1981 European Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1981 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool
of England and Real Madrid
of Spain on 27 May 1981 at the Parc des Princes
, Paris, France. It was the final match of the 1980–81 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup
. Liverpool were appearing in their third final, after two appearances in 1977
and 1978
. Real Madrid were appearing in their ninth final, they had previously won the competition six times and lost twice.
Each club needed to progress through four rounds to reach the final. Matches were contested over two legs, with a match at each team's home ground. All but one of Liverpool's ties were comfortable victories, they beat Bayern Munich
on the away goals rule
, while they won all their other ties by at least five goals. Real Madrid's matches ranged from close affairs to comfortable victories. In the first round they beat Limerick
7–2 on aggregate, but their final two ties were won by at least two goals.
Watched by a crowd of 48,360, the first half was goalless. Liverpool took the lead in the second half when Alan Kennedy
scored. They held this lead to win the match 1–0, securing Liverpool's third European Cup and a fifth consecutive victory by an English team. Liverpool manager Bob Paisley
became the first manager to win the competition three times.
Liverpool gained entry to the competition by winning the 1979–80 Football League, entering as English champions. Their opponents in the first round were Finnish champions Oulun Palloseura
. The first leg in Finland at the Raatti Stadion
was drawn 1–1. The second leg at Liverpool's home ground Anfield
resulted in a comprehensive 10–0 victory for Liverpool. Two of their players, Graeme Souness
and Terry McDermott
scored a hat-trick. Liverpool won the tie 11–1 on aggregate.
In the second round Liverpool were drawn against Scottish champions Aberdeen
. The first leg was at Aberdeen's home ground, Pittodrie
, a McDermott goal in the fifth minute ensured a 1–0 victory for Liverpool. The second leg at Anfield was won 4–0 by Liverpool, thus they won the tie 5–0 on aggregate. Liverpool's opponents in the quarter-finals were Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia
. The first leg was held in England, another hat-trick from Souness and goals from McDermott and Sammy Lee
gave Liverpool a 5–1 victory. They won the second leg at the Vasil Levski National Stadium
1–0 to progress to the semi-finals courtesy of a 6–1 aggregate victory.
They faced German champions Bayern Munich
in the semi-finals. The first leg in England ended in a 0–0 draw. Liverpool needed to score in the second leg to advance to the final. Their cause was not helped when striker Kenny Dalglish
had to be replaced in the early minutes of the match by the inexperienced Howard Gayle
. However, Gayle rose to the occasion, unsettling the Bayern defence with his attacking threat. With seven minutes of normal time left, Ray Kennedy
scored to give Liverpool a 1–0 lead. Bayern responded soon afterwards when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
scored, however they needed to score another goal due to the away goals rule. They were unable to do so and Liverpool progressed to their third final in five seasons.
Real Madrid
gained entry to the competition as champions, after they won the 1979–80 La Liga. Their opponents in the first round were Irish champions Limerick
. Limerick took the lead in the first leg at their home ground, Jackman Park
, but Real scored twice to win the first leg 2–1. The second leg at Real's home ground the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
, ended in a 5–1 victory for Real, they won the tie 7–2 on aggregate.
Their opponents in the second round were Hungarian champions Honvéd
. A goal from Santillana ensured Real won the first leg 1–0 in Spain. Two goals from Laurie Cunningham
and Francisco García Hernández
secured a 2–0 victory in the second leg at Honvéd's home ground the Bozsik Stadion
, thus, winning the tie 3–0 on aggregate.
In the quarter-finals Real faced Soviet champions Spartak Moscow
. A 0–0 at the Dynamo Lenin Stadium
in the Soviet Union left the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg in Spain. Two goals from Isidro
in the second half secured a 2–0 victory in the match and over aggregate.
Real's opponents in the semi-finals were Italian champions Internazionale. Real won the first leg 2–0 in Spain after goals from Santillana and Juanito
. Internazionale needed to score twice to force the tie into extra-time
, however they were only able to score once. They won the second leg 1–0, but Real won the tie 2–1 on aggregate to progress to their ninth final.
