Exporting Football Culture: The Battle of the Heliodoro
Football does not inflame passions only through club loyalties. It can also ignite fierce rivalries rooted in philosophy — in the very principles of the game itself. In Argentina, that divide goes a step further with the famous feud between Carlos Bilardo and César Luis Menotti, and their respective followers: the bilardistas and the menottistas. On one side, those who place victory above all else, by any means necessary. On the other, those who value the journey over the destination, beautiful football over the final score.But what happens when representatives of these opposing camps meet on the same pitch and carry personal grudges as well? The answer came thousands of miles from Buenos Aires, in a match between two clubs with no historic rivalry and nothing important at stake. Because none of that matters when you are defending an idea (and you also cannot stand the man across from you).
Flash to Tenerife’s sunny island in the 1990s. The local side hits golden years, sticking in Spain’s top flight for 10 straight seasons. They even snatch two La Liga titles from Real Madrid. Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López turns into a fortress. On January 3, 1993, Tenerife hosts Bilardo’s Sevilla, the side that shocked Spain by signing Diego Armando Maradona, a transfer legendary mostly off-field. The game seemed routine: plenty of matches left, no bad blood, just a Europe spots scrap. Theory says no one recalls it 30 years on. But tangle with crazy Argentinians, and everything may happen.
Both teams had strong Argentine contingents. At Sevilla FC, alongside coach Bilardo, were Diego Maradona and the rising Diego Simeone.At CD Tenerife, the Argentine presence was even heavier. The manager was Jorge Valdano, assisted by Ángel Cappa, with Fernando Redondo, Juan Antonio Pizzi, Óscar Dertycia, and Ezequiel Castillo in the squad. And this is where the problems begin.
Valdano and Cappa were disciples of Menotti, men devoted to aesthetic football, unconvinced by the “ends justify the means” doctrine. Valdano also carried a personal grievance against Bilardo dating back to the 1990 World Cup.He had been one of the key figures alongside Diego and Bilardo during Argentina’s 1986 triumph. But in 1988, chronic hepatitis forced him to retire. Then one morning Bilardo approached him with a proposition:“If you give me six months of your life, I’ll give you a World Cup.”Valdano returned, worked relentlessly to regain fitness, only to be left out of the 1990 squad. Worse still, Bilardo did not even inform him personally. The rupture was deep and lasting.
“It’s a style clash. One style doesn’t hate beauty to win. Bilardo’s the guy who told us as kids Santa was really Dad in a suit.” – Angel Cappa
Maradona had his own issues too. Redondo skipped 1990 for “economics studies” really hating Bilardo’s pragmatic ball. Diego took it personal, Michael Jordan in The Last Dance style: “Redondo is a fantastic player,” Diego said before the match, “but his refusal to come to Italy was like a punch in the stomach for me, for the coach, for everyone. I’ll ask him for an explanation when I see him.” Non-pacifist Bilardo stoked flamesby suggesting Redondo’s real issue was with Simeone, because he could never reach DiegoSimeone’s level. Cool-headed Redondo just said: “Sure, we’ll chat with Diego pre-game.”
Argentina exported not only players and coaches to Spain, but its ideological divide as well. Spain national team coach Javier Clemente leaned toward Bilardo’s school and was backed by journalist José MaríaGarcía, both of whom were criticized by rival radio voice José Ramón de la Morena — a friend of Valdano.The “victory or spectacle?” debate spilled into Spanish football discourse. El País ran a full feature branding the match “The Battle of Two Schools.” The hype crossed the Atlantic.
Tenerife started shaky—Valdano under fire—but rode a win streak to ninth, two points off Sevilla. Slick club president smells cash: forces season-ticket holders to buy extrasand plastered the island with posters advertising the ideological showdown. The club reportedly earned 55 million pesetas from the gate.
The two coaches declared there would be no handshake. Before kickoff, reporters caught Bilardo in a playful mood. Asked about ÁngelCappa, “El Narigón” pretended not to recognize him”Who? Sorry, didn’t catch that?” Funny since Cappa assisted Menotti at Barça, Boca, Peñarol.Cappa had jabbed Bilardosides stint on spectacle. Bilardo also announced the end of “menottismo” as if delivering a political speech. “There is no debate. It was settled in Argentina 25 years ago. It’s over. The other formula is dead. It no longer exists,” he said, pointing to the 1986 World Cup and the 1990 final as proof. At the same time, Diego avoided taking sides and appeared calmer — for the moment.
The match was so significant back in Argentina that journalists were sent to Spain to cover it. Bilardo, famously superstitious, was well aware of that and so were the hosts. Sevilla’s bench was sprinkled with coarse salt, considered bad luck in Argentina, irritating the visiting coach.The 22,000 spectators who paid for tickets did not witness a great spectacle. Few chances, many fouls, constant complaints. Tenerife took the lead in the 11th minute through a Pizzi penalty. In the second half, Pizzi won another spot-kick and converted again: 2–0.
Two minutes later came the defining moment. Maradona collected the ball in midfield and was sandwiched by Redondo (wearing No. 5) and Pizzi. A clear and fairly heavy foul. The referee blew for it and showed a yellow to Pizzi.But Maradona, consumed by his dispute with Redondo, insisted the card should go to the No. 5. He did not even care that it would be Pizzi’s second yellow, leaving Tenerife with ten men. He rose and, like a monk repeating a mantra, charged at the referee: “The five! It was the five!”
The referee did not hesitate. He showed red to Diego. It seemed somewhat harsh, unless something more had been said.Chaos followed. Diego refused to leave, went to confront the assistant referee. “Raise the flag. You can tell him it was the five instead of the nine.” Afterward, he said: “I asked him if he was an assistant referee or a bouquet of flowers. Either we have real assistants or pretty girls to please the crowd.”
Players clashed. Police intervened to remove Diego. Naturally, Simeone rushed in to defend Maradona, confronting officers and chasing one who had drawn his baton. Nearby, Diego kept shouting: “The five! It was the five!”Fans threw objects toward the Sevilla bench. Monchi(yes, that Monchi) picked up a bottle and hurled it back into the stands. Bilardo accused police of trying to “kidnap” another player. “We will file a complaint,” he declared. Tenerife supporters chanted “Gofio, yes. Coca, no” — local cornflour vs. Maradona’s coke.
Marca front page: “Menotti school beats Bilardo’s. Diego red card.”
The match ended with 12 yellow cards and three reds, as Sevilla’s Marcos was also dismissed. Tenerife added a third goal for the final 3–0.The dispute continued in the dressing rooms. Bilardo refused post-match comments, accused the home president of inflaming tensions for two months, and labeled Valdano and Cappa “white-gloved thieves.” Valdano replied that Bilardo always looks for excuses when he loses. Sevilla’s president called the events unacceptable. Simeone spoke of shame. Diego insisted the referee had arrived determined to send him off: “I am part of the spectacle. Of course I have the right to speak.”
In May, Sevilla hosted Tenerife. A goal by Rafa Paz gave the Andalusians victory and a small measure of revenge. Maradona did not play; his exit was approaching.Tenerife finished fifth with 44 points. On 43 were Atlético Madrid and Sevilla. Bilardo’s team missed out on the final UEFA Cup place on tiebreakers. Although most of the main protagonists did not remain at the clubs, the rivalry carried into the following season. Once again, home wins were shared: 3–0 Sevilla and 2–1 Tenerife in another match with dismissals — four this time, two per side. The highlight was the sending-off of DavorŠuker, who accused defender César Gómez of biting him and posed afterward to display the alleged Dracula marks.
