one of first books i've read on my own was by Zibi Boniek and was titled "my rivals" or sth equally inventive. there were stories about players from mid 80s with their photos. not a common thing in those times behind the iron curtain. Juan Lozano was there in an Anderlecht shirt and was described by Zibi as 'the most difficult opponent ever'. anyone knows more about this Lozano guy. wikipedia is helpful but to a certain degree as always. any help much appreciated. found nothing on old OTF board. cheers!
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Juan Lozano
The Spanish Enzo Scifo (though older and not as good in my book).
Did Zibi play against him when he was at Madrid? He never reproduced his Mauve form for the Merengues. -
Juan Lozano
Zibi played against him while he was at Widzew and Lozano was at Andrelecht.
Lozano detroyed Widzew almost on his own in 81/82 European Cup (4-1 in Lodz after 2 goals of his and 2-1 in Bruxelles).
Lodz side eliminated MU, Juve after before losing heavily to Ipswich in the previous season of UEFA Cup.Comment
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Juan Lozano
That was the form he never reproduced at Madrid.
And even more astonishing because he had spent a year or two just prior to that in the NASL with Washington Diplomats.
European football would be better off if clubs like Widzew and Anderlecht were some able to re-capture their form of that period. Talent was much more evenly spread than it is now.Comment
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Juan Lozano
here's what StephL wrote in an e-mail. might be interesting as he's one truly magnificent expert in all things beglian.
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Of course, I remember Juan Lozano very well! I read the Wikipedia entry, so
you have seen most of the story of his career there.
I saw him play many times when I was young. Lozano was the star of
Beerschot, at the time it was not a great side but they had some great
players, Tomaszewski of course amongt them.
When they played RWDM and
Lozano was in the side, there was always something going to happen because
of his intense rivalry with our star of the time, the great Dutchman Johan
Boskamp. These two really hated each other. I remember one game in
Molenbeek when both players were sent-off after nearly fighting. As you
have read, Lozano was Spanish but moved to Belgium, in Antwerp, when he was
very young. When he was playing for Anderlecht (moving there from Beerschot
- I didn't remember he played in the US for Washington Diplomats), the
Belgian FA wanted to make him Belgian so he could play for the national
team. But at the time (I'm talking early 80s), it was not so easy and he
never "became" Belgian. Later of course, such players like Brazilian Luis
Oliveira, Croats Josip Weber and Branko Strupar and Serbian Goran Vidovic
all played for Belgium. It was not fair on Lozano i.m.o. because these
players came to Belgium from abroad to play football while they already had
a "career" in their home countries (and have al gone back there, except
Oliveira who lives - and still plays! - in Italy). Lozano, despite beeing
born in Andalucia, grew up in Belgium.
Of course, you also had Enzo Scifo, an Italian, but he was born in Belgium.
The Mpenza brothers, same (altough Mbo was born in Congo).
Lozano moved to Real Madrid, which was his dream, hoping to "do it" in his
home country, after starring at Anderlecht, who at the time had a very good
time, even by European standards. He never made it there, altough there was
one famous game in Europe, when Real Madrid played...Anderlecht (I don't
remember the year). Anderlecht won the first leg in Brussels by 3-0 but in
the return game in Madrid, a Real side inspired by Lozano, who had his best
game for them, destroyed Anderlecht 6-1.
I think he only played one season, maybe two for Madrid and then came back
to Anderlecht. His career kind of ended when he had his leg broken in a
game vs Waregem by a player called De Sloover,a big defender. It was big
news at the time here, but I kind of remember this incident, it was not an
aggression à la Goicochea on Maradona at the infamous Barca v Bilbao game,
it was more like a middle-of-the-pitch tackle. De Sloover was slaughtered
by the media at the time and he would always be remembered for this in
Belgian football. Lozano tried a come back at then 2nd division Eendracht
Aalst but he never was like the player he was before and stopped his career
(he even played in a RWDM v Aalst game as we had one season in D2 in 89-90
and I remember that he really was a shadow of his former self). I think he
still lives in Antwerp and from time to time, comes on Flemish TV to make
some punditry.
He hasn't lost his sense of self-grandeur, typical of the people from
Antwerp (they are kind of big-headed people), saying how it was better in
his days (he has a point of course) and thet at the time, he was the best
of them all. He was indeed a excellent player, but because of this
naturalization saga (which went on for years), he could never show himself
on the big international stage, like a the World Cup (now I remember,
Belgium wanted him to play the 82 WC).Comment
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Juan Lozano
here's more by Steph, below it's what he wrote about the season when Anderlecht eliminated Widzew from European Cup, anyone remembers this?
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Anderlecht reached the semi-finals of the European Cup that year and were tipped as favourites to win it. They played Aston Villa in the Semi, losing 1-0 in England. I was at the return game in Bxl, among the Villa fans (!).
Back in those golden days (I really mean it), when an English side came to Belgium, it was almost certain that there wouldbe troubles. There were of course before the game as usual but what I remember best about that game
was an incident that happened in front of the Villa goal. Score was 0-0 (and it stayed 0-0) and Iceland forward Arnor Gudjohnsen was put clear on goal, altough a bit sideways, when a Villa fan ran on the pitch and layed
himself in front of Gudjohnsen, who shot high in the stands! Ah, those were
the days!Comment
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