Liverpool were appearing in their third European Cup Final. They had won their two previous appearances in 1977
and 1978
. Real Madrid were appearing in their ninth final, they had won the competition six times, including a record five successive victories from 1956
to 1960
. Their sixth victory was in 1966
, while their two losses were in 1962
and 1964
.
Liverpool had finished fifth during the 1980–81 Football League, thus they needed to win the final to ensure that they would compete in the European Cup the following season. Despite this, Liverpool had won the Football League Cup
for the first time earlier in the season, defeating West Ham United
2–1 in a replay after the final
finished 1–1. Real Madrid had finished second in the 1980–81 La Liga, they had qualified for the UEFA Cup, as a result, but victory would enable to compete in the European Cup the following season.
Both sides had injury concerns before the match. Liverpool had doubts over a number of players. Kenny Dalglish
had not trained for several weeks, while Alan Kennedy
had been sidelined for six weeks with a broken wrist. Real had concerns over striker Laurie Cunningham
who had been sidelined since November.
. Further chances were created, but neither Terry McDermott
or Dalglish were able to score. Real started to exert more of an influence after this, midfielder Juanito
started to cause Liverpool problems with his passing. One pass found José Antonio Camacho
who beat Liverpool defender Alan Hansen
but put his shot wide of the Liverpool goal. One problem was to get the best out of their winger Cunningham. Not fully fit, he was tightly marked throughout the match and made little impact in the match.
Liverpool had a chance to take the lead before half-time. Phil Neal
advanced down the right hand side of the pitch and found Dalglish who passed to Graeme Souness
, who ran late through the Real defence. His subsequent shot was not held by Agustín Rodríguez, but Souness was unable to get to the rebounded ball. Real had the first chance of the second half. Liverpool's defence had stopped as they thought Cunningham was offside, however he was not and Camacho advanced towards Ray Clemence
in the Liverpool goal. Clemence came off his line and ran towards the Real midfielder, Camacho attempted to lob the keeper, but his shot went over the goal.
The tactical approach 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. Their various forms of marking also negated each other, Real man marked Liverpool's best players such as Dalglish and Souness, while Liverpool were content for the nearest defender to mark the man on the ball.
Despite the tactical battle Liverpool were able to score in the 81st minute. A throw-in from Ray Kennedy
found Alan Kennedy, whose run up the left hand side of the pitch caught Real off-guard. Kennedy went past Real defender Rafael García Cortés
into the Real box, his subsequent shot beat the Real goalkeeper to give Liverpool the lead. Soon afterwards Liverpool replaced Dalglish with midfielder Jimmy Case
in an attempt to see out the match. Although, Liverpool had chances to extend their lead as Real went all out to score, Real keeper Agustín Rodríguez made a number of saves to keep his team in the game. The match remained 1–0 and Liverpool won their third European Cup, the first British club to do so. Liverpool's victory meant that Bob Paisley
became the first manager to win the European Cup three times, a record which still stands today.
style=font-size:90% cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align="center">
Real Madrid:
|
GK
1
Agustín Rodríguez
DF
2
Rafael García Cortés
DF
3
José Antonio Camacho
MF
4
Uli Stielike
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
Ángel
MF
García Hernández
MF
16
Francisco Pineda
Manager:
Vujadin Boškov
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
of England and Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
of Spain on 27 May 1981 at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
, Paris, France. It was the final match of the 1980–81 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. Liverpool were appearing in their third final, after two appearances in 1977
1977 European Cup Final
The 1977 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany on 25 May 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1976–77 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup...
and 1978
1978 European Cup Final
The 1978 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Club Brugge of Belgium on 10 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium, London, England. It was the final match of the 1977–78 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup. Liverpool were the reigning...
. Real Madrid were appearing in their ninth final, they had previously won the competition six times and lost twice.
Each club needed to progress through four rounds to reach the final. Matches were contested over two legs, with a match at each team's home ground. All but one of Liverpool's ties were comfortable victories, they beat Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
on the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
, while they won all their other ties by at least five goals. Real Madrid's matches ranged from close affairs to comfortable victories. In the first round they beat Limerick
Limerick F.C.
Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick...
7–2 on aggregate, but their final two ties were won by at least two goals.
Watched by a crowd of 48,360, the first half was goalless. Liverpool took the lead in the second half when Alan Kennedy
Alan Kennedy
Alan Phillip Kennedy is a former footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had a knack of scoring in major cup finals....
scored. They held this lead to win the match 1–0, securing Liverpool's third European Cup and a fifth consecutive victory by an English team. Liverpool manager Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
became the first manager to win the competition three times.
Liverpool
| Round | Opponents | First leg | Second leg | Aggregate score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Oulun Palloseura Oulun Palloseura Oulun Palloseura, OPS for short, is a Finnish football club based in Oulu.The football team is currently playing in the Finnish second tier, Ykkönen.-Season to season:-Current Squad 2011:-External links:*... |
1–1 (a) | 10–0 (h) | 11–1 |
| 2nd | Aberdeen Aberdeen F.C. Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen... |
1–0 (a) | 4–0 (h) | 5–0 |
| Quarter-final | CSKA Sofia PFC CSKA Sofia PFC CSKA Sofia , commonly known as CSKA or CSKA Sofia is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria. The club was officially founded on May 5, 1948. CSKA's abbreviation stands for Central Sports Club of the Army... |
5–1 (h) | 1–0 (a) | 6–1 |
| Semi-final | Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups.... |
0–0 (h) | 1–1 (a) | 1–1 |
Liverpool gained entry to the competition by winning the 1979–80 Football League, entering as English champions. Their opponents in the first round were Finnish champions Oulun Palloseura
Oulun Palloseura
Oulun Palloseura, OPS for short, is a Finnish football club based in Oulu.The football team is currently playing in the Finnish second tier, Ykkönen.-Season to season:-Current Squad 2011:-External links:*...
. The first leg in Finland at the Raatti Stadion
Raatti Stadion
Raatti Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Oulu, Finland. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 12,000 people and was built in 1952....
was drawn 1–1. The second leg at Liverpool's home ground Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
resulted in a comprehensive 10–0 victory for Liverpool. Two of their players, Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
and Terry McDermott
Terry McDermott
Terence "Terry" McDermott is a former football midfielder and current coach. He is currently the assistant manager at League One side Huddersfield Town.He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott-Early career:McDermott joined Bury as a youngster...
scored a hat-trick. Liverpool won the tie 11–1 on aggregate.
In the second round Liverpool were drawn against Scottish champions Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. The first leg was at Aberdeen's home ground, Pittodrie
Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Stadium is an all-seated football stadium situated in the Scottish city of Aberdeen. It was first used in 1899 and from 1903 has been the home of Aberdeen Football Club...
, a McDermott goal in the fifth minute ensured a 1–0 victory for Liverpool. The second leg at Anfield was won 4–0 by Liverpool, thus they won the tie 5–0 on aggregate. Liverpool's opponents in the quarter-finals were Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia
PFC CSKA Sofia
PFC CSKA Sofia , commonly known as CSKA or CSKA Sofia is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria. The club was officially founded on May 5, 1948. CSKA's abbreviation stands for Central Sports Club of the Army...
. The first leg was held in England, another hat-trick from Souness and goals from McDermott and Sammy Lee
Sammy Lee
Sammy Lee may refer to:*Sammy Lee , expert in vitro fertilisation*Sammy Lee , Korean-American diver and two-time Olympic Games champion...
gave Liverpool a 5–1 victory. They won the second leg at the Vasil Levski National Stadium
Vasil Levski National Stadium
Vasil Levski National Stadium , named after Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski, is one of Bulgaria's largest sports venues and the country's second largest stadium...
1–0 to progress to the semi-finals courtesy of a 6–1 aggregate victory.
