Chile 2-0 and 2-2 and River Plate lost both legs to Estudiantes 0-1 and 1-3. Thus the final reached Penarol and Estudiantes.
Final:
1st leg, Estadio La Plata, La Plata, 21- 5-1970 Estudiantes - Peñarol 1-0 87' Togneri 1-0 Estudiantes: Errea, Pagnanini, Spadaro, Togneri, Pachamé, Solari, Bilardo, Echecopar, Conigliaro, Flores (Rudzki), Verón. Peñarol: Pintos, Soria (González), Figueroa, Peralta, Martínez, Goncalvez, Viera, Lamas (Cáceres), Acuña, E.Onega, Lamberck. Referee: Robles (Chile) Attendance: 40,000
2nd leg. Centenario, Montevideo, 27- 5-1970 Peñarol - Estudiantes 0-0 Peñarol: Pintos, Soria (Speranza), Figueroa, Peralta, Martínez, Viera, Goncalvez, Lamas, E.Onega, Lamberck, Acuña. Estudiantes: Errea, Pagnanini, Spadaro, Togneri, Medina, Bilardo, Pachamé, Solari, Conigliaro (Aguilar), Echecopar (Rudzki), Verón. Referee: Larrosa (Paraguay) Attendance: 60,000
Estudiantes prevailed by single goal and won Copa Libertadores for third year in a row – the first club to do so.
Such terrible reputation as villains Estudiantes had everywhere that 'El Grafico' needed to assert that the team can actually... play. Of course Argentine success had to be celebrated and was a matter of pride, but the special case of the winners, for whom the term 'anti-football' was coined, required additional element of justification. Let's repeat 'El Grafico': 'Without aggression. Attacked. Without weaknesses. With serenity. Without avarice. With dignity. Without anti-football. With football.' Winners can't be judged, usually, but Estudiantes in their third year of international success needed someone to say that their victory came after playing football, not just killing the opposition.
Naturally, the Uruguayans were very disappointed and not only because they lost. So far they were internationally the most successful South American club – three times winners of Copa Libertadores. Now they had to share the record with Estudiantes with high possibility to be left behind given the winning streak of the Argentine villains. And the squad was not exceptional: true, 4 of their players appeared in the 1966 World Cup, but after 1968 only the Chilean Elies Figueroa was still national team player. Perhaps the biggest name – Nestor Gonsalvez with 50 caps and 1 goal for Uruguay – was too old and actually retired in 1970. The Argentine Ermindo Onega was also getting old and played his last game for Argentina in 1967 (30 caps and 11 goals achieved between 1960-67). Milton Viera played for Uruguay only in 1966 (including in the World Cup), but after 5 games and 1 goal was never called again to the national team. Eventually he went to play in Greece, where had long and successful career. However, in 1968 he joined on loan Boca Juniors and failed – played only three games and returning to Penarol. Similarly, Alberto Martinez, never included in the national team, went to Austria and stayed there with considerable success for many years, even taking Austrian citizenship. And Nilo Acuna completed the list of good-not-so-good – never played for the national team, but eventually went to Mexico and had good spell. Thus, the only star with real future was Elias Figueroa – the Chilean was wonderful world-class central defender, played already at 1966 World Cup finals, but was only 24 years old in 1970 . Hardly enough for actually having great team with future... and Figueroa left Penarol in 1972, joining Brazilian Internacional (Porto Alegre). Objectively, Penarol did not have the squad for success.
