ABOUT THE GAMES OF THE URUGUAYANS IN BARCELONA
— Lluís Aymamí i Baudina | 11/04/1925 —

Without a doubt — and we are not the first to say it — the coming of the Uruguayan footballers to Barcelona constitutes the maximum event of this season and we even dare to say that it is the most sensational football event that has been held in Catalonia, since that soccer has a card of nature in our country. We are not going to consider this event, because in addition to the fact that it has been sufficiently considered in these pages and in those of the other press, it is not an event that needs more consideration. Everyone is convinced of its exceptional importance.

Witnesses, during the last Paris Olympics, of the feats — because feats they were — carried out by the players of the Eastern Republic of South America, we were — frankly we have to confess — among those who contemplated with skepticism their triumphant march, until the middle of the world tournament. We knew the value of South American football — through references, of course — and especially Uruguayan football, which in the space of ten years, has obtained the supreme title that the South American nations compete for, six times, winning it twice, twice to Argentina and two others, Brazil. Of the state of Uruguayan football, when the Olympics were held, with respect to that of the other South American Republics, we could practically see ourselves knowing that in the last two years, 1923 and 1924, the victory had gone to Uruguay.

Despite everything, as Torrens said in his comments last Wednesday, the aspirations of Uruguayan soccer players to win the title of Olympic champions were generally received with skepticism. We — we are not sorry to confess – were one of those. We believed in a "good performance", but in a definitive victory, we did not believe it was enough after witnessing the France-Uruguay match, in which the Americans gave, before the enormous crowd of Colombes, a very complete course of what the game of soccer is. But — let's be more honest — we still feared that Uruguayan hopes would be frustrated. And we will explain. A few days before, Sweden had beaten Belgium, in an overwhelming, emphatic way, with the Scandinavian footballers doing a wonderful job that left us amazed. We predicted — and with us the vast majority of those attending the Olympic Games — that the final would take place between Sweden and Uruguay. And then, the result seemed difficult to predict.

But with Sweden defeated by Switzerland, and therefore eliminated from the possibilities of reaching the final, it was then that we considered the Uruguayans the winners, as it turned out. So the South Americans earned the very precious title, which was to bring them so much fame.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

Why did the Uruguayan team give us this impression of skepticism, despite demonstrating its high class in each match? Simply, for a powerful reason. The Uruguayan team, during their matches, continually gave the impression of having to score many goals, but they generally did not score them. It seemed that what mattered least to the Uruguayans was putting the ball into the opponent's net; Some of their victories were achieved by a narrow difference, several by the slightest advantage, and even in the match against France, in which the score was favorable to them by five to one, the fight passed with a small difference of goals, until the last moments in that France became demoralized.

This gave the impression that the Uruguayan team — with its quintessential game, its agility, its correctness — did not aspire to anything other than to put on a beautiful display, to admire its filigrees and highly-rated play, aesthetic, to the public of Europe. And yet, the triumphs followed one another. Faced with its serene play, its well-applied agility, its contempt for overwhelming impetus, all the teams that faced them succumbed, one after another, even those who showed all their courage, all their interest in scoring goals. Therefore, after admiring the Swedish game against Belgium, in which each advance was finished off with a devastating shot at goal, we feared for the fate of the Uruguayans in the final match, with Sweden. But the facts contradicted us. Greed for Sweden's goal failed before that expected day arrived, while Uruguayan science gradually prevailed until the last match.

ANDRADE-SAMITIER.

Soon, we look at the famous black wing half-back. His exhibitions in Spain, before the Olympic Games, presented him as an exceptional player, as a juggler without rival.

And in the big tournament, Andrade confirmed his fame. For those attending the Olympiad, the black game was something wonderful, without equal. For us, Catalans, this was not a new thing. After many years of searching among the national and foreign teams that had visited us, for a wing half-back that resembled, only in his play, our Samitier, we found ourselves facing his own equal. Andrade is, in our opinion, the only player who, in the wing position, can be familiar with Samitier. Proof of this is that all of us who knew the great Catalan half-back spontaneously agreed. Andrade was Samitier. Samitier was Andrade.

A GREAT INSIDER.

Having already explained the impression that the Uruguayan eleven made on us at the Paris Games, it will be understood that enhancing the value of one of its components is not diminishing the value of the rest. So, let us be allowed to say that, in the wonderful Uruguayan attacking quintet, their inside right Scarone stood out exceptionally before our eyes, whose game surpassed, in those matches, the most finished and perfect that we had witnessed until then. Scarone — and this is our personal opinion — was the best right inside forward of the VIII. Olympiad.

THE MEETINGS IN BARCELONA.

We are fully convinced that the hard terrain of the Europa and Barcelona playing fields will have a significant influence on the performance of the Uruguayan team. We do not know to what extent the Uruguayan faculties will suffer from the consequences that arise from a floor without gazon, such as the bounce of the ball, the hardness of falls, etc. But, nevertheless, we believe that the Uruguayans will overcome, with their science, such inconveniences.

Of course, a Catalan victory would have enormous significance and resonance. It is not in vain that the Uruguayans have played in Europe, before and after the Olympics, a considerable number of matches without having been defeated. But even though we care a lot about the victory, what should matter most to us are the matches, due to their strict development. Winner or defeated (we do not consider the latter impossible and even if they push us we will say that we would not be surprised if it were like this in one of the three matches), the Uruguayans must cause a great sensation to our public. And — perhaps incurring a sin of patriotism — we will add that although we believe a Catalan victory is possible, in so many, we believe it difficult, very difficult, to achieve it in the game. The Uruguayan players move on the field, like An accomplished chess player would move the figures on the board. We must win, by courage, by enthusiasm, by impetus. If this does not exist in extraordinary quantity, the Uruguayans will add one more to their long list of triumphs.

WHAT SHOULD THE SELECTED TEAM BE?

We do not intend to have a vote in the making of the team that must face Nacional on Monday. Possibly, when we write this, it is on the eleventh, in embryo. However, let us give our opinion on some essential points. A Barcelona-Europe selection can, of course, give us several excellent teams. But in this special case, knowing the value of the Uruguayan players and the team they form, we must declare that Samitier's alignment, in the midfield, is necessary, essential. This is one of the main bases of possible success. Plattkó and Walter, we believe them to be indisputable. their positions, as well as Pellicer-Piera and of course, in the center of the attack — past Samitier to the halfway line — Cros. For the left wing, if Olivella demonstrates today that he has recovered his old form, said player and Alcázar should be designated. If this did not happen, perhaps a colleague's idea of forming said wing based on Alcázar-Sagi would be a success. For the other positions not mentioned, we honestly believe that today's and tomorrow's meetings should be seen first and deduced accordingly.

A TEAM OF 30 PLAYERS.

The most admirable thing about this Uruguayan embassy is that it does not need to rely primarily on the individual cooperation of any of its players. Just as we say, for example, a Español without Zamora is another team, as is a Barcelona without Samitier, a Sevilla without Herminio, etc., the Uruguayan expeditionary team does without its great figures Andrade, Scarone, Petrone, Mazali in a match , etc., and the team does not visibly resent their absence. Proof of this is that in their matches in Europe, they have replaced the eleven famous preeminent starters with others, not so famous, but equally starters, and the team has shown itself to be equally exceptional, superior and invincible. It can be stated that the Uruguayan expeditionary team is made up of thirty members. And this is due to nothing other than its admirable school that instantly welcomes the players who are designated for a match. That only happens in English professional teams.

As a final note, we hope that the Catalan public and players will reciprocate what such distinguished guests deserve, as is customary here.