As Liverpool prepare to host Real Madrid in a showpiece Champions League Group B clash on Wednesday at Anfield, Adam Bate takes a look back at the three previous meetings between these European heavyweights…
Wednesday 22 October 2014 16:57, UK
With 15 wins between them Liverpool and Real Madrid account for over a quarter of the European Cup winning teams since the tournament’s inception in 1956. And yet, the two clubs have faced each other competitively on just three occasions.
Memorably, the first of those meetings was the 1981 European Cup Final in Paris, while the 2008/09 season brought a further two games between the sides in the knockout stages of that year’s Champions League.
Thanks to the efforts of Alan Kennedy, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and the rest, all three games ended the same way. In fact, not only have Real lost every game against the Reds, they are yet to find the net against them. Here’s a brief history of Liverpool versus Real Madrid…
1981 European Cup Final: Liverpool 1 Real Madrid 0
This was Real Madrid’s first appearance in the European Cup final in 15 years but they had recent pedigree too having won La Liga in each of the three previous seasons before being narrowly beaten to the title by Real Sociedad earlier that month – in heartbreaking fashion when Sociedad scored with seconds remaining to deny them. Real even had an Englishman in their ranks for the game against Liverpool in Paris – former West Brom winger Laurie Cunningham lined up for them having impressed in his debut season, although he was not fully fit due to a toe injury.
Liverpool were the favourites but had endured a difficult campaign in which they’d saved their best work for the cups. Indeed, despite their success in Europe and a win over West Ham in the League Cup final, the Reds had finished down in fifth place in the league – their worst result in a decade and a low they’d not taste again for another 11 years. Indeed, Bob Paisley’s team only secured UEFA Cup football for the following year thanks to Ray Kennedy’s goal in a final day win at Manchester City.
But it was another Kennedy who stole the day in a hard-fought game on the bobbly Parc des Princes pitch, ensuring it would be the European Cup once more not the UEFA Cup for Liverpool - Alan Kennedy scoring the only goal of the game. The forward thinking left-back latched onto his namesake’s throw-in and with a remarkable sense of urgency – the man himself called it “instinctive” – he burst through on goal.
Collecting the ball on the full with his chest, Kennedy wrong-footed his marker and found himself up against goalkeeper Agustin Rodriguez. In one of the club’s most memorable moments, he then struck the ball cleanly high into the net and continued his run towards the ecstatic Liverpool fans. Real could not find a reply and Paisley led the Reds to their third European triumph in five seasons.
Three years later Liverpool won a fourth European Cup with six of the same starting line-up, including Kennedy who this time scored the winning goal in a penalty shootout. In contrast, Real had to wait another 17 years for their turn, by which time they were coached by Vicente del Bosque – a player who was in their midfield that night in Paris. The wait for a win over Liverpool goes on.
2009 Champions League (Round of 16, 1st leg): Real Madrid 0 Liverpool 1
Liverpool travelled to Real Madrid engulfed in something of a crisis. Two wins in six games had seen their Premier League title hopes falter, talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard was injured and popular manager Rafael Benitez’s was rumoured to be on the brink of an exit as contract talks stalled. Ultimately, they would beat Real in the Bernabeu and reach what remains their best points tally of the Premier League era.
The team’s enduring resilience and character was shown that night in Madrid. These were the European nights upon which Benitez had forged his reputation. After an early onslaught, Liverpool stifled the threat posed by the likes of Arjen Robben and Raul in front of 85,000 at the Bernabeu. Gonzalo Higuain’s disallowed goal aside, the visitors restricted the home side to long-range efforts.
Crucially, they remained a threat on the counter-attack. Fernando Torres – jeered throughout by the home fans - forced a good save from Iker Casillas and Xabi Alonso went close with a trademark effort from his own half. But when Torres went off with an ankle injury and with Gerrard only fit enough to play a few minutes from the bench, things seemed to be conspiring against them.
But inside the final 10 minutes came the crucial away goal - from an unlikely source. Fabio Aurelio was on free-kick duties, curling the ball into the box and to the delight of the Liverpool fans, Real Madrid’s shaky defence were nowhere to be seen. Yossi Benayoun, not known for his expert heading ability, duly converted the chance and silenced the Bernabeu. “Liverpool FC – European royalty,” read the banner in the away end and so it proved once more. Crisis averted.
2009 Champions League (Round of 16, 2nd leg): Liverpool 4 Real Madrid 0
If the result in the Spanish capital was something of a smash-and-grab win, the most recent meeting between the two teams – the second leg of that encounter – was a classic Anfield evening. Perhaps stung by suggestions they were one-dimensional in victory a fortnight earlier, Liverpool went for Juande Ramos’s fragile Real Madrid team and overwhelmed them in style.
A close-range effort from Torres opened the scoring before the fit-again Gerrard took over – scoring from the penalty spot before adding a sublime second. Ryan Babel beat his man on the left before cutting the ball back for Gerrard to connect beautifully first time to send the Kop End into delirium. Even opposite number Raul felt compelled to shake his hand when he was substituted. That Andrea Dossena scored a fourth only confirmed this was an evening like few others.
For Real it was confirmation of their limitations. A fifth consecutive exit from Europe at the last 16 stage, highlighted the need for change. Cristiano Ronaldo turned up that summer, Raul left the following year and the revolving door policy of managers was soon abandoned in favour of Jose Mourinho. Five years after this humbling, La Decima finally arrived.
Liverpool, meanwhile, went on to pick up 28 points from their 10 remaining Premier League fixtures but fans who left Anfield dreaming of a sixth European Cup win were denied by Chelsea in the next round after a 7-5 aggregate defeat. Liverpool haven’t won a knockout tie in the Champions League since. Perhaps the next meeting between the sides could spark another shift in fortunes…
Watch Liverpool v Real Madrid live on Sky Sports 5 HD (Wed, 7.45pm kick off)