Osvaldo Zubeldia created 'anti-football' and the success of Estudiantes – to say he was some vile mind would be unfair: later he coached other teams to victory and they did not play 'anti-football'. He was hired by Estudiantes in 1965 to rescue the club from relegation. Since Estudiantes was one of the 'small' clubs, there was no way to hire stars and Zubeldia made a team from local youngsters, called by him 'killer juveniles' and few older players from elsewhere, willing to follow his requirements and to provide experience. He needed disciplined rugged types capable of understanding and executing tactical orders. Estudiantes not only escaped relegation, but became champion – the first 'small' club to do so in Argentina. The approach was ruthless, but successful – 'anti-football' made the 'Golden Era' of the club. One of the strongest weapons of the team was knowing perfectly the rules and playing on the very edge of them, so brutality to remain unpunished by the referees. A team of hard workers, physically tough, fearless, compensating lack of skills with tactical discipline, stamina, grit and shameless brutality, but capable to switch from defensive approach, aimed at killing the game, to normal football and strong attacks in a second, when ordered to do so. The concept was cynical, but brought excellent results – it depended on intelligence, not on skill and Estudiantes had very few outstanding players during the golden years. Zubeldia was consistent in his concept and unlike other clubs success didn't temp him to reinforce the team with solid stars – to a point, great Estudiantes was an anomaly, practically without national team players, having only three influential men: Pachame, Veron, and Bilardo. 1970 was practically the end of the golden year for various reasons – let's take a look at the winners: Nestor Errea (31 years old), known as the youngest goalkeeper to play for Argentina. However, he played only 2 games for the national team – one in 1959 and one in 1961. He joined Estudiantes in 1969 and moved to Banfield in 1971, only to go to Greece in the next year, where he stayed to the end of his career in 1978. Ruben Pagnanini (21), home product, a defender who played for Estudiantes from 1968 to 1977. 1978 World champion with the national team, however, as Independiente player and without single appearance at the finals. Altogether 3 caps for Argentina. Nestor Togneri (28, defender), played for Esudiantes from 1968 to 1975 and at 1974 World Cup. The only properly Estudiantes player and the second from the winning team to appear at World Cup finals, but, like Pagnanini he was a reserve without appearance. Carlos Pachame (26), perhaps the biggest star striker of the team. National team player between 1967-69 with 10 caps and 0 goals, thus the one of most caps among the squad. Moved to Boca Juniors in 1972, but apparently in decline and returned to Estudiantes in 1974. Jorge Solari (29) played for Estudiantes only the 1970 season and went to Mexico. Between 1966 and 1969 played 3 games for Argentina. He was the last players who played for the national team – the rest were never invited. Juan 'the Witch' Veron (26), home product, along with Pachame, the biggest star of the team. However, the striker didn't quite it in the national team: 4 caps and 0 goals between 1968 and 1971. Went to play in Greece in 1972. Carlos Bilardo (32) – perhaps underrated a bit on international scale, but the motor of Estudiantes. The most devoted pupil of Zubeldia – in 1986 he dedicated the World Cup victory to his former coach – who best understood and executed the coach's ideas and demands. Unusual player in any time, for also studied medicine in parallel with his football career and finished University as qualified doctor. He joined Estudiantes in 1965 and retired in 1970, starting his medical practice without moving away from football. Disciplined workaholic since childhood, although it is hard to figure the combination of vicious playing with humanitarian profession. Bilardo was never included in the national team.
No other Estudiantes player was ever called to the national team. Marcos Conigliaro (28) played for Estudiantes from 1965 to 1970, moved to Mexico in 1971. Eduardo Flores (26), one more home boy with considerable talent. Stayed with the club until 1971, moving to France in 1972. Christian Rudzki (24), born in Czechoslovakia, arrived in 1969 and stayed until 1972, when he moved to play in West Germany. Juan Echecopar (24), home product, staying with Estidiantes until 1973 when he moved to Spain. Hugo Spadaro (27) – played for Estudiantes from 1966 to 1971. Jose Hugo Medina (25) – played from 1968 to 1974. Exactly the same spell had Camilo A. Aguilar (21).
Well, statistics are modest... nothing particularly great emerged from this squad, yet, the model of Zubeldia worked. So far, for Zubeldia (43 years old in 1970) himself was out of the club soon (and went to coach Banfiled).
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