The 1985 Campeonato Nacional finals were the final matches of the 1985 Campeonato Nacional, the only league championships held during the 94th. season of the Argentine Primera División. The finals were played between Argentinos Juniors (winner of round of winners) and Vélez Sarsfield (winner of round of losers. Both clubs contested their first Primera División final).Argentina 1985 - Campeonato Nacional by Osvaldo Gorgazzi on the rsssf.com
The final ane replay match were held in Estadio Monumental, home of C.A. River Plate.
It was the last Torneo Nacional final before returning to a single championship from the 1985–86 season. The format of Campeonato Nacional would be later replicated in the second division with the inception of Primera Nacional in 1986, with 13 berths for clubs outside Buenos Aires.Argentinos Juniors vs Vélez por la Copa de la Liga: el historial que domina uno y la inolvidable serie de 1985 que llenó de gloria al otro by Oscar Barnade at clarin.com. 28 Apr 2024 (archived url)
Vélez Sarsfield won the final 4–3 on penalties but Argentinos Juniors, as the team from the round of winners group, earned right to play a second match in order to decide a champion. In the second match, Argentinos Juniors defeated Vélez 2–1 to win their second league title.El recuerdo de Argentinos Juniors campeón del Nacional de 1985 at afa.com.ar. 21 Aug 2020
Background
Roots to the Argentinos Juniors' successful can be traced to 1983, when Angel Labruna was hired as manager of the team. He demanded the club executives to bring first-class players in order to make a competitive team and fight for a championship. Therefore Ubaldo Fillol (only played a few matches before being traded to Brazilian CR FlamengoImportados: el "Pato" Fillol at argentinosjuniors.com.ar, 15 Nov 2016), José Luis Pavoni (from Pumas UNAM), Miguel Lemme (from Estudiantes de La Plata), and winger José "Pepe" Castro (Independiente) were hired by the club.
Nevertheless, Labruna left his charge that same year, being replaced by Roberto Saporiti while new players arrived in the club, they were Jorge Olguín (world champion with Argentina in 1978),Jorge Olguín, el Mundial 78 y un pedido especial on elgrafico.com.ar, 9 May 2022 Juan José López (from Boca Juniors), Emilio Commisso from River Plate, Carlos Morete from Independiente, and Enrique Vidallé from Huracán, all of them with a long experience in Primera División.
Under Saporiti's management, Argentinos won their first title, the 1984 Metropolitano.1984. ¡Argentinos Campeón! ("La tarde más grande de Argentinos" by José Luis Barrio) on elgrafico.com.ar. 18 Mar 2020 In 1985, José Yudica was hired as manager of the team.
Argentinos Juniors had won the 1984 Metropolitano with the same footballers that played the final v Vélez, with the exception of striker Pedro Pasculli (topscorer of the season), transferred to Italian US Lecce.Pedro Pasculli sobre la llegada de Pierotti a Lecce: "Yo le voy a dar la bienvenida a Santi" on onefootball.com. 17 Jan 2024Pedro Pablo Pasculli, a 34 años de su histórico gol ante Uruguay en México 86: los curiosos rituales con Maradona y las locuras de Bilardo by Lucas Gatti on infobae.com. 16 Jun 2020
The emergence of Claudio Borghi, considered a bright young star to match Diego Maradona's level,Borghi: «Es una locura que me comparen con Maradona» on Sintonía DeportivaBichi Borghi y las comparaciones que le hacían con Maradona on ESPN ArgentinaTradición: el "Bichi" Borghi on Argentinos Juniors, 10 Oct 2019 brought a new level of gameplay skill to the team.
On the other hand, Vélez Sársfield was managed by Alfio Basile,El Gráfico no 3940, Buenos Aires, 3 Sep 1985 who would then took charge as manager of Racing Club that achieved promotion to Primera División in December that year after defeating Atlanta 5–1 on goal difference.El ansiado regreso a primera on racingclub.com.ar
Qualified teams Team Qualif Previous app. Argentinos Juniors Winner of round of winners (none) Vélez Sarsfield Winner of round of losers (none)
Venuee
The final and rematch were held in Estadio Monumental,River dio a conocer el nuevo Monumental y su sponsor , Telam, 28 Jun 2022 in Buenos Aires, owned by C.A. River Plate.
