FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.12.2009 14:16

Cruyff returns to the Camp Nou

Jesús Carrillo

Johan Cruyff led Catalonia to a fine win against Argentina. The return to the world of football of the former Barça player and manager just had to be in the Camp Nou!

The match kicked off at 8.45 pm and Johan Cruyff was back in charge of a football team after more than 13 years since he officially said farewell to the Camp Nou, though he had previously come back for a tribute to his legendary Dream Team.

Cruyff was undoubtedly one of the main attractions of the night. At the end of the match he praised his team’s performance and made special mention of the Barça players: “They showed great commitment”.

13 years after he said goodbye

Cruyff’s last competitive match as manager was away to Espanyol in their old Sarrià stadium, corresponding to the 36th matchday of the 1995/96 league campaign. With just two games left (Celta Vigo in the Camp Nou and Deportivo in La Corunna), Carles Rexach took over the reins of the team.

Tribute to the Dream Team

In the 1999/2000 season, Cruyff was back on the Camp Nou manager’s bench for a tribute to the team that won four league titles and the European Cup at Wembley. The Dream Team took on Louis van Gaal’s Barça side and the match was repeated a few days later in the Amsterdam Arena, this time between the Dream Team and Ajax.

Oscar Garcia makes his debut

On Tuesday evening, another former Barça favourite, Oscar Garcia Junyent, made his debut as assistant coach alongside Cruyff, the very same manager who also handed him his Barça first division debut in the 90’s.