28 November 2000 - Boca's Five-Minute Flurry

On 28 November 2000, Boca Juniors won their second Intercontinental Cup, upsetting Real Madrid 2-1.

Madrid, winners of the previous season's Champions League, had lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 1960 and 1998 and were looking for their third trophy. Led by the attacking trio of Raúl, Guti, and Luís Figo, they were heavily favored over Copa Libertadores champions Boca Juniors, who had themselves won the Intercontinental Cup in 1977.

But playing before a crowd of over 52,000 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the Spaniards were stunned to  find themselves down 2-0 after only five minutes, with both goals delivered by forward Martín Palermo. For the first, in the third minute, he received a cross at the edge of the 6-yard box and fired home past keeper Iker Casillas. Two minutes later, he ran onto a long lobbed ball and held off pressure from a Madrid defender before firing it past the hands of the diving Casillas.

Real Madrid back Roberto Carlos pulled one back in the 11th minute. But even though they enjoyed the lion's share of possession, they could not crack the Boca defense again.

Madrid did eventually win a third Intercontinental Cup in 2002, followed by Boca's third in 2003.

23 November 2002 - Figo's Unhappy Return

On 23 November 2002, former Barcelona hero Luis Figo returned to Camp Nou for only the second time since his controversial move to Real Madrid two years earlier. It did not go well.

Figo joined Barça in 1995 and quickly became a fan favorite, winning two league titles and the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in his five seasons there. In 2000, Real Madrid lured him away for the then-world record fee of £37.2 million. The move did not sit well with the Barcelona faithful, who regarded the move to Madrid as the ultimate betrayal.

When Figo returned to Camp Nou in his first season with Real Madrid, he was subjected to taunts and jeers, but that was nothing compared to his appearance in 2002. By then, he had won La Liga and the Champions League with his new club, intensifying the state of the rivalry. By the time he prepared to take a late corner, emotions had risen to the point where people in the stands were throwing things at him, including plastic bottles, cans, and lighters. Someone even threw the head of a piglet and one of a rooster.

The situation grew so bad that the referee stopped the match for 16 minutes before allowing it to continue. It ended as a scoreless draw, leaving nobody satisfied.

4 November 1972 - Figo, The Pride Of Portugal

On 4 November 1972, Luis Figo, the 2000 Ballon d'Or winner and Portugal's all-time appearances leader, was born in Lisbon.

He started his professional career with Sporting in 1989, the same year that he appeared for Portugal at the U-17 World Cup in Edinburgh. Two years later, he played in every game as Portugal won the U-20 World Cup, scoring in the final's penalty shootout to beat Brazil. Later that same year, he earned his first senior cap.

While enjoying a tremendous club career that included five seasons with Barcelona (1995-2000), a controversial move to Real Madrid (2000-05), and four years with Inter Milan (2005-09), winning a total of eight league titles and one Champions League trophy, he starred for the national team during one of their most successful periods.

They reached the semifinals at Euro 2000, then, as hosts, finished as runners-up in 2004. Two years later, Figo captained them to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup before losing to France 1-0, after which he retired from international football with a record 127 appearances for Portugal.

28 November 2000 - Boca's Five-Minute Flurry

On 28 November 2000, Boca Juniors won their second Intercontinental Cup, upsetting Real Madrid 2-1.

Madrid, winners of the previous season's Champions League, had lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 1960 and 1998 and were looking for their third trophy. Led by the attacking trio of Raúl, Guti, and Luís Figo, they were heavily favored over Copa Libertadores champions Boca Juniors, who had themselves won the Intercontinental Cup in 1977.

But playing before a crowd of over 52,000 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the Spaniards were stunned to  find themselves down 2-0 after only five minutes, with both goals delivered by forward Martín Palermo. For the first, in the third minute, he received a cross at the edge of the 6-yard box and fired home past keeper Iker Casillas. Two minutes later, he ran onto a long lobbed ball and held off pressure from a Madrid defender before firing it past the hands of the diving Casillas.

Real Madrid back Roberto Carlos pulled one back in the 11th minute. But even though they enjoyed the lion's share of possession, they could not crack the Boca defense again.

Madrid did eventually win a third Intercontinental Cup in 2002, followed by Boca's third in 2003.

23 November 2002 - Figo's Unhappy Return

On 23 November 2002, former Barcelona hero Luis Figo returned to Camp Nou for only the second time since his controversial move to Real Madrid two years earlier. It did not go well.

Figo joined Barça in 1995 and quickly became a fan favorite, winning two league titles and the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in his five seasons there. In 2000, Real Madrid lured him away for the then-world record fee of £37.2 million. The move did not sit well with the Barcelona faithful, who regarded the move to Madrid as the ultimate betrayal.

When Figo returned to Camp Nou in his first season with Real Madrid, he was subjected to taunts and jeers, but that was nothing compared to his appearance in 2002. By then, he had won La Liga and the Champions League with his new club, intensifying the state of the rivalry. By the time he prepared to take a late corner, emotions had risen to the point where people in the stands were throwing things at him, including plastic bottles, cans, and lighters. Someone even threw the head of a piglet and one of a rooster.

The situation grew so bad that the referee stopped the match for 16 minutes before allowing it to continue. It ended as a scoreless draw, leaving nobody satisfied.