They faced German champions Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in the semi-finals. The first leg in England ended in a 0–0 draw. Liverpool needed to score in the second leg to advance to the final. Their cause was not helped when striker Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
had to be replaced in the early minutes of the match by the inexperienced Howard Gayle
Howard Gayle
Howard Gayle was the first black player to play for Liverpool.-Career:He was at the club for six years but was only given a total of five first team matches, later playing for several clubs including Birmingham City and Sunderland...
. However, Gayle rose to the occasion, unsettling the Bayern defence with his attacking threat. With seven minutes of normal time left, Ray Kennedy
Ray Kennedy
Raymond Kennedy is an English former football player who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal and Liverpool in the 1970s...
scored to give Liverpool a 1–0 lead. Bayern responded soon afterwards when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge is a German former football player.He had his greatest career success with German club Bayern Munich, where he won the Intercontinental Cup, the European Cup, as well as two league titles and two domestic cups.A member of the German national team, Rummenigge won the...
scored, however they needed to score another goal due to the away goals rule. They were unable to do so and Liverpool progressed to their third final in five seasons.
Real Madrid
| Round | Opponents | First leg | Second leg | Aggregate score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Limerick Limerick F.C. Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick... |
2–1 (a) | 5–1 (h) | 7–2 |
| 2nd | Honvéd Budapest Honvéd FC Budapest Honvéd FC |football]] team. "Honved" means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian... |
1–0 (h) | 2–0 (a) | 3–0 |
| Quarter-final | Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times... |
0–0 (a) | 2–0 (h) | 2–0 |
| Semi-final | Internazionale | 2–0 (h) | 0–1 (a) | 2–1 |
Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
gained entry to the competition as champions, after they won the 1979–80 La Liga. Their opponents in the first round were Irish champions Limerick
Limerick F.C.
Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick...
. Limerick took the lead in the first leg at their home ground, Jackman Park
Jackman Park
Jackman Park is a football ground in Limerick, Republic of Ireland located on the Lower Carey's Road, that is home to Limerick F.C. It is regularly used by almost every grade of football in Limerick, from schoolboy to women's international games. The capacity is 2,450. The ground has a single 261...
, but Real scored twice to win the first leg 2–1. The second leg at Real's home ground the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
, ended in a 5–1 victory for Real, they won the tie 7–2 on aggregate.
Their opponents in the second round were Hungarian champions Honvéd
Budapest Honvéd FC
Budapest Honvéd FC |football]] team. "Honved" means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian...
. A goal from Santillana ensured Real won the first leg 1–0 in Spain. Two goals from Laurie Cunningham
Laurie Cunningham
Laurence Paul "Laurie" Cunningham was an England international footballer. When he joined Real Madrid, he became the first English player in the club's history....
and Francisco García Hernández
Francisco García Hernández
Francisco García Hernández also known as García Hernández is a former Spanish footballer. He spent his career as a midfielder.He played the most of his career for Spanish giants Real Madrid from 1978 to 1983...
secured a 2–0 victory in the second leg at Honvéd's home ground the Bozsik Stadion
Bozsik Stadion
Bozsik József Stadion is a multi-use stadium in Budapest, Hungary. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of Budapest Honvéd FC. The stadium has a capacity of 10,000 .-History:...
, thus, winning the tie 3–0 on aggregate.
In the quarter-finals Real faced Soviet champions Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
. A 0–0 at the Dynamo Lenin Stadium
Boris Paichadze Stadium
The Boris Paichadze National Stadium , also known as the Dinamo Stadium, is a football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the home stadium of FC Dinamo Tbilisi. The stadium was built in 1976 by Georgian architect Gia Kurdiani. Before then Dinamo's stadium was a smaller ground with a maximum...
in the Soviet Union left the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg in Spain. Two goals from Isidro
Isidro Díaz González
Isidro Díaz González , simply Isidro, is a retired Spanish professional footballer who played as a forward.-Club career:...
in the second half secured a 2–0 victory in the match and over aggregate.
