On this day in 1967, Celtic were in Buenos Aires to face Racing Club in the second leg of the intense Intercontinental Club Cup.…
Jock Stein’s squad claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the intense first leg at Hampden Park, secured by Billy McNeill’s towering header. The match in Glasgow was fraught with controversy, as Racing Club players resorted to kicking and spitting at the European Cup winners. Despite the hostility, Stein’s “immortals” left for South America needing only a draw to triumph.
Celtic entered the second leg with high spirits, fresh off a Scottish League Cup final win over Dundee just four days earlier. Dominance in domestic competitions had become routine for Celtic in the late 1960s, and while the League Cup final was significant, Stein and his players were also focused on their looming clash with Racing Club. Their opponents, meanwhile, were on a poor run, having lost four consecutive matches without scoring a goal.
Celtic’s request to the Scottish Football League Association for a 10-day break to prepare for the second leg in Argentina was initially approved, but plans changed. The team was required to play a league fixture against Motherwell on October 24 in Glasgow’s East End, followed by the League Cup final at Hampden a few days later. As a result, the highly anticipated match against Racing Club became Celtic’s third competitive fixture in just ten days. There was no time for post-Dundee celebrations, as Stein’s focus immediately shifted to the second leg against the Argentinians.
Eighteen Celtic players and staff embarked on a 20-hour flight to Argentina aboard an Aerolineas Argentina jet, departing from Prestwick with stops in Paris and Madrid. Meanwhile, 106 dedicated fans undertook an even longer journey, covering 7,000 miles with stops in the Canary Islands, Sal in Cape Verde, and Recife, Brazil, before reaching Buenos Aires—a grueling 29-hour trip. This journey didn’t come cheap, either, costing £200 per fan, with match tickets reasonably priced at £8 each.
On the personnel front, Jimmy Johnstone was eligible to play despite being under a 21-day domestic suspension. The SFA ultimately permitted “Jinky” to participate in the World Club Championships, partly because Racing Club’s star, Humberto Maschio, was in a similar situation, and the Argentinian Football Association had allowed him to play against Celtic. Since the Intercontinental Cup wasn’t regulated by FIFA, the decision on suspended players rested with the respective associations.
The atmosphere at El Cilindro was intense, with 120,000 fervent Racing Club fans packed into the stadium. Before kick-off, Stein had to make a last-minute adjustment to the lineup after an object struck Ronnie Simpson, splitting open the top of his head. Historians have debated what exactly hit Simpson, with suggestions ranging from a metal piece to a stone or even a bottle. As a result, John Fallon had to step in as the replacement goalkeeper.
The second leg, officiated by Uruguayan referee Esteban Marino, was played in a less tumultuous atmosphere than the first match. Racing Club opted to abandon their defensive tactics and took a more offensive approach against Celtic—though not literally this time—resulting in a more open game.
Tommy Gemmell scored an early penalty, but the Argentinians responded with a header from Norberto Raffo to equalize. Shortly after the restart, Juan Carlos Cardenas netted the winning goal. Since the away goals rule didn’t apply, the match ended without a champion, necessitating a third playoff game.
Following the match, tensions flared as the Celtic dressing room was attacked by Racing Club supporters, sparking anger from Jock Stein. Meanwhile, fighting erupted outside the stadium between Racing Club fans and Uruguayans who had traveled to Buenos Aires in support of Celtic, creating a chaotic scene.
Chairman Bob Kelly was adamant about returning home, refusing to participate in a third World Club Championship match. However, Secretary Desmond White and board member James Ferrell were determined to play the decider, scheduled to take place in Montevideo, Uruguay.
In hindsight, Celtic might have been wise to heed Chairman Bob Kelly’s advice. Frustrated by the conduct both on and off the pitch, Jock Stein expressed to reporters, “we don’t want to go to Montevideo or anywhere else in South America, for another game. But we know we have to.”
Despite their reluctance, Celtic and Racing Club met again three days later. Unfortunately, Celtic fell 1-0 in the final match, but all three encounters with Racing Club have since become an indelible part of the club’s history.
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