1990–91 Real Madrid CF season

In the summertime, Welsh head coach John Benjamin Toshack asked for several changes, including the transfers of Bernd Schuster to local rivals Atlético Madrid and defender Oscar Ruggeri, together with midfielder Martín Vázquez, to Torino FC.[2][3][4] Meanwhile, President Ramon Mendoza, after a failed bid for Liverpool's John Barnes,[5] reinforced the club with Gheorghe Hagi, Predrag Spasić (after Gheorghe Popescu rejected an offer from Mendoza)[6] and Villaroya. Following a losing streak sinking the team down to the 6th place in the league, Mendoza fired Toshack on 25 November 1990 and appointed club legend Alfredo Di Stéfano as a new head coach. The team clinched the Supercopa de España, defeating FC Barcelona but the situation in the league was worsened with lost matches against Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona.

During February, forward Hugo Sánchez suffered his first injury,[7] and the squad was eliminated in the Copa del Rey round of 16 by Atlético Madrid. Then in March, with a high risk of failing to qualify for next year's European competitions, the team was defeated by Russian side Spartak Moscow at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the European Cup quarter-finals, shattering the chances of Alfredo Di Stéfano to stay as a coach and he resigned after the elimination. After one game with Ramón Grosso as an interim manager, the club appointed Radomir Antić as a new permanent head coach.

Surprisingly, despite the chaotic situation and Hugo Sánchez out for the rest of season since 25 April,[8] Antic managed the squad to reach the third spot in the league standings and the right to play in the 1991–92 UEFA Cup. His notable successes included matches won against Atlético Madrid and Barcelona in the final rounds of the season.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ESP Buyo — DF  ESP Chendo — DF  ESP Fernando Hierro — DF  ESP Manuel Sanchís Hontiyuelo — DF  ESP Jesús Ángel Solana — DF  ESP Francisco Villarroya — MF  ROU Gheorghe Hagi — MF  ESP Juan José Sánchez Maqueda — MF  ESP Míchel — FW  ESP Emilio Butragueño — FW  MEX Hugo Sánchez

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ESP Pedro Luis Jaro — DF  YUG Predrag Spasić — DF  ESP Miguel Tendillo — MF  ESP Adolfo Aldana — MF  ESP Santiago Aragón — GK  ESP Julen Lopetegui — MF  ESP Rafael Gordillo — FW  ESP Sebastián Losada — FW  ESP Alfonso Pérez — MF  ESP Luis Milla — FW  ESP Paco Llorente — FW  ARG Juan Eduardo Esnáider — MF  ESP Antonio Joaquín Parra Fernández — DF  ESP Víctor Torres Mestre — FW  ESP Ismael Urzaiz Aranda

[9]

[10]

In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ROU Gheorghe Hagi from Steaua București — GK  ESP Pedro Luis Jaro from Málaga CF — DF  ESP Maqueda from CD Logroñés — MF  ESP Luis Milla from FC Barcelona — MF  ESP Santiago Aragon from CD Logroñés — DF  YUG Predrag Spasić from Partizan — FW  ESP Villarroya from Real Zaragoza — FW  ARG Juan Eduardo Esnáider from Ferrocarril Oeste (January)

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  ESP Aguilá to CD Logroñés — GK  ESP Agustin to CD Tenerife — DF  ESP Esteban to Real Zaragoza — DF  ESP Llorente to CD Tenerife — MF  ESP Martín Vázquez to Torino FC — DF  ARG Oscar Ruggeri to Velez Sarsfield — FW  GER Bernd Schuster to Atlético Madrid

• Real Madrid – 1990–91 BDFutbol