[h=3]With video - Why a Barça hat-trick has given Oscar hope for play-off finale[/h]8:40am Saturday 3rd May 2014 in Albion By Brian Owen
Oscar Garcia (back row, in tracksuit and holding flag) celebrates a title handed to Barcelona by a Deportivo penalty failure in 1994
Oscar Garcia hopes for a flashback to his playing days as the final play-off place goes on the line today.
Albion’s head coach was an emerging player with Barcelona when they won three titles in a row thanks, partly, to last-day slip-ups by the team just above them at kick-off.
Barça were crowned in 1992 and 1993 after Real Madrid lost at Tenerife.
In 1994 Deportivo La Coruna defender Miroslav Djukic saw a stoppage-time penalty against Valencia saved when he had the chance to give his club their first ever title.
On each occasion, Barça kept their part of the bargain by winning at home.
Albion are not masters of their own destiny in the race for the last play-off spot this afternoon.
Madrid hit self destruct while Barça monitor events in the first of the finales to which Oscar referred. The second voice you hear on commentary is that of ex-Albion striker Michael Robinson.
Oscar was asked if he had experienced a similar last-day scenario.
He said: “As a footballer I remember Real Madrid losing at Tenerife two seasons in a row and we won the championship.
“There was Deportivo as well. They missed a penalty in the last game.
“I want to feel the same as I felt as a football player because all the seasons we were the winners.”
Although Oscar did not play in any of the last-day deciders, he was on the books of Barça and made appearances in the last two of those title-winning campaigns.
It might take a gift or two from Reading for Albion to reach their target.
As well as Djukic’s spot-kick failure (when he nervously stepped up after Bebeto refused to take the kick), Barça also profited from a Ricardo Rocha own goal and an horrendous 50-yard back pass by veteran Madrid defender Manuel Sanchis in 1992 as their side lost 3-2 having led 2-0 at Tenerife.
As an Evening Argus headline once read after Albion won at Forest – Miracles can still happen.
Oscar for one knows anything is possible.
I won't change my style - read Oscar in The Argus today
Original article
Oscar Garcia hopes for a flashback to his playing days as the final play-off place goes on the line today.
Albion’s head coach was an emerging player with Barcelona when they won three titles in a row thanks, partly, to last-day slip-ups by the team just above them at kick-off.
Barça were crowned in 1992 and 1993 after Real Madrid lost at Tenerife.
In 1994 Deportivo La Coruna defender Miroslav Djukic saw a stoppage-time penalty against Valencia saved when he had the chance to give his club their first ever title.
On each occasion, Barça kept their part of the bargain by winning at home.
Albion are not masters of their own destiny in the race for the last play-off spot this afternoon.
Madrid hit self destruct while Barça monitor events in the first of the finales to which Oscar referred. The second voice you hear on commentary is that of ex-Albion striker Michael Robinson.
Oscar was asked if he had experienced a similar last-day scenario.
He said: “As a footballer I remember Real Madrid losing at Tenerife two seasons in a row and we won the championship.
“There was Deportivo as well. They missed a penalty in the last game.
“I want to feel the same as I felt as a football player because all the seasons we were the winners.”
Although Oscar did not play in any of the last-day deciders, he was on the books of Barça and made appearances in the last two of those title-winning campaigns.
It might take a gift or two from Reading for Albion to reach their target.
As well as Djukic’s spot-kick failure (when he nervously stepped up after Bebeto refused to take the kick), Barça also profited from a Ricardo Rocha own goal and an horrendous 50-yard back pass by veteran Madrid defender Manuel Sanchis in 1992 as their side lost 3-2 having led 2-0 at Tenerife.
As an Evening Argus headline once read after Albion won at Forest – Miracles can still happen.
Oscar for one knows anything is possible.
I won't change my style - read Oscar in The Argus today
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Original article