Time's passing has the ability to erase one's memory, and nowhere is that truer than in football. However, newspapers are always there to remind us of occurrences that may have been left in the past. Few remember that, at the turn of the 21st century, Luis Aragones, Atletico Madrid coaching legend, came close to coaching the team's eternal rival.
This November marks the 29th anniversary of a signing that could have changed the history of Spanish football. Luis Aragonés was already a renowned coach who had taken the reigns of a struggling Espanyol after Clemente and Toshack's dismissal because of their loss in Mestalla to Real Madrid.
Aragonés, who had already coached Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, was letting Real Madrid circle around him, while they named Alfredo Di Stefano as interim coach.
Those were the times when press conferences or statements to the media were neither biased nor full of euphemisms. Luis Aragonés himself recognised his interest in coaching the Madrid giants.
"I can't deny it. Although I'm very comfortable at Espanyol, I'd like to lead Madrid. The challenge is very important and the European Cup has a special attraction for me. However, let it be clear that I owe myself to the club that pays me now," the coach told 'El País' in November 1990.
Football was so different that even one of Spain's biggest coaches could have gone from one team to the other in the middle of the season. No one was accountable to anyone then and such changes of managers were not only allowed but also not frowned upon.
Aragonés insisted: "It's up to the two clubs, if they agreed, I wouldn't have any problem going to Madrid. But I don't want to be used."
"It's human that Luis wants to sign for Madrid. It's a complicated operation, but, if it happens, we have to be smart," acknowledged Espanyol in the press.
In the end, Grosso, Di Stefano and Camacho led the club for a few days, Luis Aragonés did not join them and Real Madrid signed Antic, which did not go well either.
Aragonés went on to win a Copa del Rey with Atletico and begin a journey through various clubs in LaLiga which eventually lead him to the Spanish National team, where he began the most important period of Spanish football at the national level. Something that could never have happened if he had come to Madrid in 1990...