1939–40 Atlético Aviación season

The 1939–40 Athletic-Aviation Club season was one of the most successful seasons in the history of Atlético Madrid. Atlético, who merged with Club Aviación Nacional at the start of the season, on 4 October 1939, won three titles within the next 12 months, the 1939 Campeonato Mancomunado Centro in November, the 1939–40 La Liga in April, and the 1940 Spanish Super Cup in September, although the latter was won in the following season.

Summary

 * 1 April: By the end of the Spanish Civil War, Atlético Madrid found itself in a difficult situation because they were lacking a suitable playing field since the Metropolitano had been completely destroyed by the war, lacking players because its squad had been decimated (including the club's star, Monchín Triana, who was shot down), and it accumulated an economic deficit that envisaged a dark future in its sporting and financial horizon. However, the club managed to save itself from an almost certain disappearance by merging with Club Aviación Nacional, a club that had been founded by three aviation officers.


 * 4 October: After reaching a pre-agreement in September 1939, the representatives of both sides signed the absorption agreements on 4 October, and appointed the first Board of Directors with Commander Francisco Vives as president of the now Athletic-Aviation Club. Ricardo Zamora was appointed coach of Athletic Aviación, later to become Atlético Aviación.


 * 5 October: Atlético Aviación played its very first match, the opening fixture of the 1939 Campeonato Mancomunado Centro, which ended in a 1–2 loss to AD Ferroviaria; Julio Elícegui was the author of the team's first goal. Atlético only won one of its first four matches, beating Real Valladolid, but drawing with Imperio CF and losing to Real Madrid CF.


 * 19 November: Despite this rocky start, however, the team soon found its rhythm and style under the leadership of Zamora, and went on to win each of the remaining six Mancomunado matches, scoring a total of 24 goals for an average of four goals per game while only conceding three, keeping a clean-sheet against both Ferroviaria and Madrid, beating the later on the last matchday on 19 November as they finished level on points, but hedge out Madrid on goal difference, thus winning their first-ever title.


 * 26 November: At that time, Real Oviedo also had its field destroyed by the war, so it was decided to give up its place to another team, and that final spot was contested by Atlético and CA Osasuna, in a match held in Valencia on 26 November, which Atlético Aviación won with a score of 3–1, with two goals from Enrique and one from Juan Vázquez, thus achieving promotion to La Liga.


 * 3 December: Atlético Aviación defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–1 in their opening fixture of the 1939–40 La Liga, courtesy of a hat-trick from Enrique, which marked their first-ever win over the Basques in eleven meetings.


 * Mid-December: After just over two months as the president of the club, Francisco Vives was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Luis Navarro Garnica; José Maria Fernández as vice president, Cesáreo Galíndez as secretary, Paco Campos as technical secretary, José Bosmediano Toril as treasurer, and Juan Touzón as an accountant.


 * 31 March 1940: The club then reached new heights, surprising everyone by winning their first La Liga title in 1940, just one point ahead of the second-placed Sevilla FC. The league's deciding match was, therefore, the return fixture between these two sides on 31 March, in which Atlético Aviación, who had lost in Seville 1–4, achieved their revenge with a 4–2 victory, courtesy of Paco Campos, Enrique, and Ramón Gabilondo (2).


 * 28 April: The club officially confirmed the 1940 La Liga title with a 2–0 victory over Valencia CF, with goals from Campos and Elícegui.


 * 28 May: In the 1940 Copa del Generalísimo, Atlético Aviación received a bye to the round of 16 in which they were set to face Real Zaragoza. As both legs ended in a draw, a tiebreaker was played on 28 May at a neutral ground, the Camp de Les Corts in Barcelona, which ended in a 2–4 loss.

Squad
Source:

Aftermath
In the following season, in 1940–41, Atlético Aviación won two more titles, the 1940 Spanish Super Cup in September, in which they beat RCD Espanyol 10–4 on aggregate, and the Copa Presidente Federación Castellana, in which they beat Real Madrid 3–1 on aggregate.