Real's opponents in the semi-finals were Italian champions Internazionale. Real won the first leg 2–0 in Spain after goals from Santillana and Juanito
Juan Gómez González
Juan Gómez González , or simply known as Juanito, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.A player with tremendous dribbling ability whose career was overshadowed by a fierce character, Juanito was best known for his Real Madrid years...
. Internazionale needed to score twice to force the tie into extra-time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
, however they were only able to score once. They won the second leg 1–0, but Real won the tie 2–1 on aggregate to progress to their ninth final.
Background
1977 European Cup Final
The 1977 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany on 25 May 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1976–77 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup...
and 1978
1978 European Cup Final
The 1978 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Club Brugge of Belgium on 10 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium, London, England. It was the final match of the 1977–78 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup. Liverpool were the reigning...
. Real Madrid were appearing in their ninth final, they had won the competition six times, including a record five successive victories from 1956
1956 European Cup Final
The 1956 European Cup Final was the first ever final in the pan-European football competition, the European Cup, now known as the UEFA Champions League. It was contested by Real Madrid of Spain and Stade de Reims-Champagne from France. It was played at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 13 June 1956...
to 1960
1960 European Cup Final
The 1960 European Cup Final was the fifth final in the history of the European Cup, and was contested between Real Madrid of Spain and Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest football matches ever played. Madrid won 7–3 in front of a crowd of 135,000 people at...
. Their sixth victory was in 1966
1966 European Cup Final
The 1966 European Cup Final was a football match held at Heysel Stadium, Brussels, on 11 May 1966 that saw Real Madrid of Spain defeat Partizan of Yugoslavia 2–1.-Match summary:...
, while their two losses were in 1962
1962 European Cup Final
The 1962 European Cup Final was a football match held at the Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, on 2 May 1962, that saw S.L. Benfica play against Real Madrid. Benfica defeated their opponents 5–3, to win the European Cup for the second successive season. That was the first final played by...
and 1964
1964 European Cup Final
The 1964 European Cup Final was a football match between Internazionale and at that time, the five time winners Real Madrid, held at the Prater Stadium, Vienna. Inter went on to lift the trophy for the first time, by beating Real Madrid 3-1.-Match details:...
.
Liverpool had finished fifth during the 1980–81 Football League, thus they needed to win the final to ensure that they would compete in the European Cup the following season. Despite this, Liverpool had won the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
for the first time earlier in the season, defeating West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
2–1 in a replay after the final
1981 Football League Cup Final
The 1981 Football League Cup Final was played on Saturday 14 March 1981 at Wembley Stadium between Liverpool and West Ham United, with both clubs appearing in their second League Cup finals....
finished 1–1. Real Madrid had finished second in the 1980–81 La Liga, they had qualified for the UEFA Cup, as a result, but victory would enable to compete in the European Cup the following season.
Both sides had injury concerns before the match. Liverpool had doubts over a number of players. Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
had not trained for several weeks, while Alan Kennedy
Alan Kennedy
Alan Phillip Kennedy is a former footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had a knack of scoring in major cup finals....
had been sidelined for six weeks with a broken wrist. Real had concerns over striker Laurie Cunningham
Laurie Cunningham
Laurence Paul "Laurie" Cunningham was an England international footballer. When he joined Real Madrid, he became the first English player in the club's history....
who had been sidelined since November.
Summary
Liverpool controlled the opening passages of the game. Their first goalscoring chance came in the 11th minute when Alan Kennedy's 30 yard shot was saved by Real goalkeeper Agustín RodríguezAgustín Rodríguez Santiago
Agustín Rodríguez Santiago, simply Agustín , is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Club career:...
. Further chances were created, but neither Terry McDermott
Terry McDermott
Terence "Terry" McDermott is a former football midfielder and current coach. He is currently the assistant manager at League One side Huddersfield Town.He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott-Early career:McDermott joined Bury as a youngster...
or Dalglish were able to score. Real started to exert more of an influence after this, midfielder Juanito
Juan Gómez González
Juan Gómez González , or simply known as Juanito, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.A player with tremendous dribbling ability whose career was overshadowed by a fierce character, Juanito was best known for his Real Madrid years...
started to cause Liverpool problems with his passing. One pass found José Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
who beat Liverpool defender Alan Hansen
Alan Hansen
Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland...
but put his shot wide of the Liverpool goal. One problem was to get the best out of their winger Cunningham. Not fully fit, he was tightly marked throughout the match and made little impact in the match.
