Saturday in Kyiv is not the first time Liverpool and Real Madrid have met in a European decider. The two sides met 27-years-ago almost to the day in the 1981 Final of the then titled European Cup at the Parc de Princes in Paris.
Back then the circumstances were a complete reversal – Liverpool were appearing in their third European Cup Final in five years after claiming the trophy in both 1977 and 1978. While for Real Madrid it was their first final in 15 years.
Los Blancos were already European royalty, appearing in their ninth final, and winning the competition six times, including a record five successive victories from 1956 to 1960.
But they were enduring of a lean spell with their last appearance in the final – and sixth victory – in 1966.
Liverpool’s Scottish midfielder David Johnson (up) is tackled by Real Madrid’s midfielder Uli Stielike. Sammy Lee is in the background.
Liverpool, also like Real Madrid this season, had experienced a poor year in the league.
The Reds finished fifth, Aston Villa were champions, in the 1980–81 Football League and thus they needed to win to ensure they would play in the European Cup the following season. But the Reds had won the League Cup for the first time that season, defeating West Ham in a replay.
Real Madrid had only finished second in the 1980–81 La Liga, and thus qualified for the UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) as a result, but victory would also enable them to compete in the Champions League the following season – so both teams had even more to play for.
Both sides had injury worries – Liverpool had doubts over Kenny Dalglish and Alan Kennedy while Real had concerns over striker Laurie Cunningham who had been out since November.
In a sign of how different the times were – the entire Liverpool squad of 16 was made up of English men except for three Scots (Alan Hansen, Dalglish and Graeme Souness) while Real were entirely Spanish players except for West German Uli Stielike and Englishman Cunningham.
In 2018 the teams have a far more international flavour.
Liverpool’s likely line up has one player from Germany, Croatia, Brazil, Egypt, Scotland and Senegal, two from the Netherlands and just three from England.
Real Madrid’s likely XI, unless Zidane pulls a swifty, has one player from Costa Rica, Portugal, Croatia, Germany, two from France and Brazil and just three from Spain.
Liverpool’s manager back in 1981, Bob Paisley, like Zinedine Zidane was chasing his third European crown while Yugoslavian Vujadin Boškov was in his first European final.
Real Madrid’s Spanish goalkeeper Agustin catches the ball over Ray Kennedy.
In stark contrast to what is expected in Kiev, the 1981 final was a dour affair with very little goal mouth action.
Liverpool controlled the opening passages with an 11th minute 30 yard shot from Alan Kennedy saved by Real goalkeeper Agustín Rodríguez. Terry McDermott and Dalglish also had chances.
Real started to exert more of an influence and a pass found José Antonio Camacho who beat Hansen but put his shot wide. Real had another problem as they were unable to get the best out of their winger Cunningham who, not fully fit, was tightly marked and made little impact.
Souness had a good chance before half time but Real had the first chance of the second half as Camacho attempted to lob the ball over Ray Clemence but again his shot went over the goal.
The tactical approaches of the two sides were cancelling each other out – Real’s slow pace interspersed with high speed bursts, while Liverpool preferred a more deliberate approach, keeping possession and making use of their wingers.
Finally the deadlock was broken in the 81st minute with a superb strike from the most unlikely of sources – Alan Kennedy. The left back on a rare sortie up the field Kennedy got the ball from a throw from Ray Kennedy, then went past Real defender Rafael García Cortés into the box, and slammed the ball into the top right corner from a tight angle to give Liverpool the lead.
Liverpool then held on to win their third European Cup, the first British club to do so, and Paisley became the first manager to win the European Cup three times.
Will the result be the same Saturday night? We will know very soon. (Check out the full line ups for both teams below.)
Alan Kennedy sits on a teammates’s shoulders as he raises the trophy.
Line Ups
LIVERPOOL
GK 1 Ray Clemence
RB 2 Phil Neal
LB 3 Alan Kennedy
CB 4 Phil Thompson (c)
LM 5 Ray Kennedy YC 29′
CB 6 Alan Hansen
CF 7 Kenny Dalglish Substituted off 85′
RM 8 Sammy Lee
CF 9 David Johnson
CM 10 Terry McDermott
CM 11 Graeme Souness
Substitutes:
MF 12 Jimmy Case Substituted in 85′
GK 13 Steve Ogrizovic
DF 14 Colin Irwin
DF 15 Richard Money
FW 16 Howard Gayle
REAL MADRID
GK 1 Agustín Rodríguez
DF 2 Rafael García Cortés Substituted off 87′
DF 3 José Antonio Camacho
MF 4 Uli Stielike YC 59′
DF 5 Andrés Sabido
MF 6 Vicente del Bosque
FW 7 Juanito
MF 8 Ángel de los Santos
FW 9 Santillana (c)
DF 10 Antonio García Navajas
FW 11 Laurie Cunningham
Substitutes:
GK Miguel Ángel González
DF Isidoro San José
MF Isidro
MF García Hernández
MF 16 Francisco Pineda
