Primera Division. In a nut shell, Real Madird completely dominated the season and Barcelona had a weak one. Furious battle for survival involving 8 teams. John Toshack was thriving in Spain and Terry Venables not so.
Las Palmas – last and relegated with 29 points. Top row from left: Chano Lozano, Pedro Luis, Oscar, Almeida, Saavedra, René Hansen, Félix, Pepote, Manolo López.
Middle row: Ernesto Aparicio (masseur), Verona, Sito, Andrés González, Paco Castellano (assistant coach), Germán Dévora (coach), Ruiz Caballero (condition coach), José, Mayé, Julio Durán, Emilio Tomé (doctor).
Front: Alexis Trujillo, Koke Contreras, Javi Campos, Chinea, Manolín Perola, Narciso, Félix Oramas, Antonio Padrón, Yoyo.
Sabadell – 19th with 29 points and relegated.
Mallorca – 18th with 30 points. Lost the promotion/relegation play-off against Real Oviedo and was relegated.
Murcia – 17th with 31 points. Won the promotion/relegation play-off against Rayo Vallecano 3-0 and 0-0 and kept its place in Primera.
Real Betis – survived: 16th with 33 points.
Espanol – great European campaign, but at home… 15th with 33 points.
Hard times for Valencia – 14th with 33 points.
Logrones – 13th with 33 points.
Cadiz – 12th with 35 points.
Real Zaragoza – 11th with 36 points. Frank Rijkard spent some time with them – a clash with Cruijff was the motivation for leaving Ajax, although his real destination was Milan.
Sevilla – 10th with 37 points.
Sporting Gijon – 9th with 38 points.
Real Valladolid – 8th with 38 points.
Celta Vigo – 7th with 39 points.
Barcelona – 6th with 39 points. Terrible season – competing with Celta…
Wonderful season for Osasuna – 5th with 40 points. No European spot, but ahead of Barcelona!
Athletic Bilbao – 4th with 46 points. Too strong for those bellow, too weak for more than that.
Atletico Madrid – very good squad with Futre and Alemao, not to mention the Spanish stars, Menotti coaching, yet, only bronze – 3rd with 48 points.
Real Sociedad – 2nd with 51 points. Running strong, but not a title contender. Standing from left: Arconada,Górriz,Gajate,López Recarte,Larrañaga,Santiago Bakero. First row: Zúñiga,José Mari Bakero,Loren,Zamora,Beguiristain. Two players will achieve much more with Cruijff eventually.
Real Madird – with Leo Beenhakker at the helm, they were superior by far. Excellent squad, of course – and no need even mentioning the key stars: too many, but let say Hugo Sanchez and Butragueno were lethal. 28 wins, 6 ties, 4 losses, 95-26, 62 points. If there was some need, it was a better goalkeeper, but even without star keeper they were too strong for anybody. Aimed to beat their own records – 3rd consecutive title, opening hopes for more – perhaps beating the record of 5 titles in a row, achieved between 1961 and 1965, and may be restoring its old glory with another European Champion Cup? All that was hopes for bright future, but the present nurished such hopes.