Liverpool had a chance to take the lead before half-time. Phil Neal
Phil Neal
Philip George "Phil" Neal is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup finals, winning four of them...
advanced down the right hand side of the pitch and found Dalglish who passed to Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
, who ran late through the Real defence. His subsequent shot was not held by Agustín Rodríguez, but Souness was unable to get to the rebounded ball. Real had the first chance of the second half. Liverpool's defence had stopped as they thought Cunningham was offside, however he was not and Camacho advanced towards Ray Clemence
Ray Clemence
Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:...
in the Liverpool goal. Clemence came off his line and ran towards the Real midfielder, Camacho attempted to lob the keeper, but his shot went over the goal.
The tactical approach 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. Their various forms of marking also negated each other, Real man marked Liverpool's best players such as Dalglish and Souness, while Liverpool were content for the nearest defender to mark the man on the ball.
Despite the tactical battle Liverpool were able to score in the 81st minute. A throw-in from Ray Kennedy
Ray Kennedy
Raymond Kennedy is an English former football player who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal and Liverpool in the 1970s...
found Alan Kennedy, whose run up the left hand side of the pitch caught Real off-guard. Kennedy went past Real defender Rafael García Cortés
Rafael García Cortés
Rafael García Cortés is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a defender.-Honours:Real Madrid*Spanish League: 1978–79*Spanish Cup: 1981–82Zaragoza*Spanish Cup: 1985–86-External links:**...
into the Real box, his subsequent shot beat the Real goalkeeper to give Liverpool the lead. Soon afterwards Liverpool replaced Dalglish with midfielder Jimmy Case
Jimmy Case
James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:...
in an attempt to see out the match. Although, Liverpool had chances to extend their lead as Real went all out to score, Real keeper Agustín Rodríguez made a number of saves to keep his team in the game. The match remained 1–0 and Liverpool won their third European Cup, the first British club to do so. Liverpool's victory meant that Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
became the first manager to win the European Cup three times, a record which still stands today.
Details
| style=font-size:90% cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0> | Liverpool: | |||
| GK | 1 | Ray Clemence Ray Clemence Raymond Neal "Ray" Clemence, MBE is one of English and European football's most decorated goalkeepers ever and was part of the Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Scunthorpe United:... |
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| RB | 2 | Phil Neal Phil Neal Philip George "Phil" Neal is a former footballer who was, at one time, the most successful player in English football history. He played for Liverpool 650 times over an eleven year period and is the only player to have appeared in the first five of their European Cup finals, winning four of them... |
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| LB | 3 | Alan Kennedy Alan Kennedy Alan Phillip Kennedy is a former footballer who played for Liverpool during their halcyon days in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had a knack of scoring in major cup finals.... |
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| CB | 4 | Phil Thompson Phil Thompson Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions... (c) |
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| LM | 5 | Ray Kennedy Ray Kennedy Raymond Kennedy is an English former football player who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal and Liverpool in the 1970s... |
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| CB | 6 |  Alan HansenAlan Hansen Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland... |
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| CF | 7 | Kenny Dalglish Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and... |
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| RM | 8 | Sammy Lee Sammy Lee (footballer) Samuel "Sammy" Lee is an English football coach and former player. He played most of his career for hometown club Liverpool during the 1970s and 1980s as a midfielder, and also represented England fourteen times.... |
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| CF | 9 | David Johnson |
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| CM | 10 | Terry McDermott Terry McDermott Terence "Terry" McDermott is a former football midfielder and current coach. He is currently the assistant manager at League One side Huddersfield Town.He is the father of Newcastle United player Greg McDermott and Marsaxlokk player Neale McDermott-Early career:McDermott joined Bury as a youngster... |
