# 1980–81 Real Madrid CF season

The 1980–81 season is Real Madrid Club de Fútbol's 79th season in existence and the club's 50th consecutive season in the top flight of Spanish football. As of 2024, this was the last time Real Madrid had lost a European Cup/UEFA Champions League final as they have went on to win all 9 finals since 1998 and avenging their defeat to Liverpool both times in 2018 and 2022.

## Summary

Financial worries did hit Luis de Carlos Presidency during summer as a result there had not high-profile transfers in, so, the new arrivals were midfielder Ricardo Gallego (replacing forward Laurie Cunningham injured since November and with physical issues until season finale) goalkeeper Agustín come from its Youth team Castilla and ended loans like Rafael García Cortés. In League the squad was struggling in the middle of the table almost the entire campaign behind local rivals Atlético Madrid until colchoneros collapsed in the final rounds of the tournament and Real Sociedad grabbed the first spot tied in points with Real Madrid but the head-to head matches was in favor of basque side winning its first title ever. In Copa del Rey the club was eliminated in Quarterfinals by Sporting Gijón with an 3–4 aggregate score.
The season is best remembered due to the club's journey around the European Cup defeating Irish side Limerick in First Round, in Eightfinals won 3–0 against Budapest Honved, advancing 2–0 against Soviet side Spartak Moscow in Quarterfinals and won the series 2–1 in semi-finals against Italian Champion F.C. Internazionale Milano reaching its first Final of the tournament after 15 years. Before the final, President Luis de Carlos reached an agreement with a German supplier being the first time ever the club play with a branded shirt openly. However, with Stielike and Cunningham having physical issues the squad lost 0–1 the Final against then-heavily favourites English side Liverpool F.C. recent back-to-back champions in 1977 and 1978.
According to Junior the club made him an offer after the 1980 World Champions' Gold Cup rejected by the Brazilian left-back Defender.

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ESP | García Remón |
| — | DF | ESP | García Cortés |
| — | DF | ESP | Andrés Sabido |
| — | DF | ESP | García Navajas |
| — | DF | ESP | José Antonio Camacho |
| — | MF | FRG | Uli Stielike |
| — | MF | ESP | Ángel |
| — | MF | ESP | Vicente del Bosque |
| — | MF | ESP | Ricardo Gallego |
| — | FW | ESP | Santillana |
| — | FW | ESP | Juanito |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ESP | Agustín |
| — | FW | ESP | Isidro |
| — | MF | ESP | García Hernández |
| — | FW | ESP | Pineda García |
| — | FW | ENG | Laurie Cunningham |
| — | GK | ESP | Miguel Ángel |
| — | DF | ESP | Goyo Benito |
| — | DF | ESP | Pérez García |
| — | FW | ESP | Rincón |
| — | MF | ESP | Miguel Ángel Portugal |
| — | DF | ESP | San José |

### Transfers

In :
| Pos. | Name | from |
| DF | Rafael García Cortés | Burgos CF |
| MF | Ricardo Gallego | Castilla |
| GK | Agustín Rodríguez Santiago | Castilla |
| FW | Pineda García | Castilla |
Out :
| Pos. | Name | To |
| MF | Pirri | Puebla F.C. |
| FW | Roberto Martínez | Español |
| DF | Herrero | Castilla |

## Competitions
### La Liga
#### Position by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A |
| Result | W | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | W | L | W | D | L | D | W | D | W | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Position | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Real Sociedad (C) | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 52 | 29 | +23 | 45 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 34 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 66 | 37 | +29 | 45 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Atlético Madrid | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 42 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Valencia | 34 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 46 | 39 | +7 | 42 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Barcelona | 34 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 66 | 41 | +25 | 41 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
* 1 2 Real Sociedad finished ahead of Real Madrid Sevilla on head-to-head goal-difference: Real Madrid 1-0 Real Sociedad, Real Sociedad 3-1 Real Madrid.
* 1 2 Atlético Madrid finished ahead of Valencia on head-to-head points: Atlético Madrid 3-1 Valencia, Valencia 0-0 Atlético Madrid.
* ↑ Barcelona qualified to the Cup Winners' Cup as winners of the Copa del Rey.

#### Matches
### European Cup
#### Quarter-finals
#### Final
## Statistics
### Players statistics

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Primera Division | Primera Division | Copa del Rey | Copa del Rey | European Cup | European Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | ESP | García Remón | 36 | -36 | 31 | -35 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -1 |
| | DF | ESP | García Cortés | 33 | 1 | 21+4 | 1 | 2+2 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| | DF | ESP | Sabido | 34 | 1 | 21+2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6+1 | 0 |
| | DF | ESP | García Navajas | 26 | 1 | 14+2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4+2 | 0 |
| | DF | ESP | Camacho | 47 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| | MF | FRG | Stielike | 41 | 6 | 29 | 5 | 2+1 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| | MF | ESP | Del Bosque | 37 | 2 | 28+1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 |
| | MF | ESP | Gallego | 31 | 1 | 24+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| | MF | ESP | Ángel | 44 | 2 | 28+3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| | FW | ESP | Santillana | 43 | 17 | 31 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| | FW | ESP | Juanito | 46 | 24 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
| | GK | ESP | Agustín | 11 | -10 | 3+1 | -2 | 4 | -6 | 3 | -2 |
| | FW | ESP | Isidro | 38 | 4 | 15+12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6+1 | 2 |
| | MF | ESP | García Hernández | 34 | 13 | 17+7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 6+2 | 1 |
| | FW | ESP | Pineda Garcia | 29 | 7 | 11+6 | 4 | 0+3 | 1 | 3+6 | 2 |
| | FW | ENG | Cunningham | 17 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| | GK | ESP | Miguel Ángel | 3 | -1 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| | DF | ESP | Goyo Benito | 14 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| | DF | ESP | Pérez García | 13 | 0 | 7+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| | FW | ESP | Rincón | 8 | 1 | 4+4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ESP | Portugal | 7 | 0 | 2+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ESP | San José | 5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Source: https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/t/t1980-812.html