player Pedro Pablo León, and Ecuadorian legend Alberto Spencer. Although they failed to reach the finals, at that time Estudiantes de La Plata was undefeated 4 years in row in home matches in Copa Libertadores, they managed to defeat three-time tournament winner Estudiantes de La Plata 1–0 in La Plata, later it would be recognized as La Hazaña de la Plata. In 1972, they reached the semi-finals again, establishing themselves in the international stage. The first two years of the decade were in stark contrast to the remainder; after the 1972 season, the club entered a dry spell that would last nine years. Barcelona did not win a national title, nor did it qualify for the Copa Libertadores, until the 1980s. Resurgence (1980s) In the 1980s, Barcelona shed the shackles of the prior decade and resurged on the international and domestic fronts. In 1980, the team won their first national title since 1971, going on to win four more before the end of the decade, making the 1980s the team's most successful period in terms of national titles; Barcelona became the first Ecuadorian squad to win 10 national championships. During this period, Barcelona competed in six editions of the Copa Libertadores, reaching the semi-finals twice in 1986 and 1987. In 1988, the club hosted a historic meeting against FC Barcelona from Spain, which the Ecuadorian club derived its name from, during the Guayaquil City Cup friendly; the Ecuadorian Barcelona emerged victoriously 2–1. In 1987, Barcelona inaugurated a new home ground, the Estadio Monumental. With an opening capacity of almost 90,000 spectators, the Monumental is still the largest stadium in Ecuador, and was the second-largest in South America, after the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. The capacity has been reduced to just under 60,000 due to safety concerns like most South American stadiums. The glory years (1990s) In 1990, under a new president, and with the firm intention of conquering the Copa Libertadores for the first time (and the first time for a team in Ecuador), the club acquired key international players: former Argentine international and World Cup champion in 1986 Marcelo Trobbiani, Argentine international Alberto Acosta, and Uruguayan Marcelo Saralegui. With the inclusion of the foreign players and a batch of young as well as experienced Ecuadorian players, they played a fantastic tournament. In 1990 Copa Libertadores edition, a dramatic semi-final home and away series, Barcelona beat River