On April 3rd 1997, Bobby Robson’s Barcelona hosted Las Palmas at Camp Nou in the Copa Del Rey semi-finals. The meeting provided a special memory for Fernando Couto, who marked the occasion with his first and only goal on home soil for Barca in a 3-0 victory.
Couto, then 27, was in his first season with Barcelona, having joined in the summer of 1996 from Italian side Parma as former Porto manager Robson took the reins. The English boss, with a young José Mourinho at his side, also brought Vítor Baía with him to Spanish football from the Dragons, although the goalkeeper was first choice in La Liga but barely used in the domestic cup campaign.
On this day 23 years ago Fernando Couto scores his first and only goal at Camp Nou for Barcelona, against Las Palmas#onthisdayPA 1997
— S Gillen 🇵🇹 Portuguese Abroad (@SeanGillen9) April 3, 2020
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The win over Las Palmas was easy enough, with Barca holding a 4-0 advantage from the first leg in the Canary Islands, meaning star man Luís Figo was rested to the bench for the return encounter as Couto celebrated his goal with a trademark acrobatic front flip.
The cups proved fruitful for Barca during the 1996/97 season as Robson’s side beat Real Betis in the final of the Copa Del Rey – Figo scoring twice – while also enjoying success in the European Cup Winners’ Cup after overcoming Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final. Baía, Couto and Figo all started the showpiece occasion in Rotterdam.
By Sean Gillen
