By Manolo Rodríguez

At the beginning of the 1987-1988 season, Betis was under construction. The squad had lost Calderón and Hadzibegic and soon will follow Joaquín Parra, who terminated his contract and signed for Atletico de Madrid.

Three big losses that will topped by Antolín Ortega and Alex, the only two survivors from Betis in the 70s, and Antonio Casado. All of them were released by the Club without compensation for the institution. 

English manager John Henry Mortimore had just arrived and the only signings that year were winger 'Pato' Yáñez; midfielders José Luis and Fantaguzzi; and defender Sánchez Valles. Not much to cover such significant departures. The rest were all Academy players.

Another new thing at betis was the clothing brand. The Meyba shirts used in the 80s had been replaced by Hummel, a Danish brand with a bumblebee as a logo.

The kit had, as a new feature, completely green socks and, for the first time, the team would display an advertisement in the front of the shirt, announcing Seville's Expo 92.

The season, however, began amazingly. A victory in the derby in the first match and a win against Espanyol at home. The fans were as happy as one can be when another great moment came in the sixth matchday, when the team out 6-0 past Sabadell at Villlamarín.

But reality is often stubborn and, after a few weeks, things started to go wrong. So much that, in December, the team was close to the relegation zone and had just ten points. And the shadow of the almighty league champion, Real Madrid, casted over Heliópolis. They were then managed by Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker and had a great collection of stars in the squad.

Exactly five days before Christmas 87, Real Betis hosted Real Madrid at Villamarín. The leader that had just won two straight league titles. It seemed (and it happened) that their hegemony was not close to end. Gordillo was, actually, playing in that Madrid sonce two years earlier.

Match 15 in the league championship. 20th of December. A sunny but chill afternoon.A packed venue and a general feeling that they were to attend an uneven fight between a titan and a shrunk and frightened team. But, once again, Betis legend took the day. That story of the unexpected, the xtraordinary, the impossible.

Not even seven minutes had gone by when Quico delivered a cross to the area, Rincón heads it back and Melenas puts the ball in the back of the net. The goal makes Villamarín roar and Melenes, like he was possessed, makes a 70-metre run until he finds his family in the East Stand.

Five minutes later, Quico gets the ball on the left wing. Fights with Michel and dribbles him. He gest to the near post where Buyo is waiting for a low cross, but he decides to shoot and surprises everyone. 2-0. Yes, 2-0 after just twelve minutes.

From that moment until the end, Madrid open fire. They strike by land, sea and air, but Betis resist. Incredibly, but they resist. Madrid try with everything they have but the don't manage to score until the 90th minute. It's late. Betis have won.

All the papers praise surprising Betis. Because, in fact, that team was mainly made up by players coming from the Academy. Very young people who came to replace charismatic starts from the past. Two of them, actually, Calderón and Hadzibegic, went to Villamarñin to see their former teammates win. The best of them all was young midfielder Cristobal, a lad who was not the star he could have been due to injuries.

These were the line-ups for that game:

Real Betis: Salva, Calleja, Diego, Gail, Quico, Cristóbal, José Luis, Chano, Rincón (Julio 71'), Gabino, Melenas (Perico Medina 82').

Real Madrid: Buyo, Chendo, Tendillo, Sanchis, Camacho (Llorente 46'), Michel, Jankovic (Santillana 69'), Martín Vázquez, Gordillo, Butragueño, Hugo Sánchez.

After the match, Green and White coach John Mortimore outlined the discipline and teal spirit his team had had. And the main characters stated the same: the hard work put on by the players and, specially, the lads of the Academy who gave everything to defend the crest.

Visibly affected, Real Madrid manager Leo Beenhakker criticised his team and openly said: "Real Betis fought for 90 minutes and we only did for 70." On his part, Rafael Gordillo, defeated for the first time by Betis, was not surprised: "I know how Betis is and that's why I'm not shocked by the way they played."

That generation went through a lot until they eventually kept the division at Las Palmas in the last match but no one forgot that heroic victory against Real Madrid. A memory that will always go with them. Salva, Quico, Cristóbal, Chano, Julio, Gabino, Melenas and Perico Medina, the eight Academy players who played that game.