Opened in 1938, the stadium had been the main venue in the 1951 Pan American Games and hosted several matches of the 1978 FIFA World Cup. It had a capacity of near 74,000 spectactors in those times.Estadio Monumental: inauguración, historia y capacidad de la cancha de River on One Football. 29 Aug 2018
Road to the final Participant teams were divided into 8 groups of 4 teams each. They played each other in a double round-robin tournament. The best two placed teams of each group qualified to the round of winners,Argentina 1985 - Campeonato Nacioal by Osvaldo Gorgazzi on the RSSSF"Argentina: 1ra. División AFA 1985 Campeonato Nacional - Ronda de Ganadores" by José Carluccio. 19 Apr 2011 while the 3rd and 4th of each group were moved to the round of losers."Argentina: 1ra. División AFA 1985 Campeonato Nacional - Rueda de Perdedores" by José Carluccio. 19 Apr 2011
Argentinos JuniorsRound Vélez Sarsfield OpponentResult Group stage OpponentResult Central Norte 8–0 (H) Matchday 1 Argentino (F) 1–1 (A) Chacarita Juniors 1–0 (H) Matchday 2 Juventud Alianza 2–1 (A) Belgrano (C) 4–2 (A) Matchday 3 San Martín (T) 3–3 (H) Chacarita Juniors 2–2 (A) Matchday 4 Juventud Alianza 3–0 (H) Belgrano (C) 1–1 (H) Matchday 5 San Martín (T) 0–1 (A) Central Norte 0–0 (H) Matchday 6 Argentino (F) 2–0 (H) Group F winners Pos.Team Pts W T L Pl 1 Argentinos Juniors 93306 2 Chacarita Juniors 73126 3 Central Norte 51326 4 Belgrano (C) 30336Final standings (1st stage) Group G winners Pos. Team Pts W T L Pl 1 San Martín (T) 83216 2 Vélez Sarsfield 83216 3 Argentino (F) 52136 4 Juventud Alianza 31146 Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Knockout stage Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg San Lorenzo 3–2 2–2 (A) 1–0 (H) Round 2 Boca Juniors 4–3 2–3 (A) 2–0 (H) Opponent Score Round 3 Opponent Score San Martín (T) 1–0 (N) Round 4 Newell's Old Boys 2–1 (N) Ferro Carril Oeste 3–0 (N) Round 5 River Plate 3–0 (N) Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Winners round finals Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg Vélez Sarsfield 2–2 2–0 (H) 0–2 (A) Round 2 Argentinos Juniors 2–2 0–2 (A) 2–0 (H)
Notes
Matches The final was contested by winners of round of winners and round of losers (Argentinos Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield respectively). The rules, based on a sporting advantage system, stated that if Vélez was the winner, Argentinos (as the best placed team in the tournament) would have a chance to play a second match.
Final
GK 1 Enrique VidalléDF 4 Carmelo Villalba DF 2 José Luis Pavoni DF 6 Jorge Olguín DF 3 Adrián Domenech MF 10 Emilio Commisso MF 5 Sergio Batista MF 8 Mario VidelaFW 7 José A. CastroFW 9 Claudio Borghi FW 11 Carlos Ereros Substitutes: MF Juan José López DF Jorge Pellegrini GK 12 César R. Mendoza MF Miguel Lemme FW Carlos MoreteManager: José Yudica
GK 1 Carlos Navarro Montoya DF 4 Mario Lucca DF 2 Pedro Larraquy DF 6 José Luis Cuciuffo DF 3 Jorge Bujedo MF 8 Oscar A. Gissi MF 5 Carlos Fren MF Osvaldo Coloccini MF 10 Juan José Meza FW 7 Eduardo D. Hernández FW 11 Jorge ComasSubstitutes: MF Fabián A. Vázquez FW Jorge Gabrich GK Jorge L. Fernández MF Carlos Amodeo FW Víctor A. LuceroManager: Alfio Basile
Rematch
GK 1 Carlos Navarro MontoyaDF 4 Mario LuccaDF 2 Pedro Larraquy DF 6 José Luis CuciuffoDF 3 Jorge BujedoMF 8 Oscar A. Gissi MF 5 Osvaldo Coloccini MF 10 Juan José MezaFW 7 Eduardo D. HernándezFW 9 Jorge GabrichFW 11 Jorge ComasSubstitutes:MF Carlos G. Amodeo MF Fabián A. Vázquez GK Jorge L. Fernández DF Héctor W. López FW Víctor A. LuceroManager: Alfio Basile
GK 1 Enrique VidalléDF 4 Carmelo Villalba DF 2 José Luis Pavoni DF 6 Jorge Olguín DF 3 Adrián Domenech MF 10 Emilio Commisso MF 5 Sergio Batista MF 8 Mario VidelaFW 7 José A. CastroFW 9 Claudio Borghi FW 11 Carlos ErerosSubstitutes:MF Miguel Lemme GK César R. MendozaDF Jorge PellegriniMF Juan José LópezFW Carlos MoreteManager: José Yudica
Aftermath With this title, Argentinos Jrs achieved their only (and conseucutive, after the 1984 Metropolitano league title.
Sports journalist Horacio Pagani wrote on Clarín they day after the match: "Argentinos want to play football well, and they play. Without so much theoretical fuss. Sometimes they play better, sometime worse, but they play anyway".
Other journalists also praised Argentinos Juniors' style of play, such as Natalio Gorín on El Gráfico, defining the team as "the best, without doubts". He highlighted the superiority of the team over their rival, stating that the main difference between them was Argentinos Juniors elaborated their goals, while Vélez scored after mistakes from their rivals. Gorín also emphasized that Argentinos was the champion not only because of their style of play but because overcoming adversity in certain moments of the series. "They had the attitude of a champion", according to his words.El Gráfico no. 3440, Buenos Aires, 10 Sep 1985
For his part, midfielder Sergio Batista (who scored the 2nd goal in the rematch) recognised former manager Ángel Labruna as the "builder" of that Argentinos team, stating that under his guidance, the club from La Paternal went from being a team whose only objective was not to be relegated to a really competitive squad.
That Argentinos Juniors team would later play a memorable final v Juventus, a match regarded as the best Intercontinental Cup ever played, due to the technical virtues of both teams.
Bibliography El Gráfico editions: 3439, 29 Aug 1985 3440, 10 Sep 1985
References