“Poker History: Taty Castellanos Scores Four Goals Against Real Madrid in Midweek Round”

Valentín Castellanos: Girona-Real Madrid 4-2 (League, 2023)

Obviously let’s start from the last one in a temporal sense: Valentin Castellanos. Player owned by New York City, Argentine, who before this poker had scored 72 goals in his career, 59 of which with the US team. Yet he managed to give a night of history to his Girona and to himself. What will Taty Castellanos give us from here on out?

Robert Lewandowski: Borussia Dortmund-Real Madrid 4-1 (Champions League, 2013)

Before Castellanos, the last to score a four-of-a-kind goal at Real Madrid was Robert Lewandowski. A sensational 4-1 for the Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the 2012-2013 Champions League semi-final. Thanks to that poker, the Germans went straight to the final of Wembley where compatriots from Bayern Munich were waiting for them. That defeat, and elimination, however, marked the end of Jose Mourinho as manager of Real Madrid.

Diego Milito: Real Zaragoza 6-1 Real Madrid (King’s Cup, 2006)

It also happened in the 2005-2006 Copa del Rey, with the Real Zaragoza who eliminated Real Madrid in the semifinals after a sensational 6-1 in the first leg. At the Romareda there was poker of Diego Milito with four goals scored between 14′ and 55′. Júlio Baptista tried to reduce the deficit, but a brace from Ewerthon made it 6-1. An important result, but still decisive given that in the second leg Real Madrid prevailed 4-0… With those 4 goals, however, Milito presented himself to the world. Up until that season he had only played for Racing, in Argentina, and a year in between in Serie B with Genoa.

Eulogio Martínez: Barcelona-Real Madrid 6-1 (Generalissimo Cup, 1957)

Another 6-1, this time from Barcelona in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Real Madrid (at the time it was called the Copa del Generalísimo). After the 2-2 of the first leg, here is the poker made by Eulogio Martinez. However, the Paraguayan striker was used to certain feats: again in 1957 he scored 7 goals in an 8-1 win against Atlético Madrid.

Esteban Echevarría: Real Oviedo-Real Madrid 7-1 (League, 1947)

It was since 1947, however, that a player hadn’t scored at least 4 goals for Real Madrid in the league. At that juncture Esteban Echevarriathe hero of that day, he even scored 5 in the match won against the blancos 7-1. Echevarría was also an expert in poker and pokerissimi: he also scored 5 goals in the same game in the 6-1 against Español in 1953.

Emilín: Real Oviedo-Real Madrid 4-0 (League, 1944)

Watch out for traveling to Oviedo for Real Madrid. A few years before the Echevarría tornado, there was a certain Emily who also signed four goals to the capital team that came out with broken bones from the Buenavista Stadium. At the end of that day, Oviedo was leading the league.

Martínez Català: Espanyol-Real Madrid 4-5 (Liga, 1940)

Sometimes, however, scoring four goals for Real Madrid might not be enough. It was the fate of Vicent Martínez Catalan who scored 4 goals against Real, but the team from the capital managed to score 5 by winning that match in the photo finish.

Martí Ventolrà: Barcelona-Real Madrid 5-0 (League, 1935)

After Josep Samitier in the Cup, in 1926, there was another Barcelona player who scored four goals for Real Madrid. It was Martí Ventolrà which overwhelmed goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora with four goals, three of them in the second half. Real Madrid were first in the league before that match…

Carlos Bestit: Club Esportiu Europa-Real Madrid 5-2 (Liga, 1929)

Club Esportiu Europa is a real football team, Catalan, but after a past at high levels it now plays in the lower categories. In 1929, however, one of their players took the trouble to score four goals, in the same game, against Real Madrid. It was Carlos Bestit, the first to do so in a La Liga match in history. In the first leg Real Madrid won 5-0, the Catalans redeemed themselves in the second leg with a 5-2 dragged by Bestit.

Josep Samitier: Real Madrid-Barcelona 1-5 (Copa del Rey, 1926)

The first to score four goals against Real Madrid? Joseph Samitier who in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the 1926 King’s Cup left those present in the stadium stunned chamartin. Three goals in the first half and then the icing on the cake in the second half. In the second leg Barça won 10-0…