Estadi de Sarrià
 | |
| Coordinates | 41°23′35.20″N 2°07′59.41″E / 41.3931111°N 2.1331694°E |
|---|---|
| Owner | Espanyol |
| Operator | Espanyol |
| Capacity | 44,000 |
| Field size | 105 m × 70 m (344 ft × 230 ft) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1923 |
| Opened | 18 February 1923 |
| Demolished | 20 September 1997 |
| Architect | Matías Colmenares |
| Tenants | |
| Espanyol (1923–1997) | |
Estadi de Sarrià (Catalan pronunciation: [əsˈtaði ðə səriˈa]) was a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium was the home of RCD Espanyol from 1923 to 1997. The stadium was located in the Barcelona district of Sarrià and has become a legendary place for the Catalan club.
Beginning of a legendary stadium
The stadium was named after the road in which it was constructed, which linked the ancient cities Barcelona and Sarria. Construction began on December 31, 1922 under the supervision of architect Matías Colmenares, and the cost was 170,000 pesetas. The initial forecast capacity was for 40,000 spectators, but due to the bankruptcy of the construction company the initial capacity was only for 10,000 spectators.
The opening game was played on February 18, 1923 with RCD Espanyol beating UE Sants 4-1, the first goal scored by Vicenç Tonijuan. In 1929 the club won its first Cup in Spain. On 10 February, at the Sarria stadium, 'Pitus' Prats scored the first goal of the first Spanish league title. The team currently stood above everyone "The Divine", Ricardo Zamora. However, although the club won several Catalan Championships they had to wait until 1940 before winning their second cup in Spain.
Successive enlargements
In 1948, Espanyol under club president Paco Saenz, repurchased the stadium, which until then belonged to Riva family, for 5 million pesetas.
In 1951 terracing behind the south goal was demolished, and a new grandstand was built which was overlaid in 1956. In 1960 floodlights were installed.
During the sixties, several outstanding players such as Cayetano Re, Martial, Rodilla, Jose Maria and Peck played at the Sarria Stadium, but especially noteworthy were Ladislao Kubala (1963–1964) and Alfredo Di Stefano (1964–1967) who finished his career at the Sarria stadium.
After being relegated twice during the 1960s, the club recovered in the early 1970s with players like Daniel Solsona and Chilean Carlos Caszely.
Manuel Meler, the president at the time, completed the southern tier raised above the new gallery, installed the lower side and reconstructed the north stand, all in twelve years.
The 1980s and 1990s
1982 World Cup
The most memorable moments in the history of the Sarria stadium were when it hosted the 1982 FIFA World Cup. The stadium held the three matches of Group C in the second round, with three of the favourites for the cup playing in this group: Argentina (Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes, Daniel Passarella), Brazil (Zico, Socrates, Falcao, Eder) and eventual champions Italy (Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Marco Tardelli, Paolo Rossi, Giancarlo Antognoni). The key game was the third in which Italy defeated Brazil 3-2, in a match widely regarded as one of the best ever played at a World Cup.
Other Events
The stadium held the first leg of the 1988 UEFA Cup Final, where Espanyol played Bayer Leverkusen.
Pink Floyd performed at the stadium during their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour on July 20, 1988 and three days later George Michael performed at the stadium with his Faith World Tour.
Sting performed at the stadium during The Soul Cages Tour on June 12, 1991.
The venue hosted some football matches at the 1992 Summer Olympics.[1]
1982 FIFA World Cup
The stadium was one of the venues of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and held the following matches:
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-06-29 |  Italy | 2–1 |  Argentina | Group C (Second Round) |
| 1982-07-02 | Argentina | 1–3 |  Brazil | Group C (Second Round) |
| 1982-07-05 | Italy | 3–2 | Brazil | Group C (Second Round) |
Demolition and sale
Unfortunately, the club's financial problems forced the company to sell the stadium to property developers. The last game played in Sarrià was against Valencia on June 21, 1997. Espanyol won 3-2 and the last goal was scored by then Valencia defender Ivan Campo. The club then played at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium until 2009, when it moved to the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat.
External links
- Estadios de Espana(English)
References
- ↑ 1992 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 225-7.
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