Michael Laudrup : Maybe The Best Of What Denmark Offered [2/2]

Cruyff continued to play Romario, Stoichkov and Koeman as the rule of highest three foreign players being eligible to play. Laudrup became irregular due to thus ruke. In the second half of the season, Laudrop fell off Cruyff's plan while sitting on the bench. Deportivo La Coruna came on the field by only 1 point ahead heading into the last match of the league. Barcelona needed a win, as well as they needed Deportivo to lose points. In the last match of La Liga, Laudrup was in the starting XI. There he contributed to almost all the goals including 1 assist and performed best in the match. Despite falling behind in the first half, Barca won the match 5-2 with the impeccable performance of the forward line. On the other hand, Deportivo's match ended before the Barca's match. Deportivo La Coruna lost the title after blasting a last-minute penalty. After winning the match, the whole team celebrated for the title and Laudrup did not heed to it. He left the field without joining the trophy celebration at the end of the match.

But Cruyff didn't get the same luck in the champions league as he got in La Liga. He proudly and confidently said to the media that Milan won't be a problem for them. This confidence came of the back of the title win and a 3-0 win in the semi finals against Porto. Cruyff did not include Laudrup in the squad for the group stage matches, including the semifinals. The relationship between Loudrop-Cruyff then deteriorated. Before they faced Capello's Milan in the final, Barcelona were the clear favorites in terms of strength, on paper. On the other hand, AC Milan won the 'Scudetto' by scoring only 35 goals with a tight defense throughout the season. Before the final, two defenders, Baresi and Costacurta, were out of the game with injuries, not even Marco van Basten was fit. Cruyff, however, put the last nail in his own coffin by benchiing Laudrup. His form in the last match of La Liga did not satisfy Cruyff, Laudrup remained neglected. Milan coach Capello later said that seeing a Barcelona eleven without Laudrup was enough to energize his Milan. And that they weren't expecting for Laudrup not to start. Romario and Stoichkov couldn't do any damage to Milan's second string defense. Meanwhile conceding 4 goals in a champions league final. A disaster. After that, Laudrup left the team. Even the requests of the Barcelona players could not stop him in the end. Pep Guardiola himself repeatedly asked him to stay at Barca but could not make him agree. Offers came from England but he didn't want to switch leagues in that stage of his career. So he decided to make Real Madrid his new club, maybe to avenge his anger.

After several years of Barcelona domination, Real won the league to his merit. One of his most notable incidents was when he defeated Real 5-0 for Barca, and again defeated Barca 5-0 with Real. After Laudrup left, Cruyff brought in two of his favorite players. Two talented players of the time, Gheorghe Hagi and Javier Iscuruza. None of them could adapt to the team. Romario, who left the team in January 1995, is said to have been upset with Cruyff over the Laudrup incident. The following season, Barcelona finished fourth in La Liga, with the Dream team having a tragic end. Cruyff leaves Barcelona after two seasons of without any silverware. Laudrop also moved to Vessel Kobe, Japan. After two seasons at Real. And later to Ajax. However, in a short time after becoming a Real Madrid fan favorite, he was voted the 12th best player in Madrid history in a 2002 fan vote. Michael Laudrup was also named the best foreign player of the previous 25 years in the Spanish league in 2000. The worshiper of beautiful football on the field has found love in both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Romario and Raul rated him as the best teammate. Iniesta's childhood idol was the Danish Dynamite, however, he could not fill the bag of personal awards like other great players. Johan Cruyff's remarks about him are a testament to his genius.

“Had Michael been born in a poor ghetto in Brazil or Argentina with the ball being his only way out of poverty he would today be recognised as the biggest genius of the game ever." Quote Source [2/2]