The 1951 Argentine Primera División finals were the matches that determined the winner of 1951 season of Argentine Primera División. The series were contested by Racing and Banfield, in order to decide a champion after both teams had finished tied on points (44 points in 32 matches played) at the end of the tournament.Argentina 2008/09 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi at RSSSF.com Although Banfield finished the season with a better goal difference (+30) than Racing (+23) the Argentine Football Association committee decided that playoffs should be held in order to crown a champion.
It was the 3rd. league final contested by Racing (had won championships in 1913 and 1915, both vs San Isidro)Racing Club 1913-1919. El único heptacampeón del fútbol argentino. on Xenen.com.ar and the 1st. played by Banfield.Se cumplen 72 años del tricampeonato de Racing on TyC, 5 Dec 2023
The matches were played in neutral venue (San Lorenzo de Alamgro Stadium) under a two-legged tie format. Racing won 1–0 on aggregate becoming Primera División champions therefore earning their 12th. league title.Todos los títulos de Racing Club en su historia on ESPN.com.ar Besides, it was first time Racing won three consecutive titles after football became professional in Argentina.El legendario tricampeó on Racingclub.com.ar1949-50-51: El Primer Tricampeón Fue La Academia on El Gráfico, 2009
Qualified teams Team Previous finals app. Racing 1913, 1915 Banfield (none)
Venue Buenos Aires San Lorenzo Stadium Capacity: 47,000
Background
Racing, coached by Guillermo Stábile,La historia de Guillermo Stábile: el récord que retuvo durante 64 años y la marca como DT más ganador de la Selección Argentina on TyC, 18 Jan 2023 had previously won the 1949 and 1950Argentina - List of Champions and Runners-Up by Osvaldo Gorgazzi and Héctor Villa Martínez on the RSSSF titles and aimed at winning their third consecutive championship. Racing and Banfield finished the season tied on points (44). Racing had also scored 60 goals and only received 37 within 32 matches played.
For the 1951 tournament, the two-time champions Racing Club acquired goalkeeper Héctor Grisetti from Banfield,Grandes arqueros de la historia, excerpt from Historia del Fútbol Argentino by Joaquín Carballo Serantes. Editorial Eiffel (1958) Luis Cesáreo from Boca Juniors, and Juan Carlos Giménez from Huracán.Se fue un gran jugador y un señor fuera de la cancha on La Nación Racing started the tournament with poor results but improved taking advantage of, among other opportunities, a championship hiatus due to the Argentine national team's tour of Europe, where the side played against England for the first time.Argentina National Team Archive by Héctor Pelayes on the RSSSF That match became memorable so Vélez Sarsfield's goalkeeper, Miguel Ángel Rugilo, earned the nickname "the lion of Wembley" after an outstanding performance.El león de Wembley on Vélez SarsfieldA 70 años del primer Argentina-Inglaterra on Clarín. 19 May 2021
On the other side, Banfield had made a great campaign, with highlighted wins over arch-rival Lanús (2–1 and 3–1), and beating all the big five teams, San Lorenzo (3–0), Boca Juniors (2–1), River Plate (5–1 at Estadio Monumental) and Independiente (5–0).Un partido de fútbol, la primera interna peronista by Eduardo Merino on Diario El Zonda, 26 Jul 2023
Political influence
It was notable how the 1951 final was politised by peronism, referring to it as a struggle between "the poor (Banfield) against the rich (Racing)". That was because Racing Club was a powerful institution (in fact, part of the big five) in opposition to Banfield's more modest budget.Perón, Racing y Banfield: el trasfondo de aquel torneo de 1951, interview to Víctor Raffo on La Unión. 8 Feb 2024
Moreover, Duarte had expressed her wish that Banfield was crowned champion after being questioned by sports journalist Enzo Ardigó, who let her know which of both teams was the most modest.El día que Evita apoyó a Banfield frente a Racing por un motivo que quedó en la historia on El Destape. 5 Dec 2023 Her wish carried a message about her political ideology that implied "in the 'peronist Argentina' the poor win". Moreover, Duarte sent Raúl Apold (president's secretariat of press) to meet the Banfield players, promising them a car would be gifted to each one in case of winning the final.
On the other hand, Racing was the reigning champion and was also seen as "the government's team" due to the great influence of Ministry of Treasury Ramón Cereijo, who was not only a Racing fan and honorary member of the club but one of the promoters of the construction of El Cilindro (inaugurated in September 1950 and named "Presidente Perón").Los tesoros de Ramón Cereijo on Racingclub.com.ar Cereijo had got a very low rates loan to build the stadium. Other moved from Cereijo to favour Racing included an investment to hire striker Mario Boyé (then playing in Europe), and the entry of Racing players to the Ministry of Treasury personnel.
His influence was so strong that rival supporters referred to Racing as Sportivo Cereijo.El día en que Eva Perón ordenó que Banfield debía salir campeón by Horacio Bernades on Página/12 Cereijo had promised Racing Club players to give a brand new car to every one of them if they won the championship.
Other source affirms that Perón himself let Cereijo know about the desirability of a Banfield victory over Racing. Duarte was battling with a terminal cancerEl doloroso último año de Evita on Infobae. 25 Jul 2021 and Perón's requirement was in order to fulfil his wife's wish.
Details
First leg
GK Héctor GrisettiDF Higinio GarcíaDF José M. PérezMF Juán GimenezMF Alberto RastelliMF Jorge GutiérrezFW Mario Boyé FW Norberto CupoFW Manuel BlancoFW Llamil SimesFW 11 Ezra Sued Manager: Guillermo Stábile
GK Manuel GranerosDF Osvaldo FerrettiDF Luis Angel Bagnato MF Domingo CapparelliMF Héctor D'AngeloFW Miguel Ángel ConvertiFW José M. Sánchez LageFW Gustavo AlbellaFW Nicolás MorenoFW Juan C. HuarteManagers: José I. Martínez & Félix Zurdo
Second leg
GK Manuel GranerosDF Osvaldo FerrettiDF Luis Angel Bagnato MF Domingo CapparelliMF Eliseo Mouriño MF Héctor D'AngeloFW Miguel Ángel ConvertiFW José M. Sánchez LageFW Gustavo AlbellaFW Nicolás MorenoFW Raúl TolosaManagers: José I. Martínez & Félix Zurdo
GK Héctor GrisettiDF Higinio GarcíaDF José M. PérezMF Juán GimenezMF Alberto RastelliMF Jorge GutiérrezFW Mario Boyé FW Manuel AmealFW Rubén BravoFW Llamil SimesFW Ezra Sued Manager: Guillermo Stábile
References