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| CM | 11 | Graeme Souness Graeme Souness Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,... |
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| Substitutes: | ||||
| MF | 12 | Jimmy Case Jimmy Case James Robert Case is a retired English football player who shot to fame with the all-conquering Liverpool side of the 1970s and became known as a player with one of the hardest shots in the game.-Early life:... |
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| GK | 13 | Steve Ogrizovic Steve Ogrizovic Steven "Oggy" Ogrizovic is a former English goalkeeper who achieved fame during 16 years at Coventry City... |
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| DF | 14 | Colin Irwin Colin Irwin (footballer) Colin Irwin was a professional footballer of the early 1980s. A defender, able to play at left-back or in the centre, Irwin came through the youth ranks at Liverpool, and his first call-up to the first-team squad came, remarkably, in the 1978 European Cup Final... |
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| DF | 15 | Richard Money |
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| FW | 16 | Howard Gayle Howard Gayle Howard Gayle was the first black player to play for Liverpool.-Career:He was at the club for six years but was only given a total of five first team matches, later playing for several clubs including Birmingham City and Sunderland... |
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| Manager: | ||||
| Bob Paisley Bob Paisley Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974... |
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Agustín RodríguezAgustín Rodríguez Santiago
Agustín Rodríguez Santiago, simply Agustín , is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Club career:...
Rafael García CortésRafael García Cortés
Rafael García Cortés is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a defender.-Honours:Real Madrid*Spanish League: 1978–79*Spanish Cup: 1981–82Zaragoza*Spanish Cup: 1985–86-External links:**...
José Antonio CamachoJosé Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
Uli StielikeUli Stielike
Ulrich "Uli" Stielike is a German football manager and former player.-Club career:Stielike was a West Germany youth international for hometown club SpVgg Ketsch when he got signed by UEFA Cup runner-up Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1973, first coming to action as a full back for the then two times...
Andrés SabidoAndrés Sabido
Andrés Sabido Martín is a former Spanish footballer, who played as a defender.-Honours:Real Madrid*Spanish League: 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80*Spanish Cup: 1979–80, 1981–82-External links:*...
Vicente del BosqueVicente Del Bosque
Vicente del Bosque González, 1st Marquis of Del Bosque is a former Spanish footballer He is currently the manager of the Spanish national football team. After taking over from Luis Aragonés who had led Spain to European success in Euro 2008, Del Bosque went on to manage the national team to the...
JuanitoJuan Gómez González
Juan Gómez González , or simply known as Juanito, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.A player with tremendous dribbling ability whose career was overshadowed by a fierce character, Juanito was best known for his Real Madrid years...
Ángel de los Santos Santillana (c) Antonio García NavajasAntonio García Navajas
Antonio García Navajas is a former Spanish footballer who played as a defender.-Honours:Real Madrid*Spanish League: 1979–80*Spanish Cup: 1979–80, 1981–82Real Valladolid*Spanish League Cup: 1983–84...
Laurie CunninghamLaurie Cunningham
Laurence Paul "Laurie" Cunningham was an England international footballer. When he joined Real Madrid, he became the first English player in the club's history....
Miguel Ángel GonzálezMiguel Ángel González
Miguel Ángel González Suárez , known as Miguel Ángel, is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Football career:...
Isidoro San José ÁngelÁngel de Los Santos Cano
Ángel de los Santos Cano also known as Ángel is a former Spanish professional association football player.He spent his career as a midfielder.-Club career:-References:* at worldfootball.net*...
García HernándezFrancisco García Hernández
Francisco García Hernández also known as García Hernández is a former Spanish footballer. He spent his career as a midfielder.He played the most of his career for Spanish giants Real Madrid from 1978 to 1983...
Francisco PinedaFrancisco Pineda
Francisco Pineda García is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a forward.-Football career:Pineda started playing professionally at La Liga giants Real Madrid...
Vujadin BoškovVujadin Boškov
Vujadin Boškov is a retired Serbian football player and coach.Boškov was born in the village of Begeč near Novi Sad, Danube Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia). He played with FK Vojvodina for most of his career...