Liverpool defeated one of the most prestigious sides in the 1981 cup final - Real Madrid. They won thanks to a single goal from Alan Kennedy shortly before time sent captain Phil Thompson up the steps to collect the trophy.
The Final - May 27th 1981
Liverpool 1 Real Madrid 0
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish (Case 86), Lee, Johnson, McDermott, Souness
Goals : A.Kennedy (81)
Att : 48,360 Parc des Princes
Unused Subs : Ogrizovic, Irwin, Money, Gayle
This had the makings of an absolutely superb game. England's greatest side against Spain's greatest. Madrid had already won the trophy six times in their history. Liverpool had to win to get an entry back into Europe though the following season after they finished fifth in the league. On the night it wasn't a classic match but one the Reds won. As Souness won the midfield battle the Reds were the team in the ascendancy. The idea of a goal though was looking less and less likely as time wore on. Alan Kennedy though suddenly received a throw in on the left side from a tight angle. As he burst into the penalty area David Johnson was screaming for it in the centre but Barney Rubble strode on and beat the keeper to win the cup for the Reds. A glorious night for the Reds meant they had now won the trophy three times.
The Route to the Final
Semi Final 1st Leg - April 11th 1981
Liverpool 0 Bayern Munich 0
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Rush, McDermott (Heighway 46), Case
Unused : Ogrizovic, Irwin, Money, Whelan
Goals : -
Att : 44,543
Bayern Munich arrived at Anfield full of pedigree. The Reds were without Graeme Souness through injury for this one and it made a huge difference. Souness was the creative genius in the centre with the extra bite to win the ball and without him the Reds failed to get through Bayern. The German side were always a threat up front with European footballer of the year Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the side. At the end of the game the players and fans feared the worst as the game finished 0-0.
Semi Final 2nd Leg - April 22nd 1981
Bayern Munich 1 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, Money, Irwin, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish (Gayle 9, Case 70), Lee, Johnson, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Ogrizovic, Rush, Cohen
Goals : R.Kennedy (83)
Att 77,600
Graeme Souness was fit again for the return trip to Munich but this game will be remembered for Howard Gayle. The Reds were always a side likely to score away. After just nine minutes though Kenny Dalglish limped off and the young inexperienced Howard Gayle was sent on. The reserve man ran Munich into the ground with his skill and surging runs past men. He took a huge battering in the game for his efforts and was eventually subbed himself after seventy minutes. This wasn't through injury though but fear of a sending off as the tackling was about to boil over. Munich were in trouble though and the Reds scored a great goal thanks to Ray Kennedy with seven minutes to go. Munich had to score two goals in the final minutes to reach the final and despite grabbing one the game finished all square. The Reds went on to the final courtesy of the away goals rule.
Quarter Final 1st Leg - March 4th 1981
Liverpool 5 CSKA Sofia 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Thompson (Irwin 19), R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Heighway, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Case, Ogrizovic, Cohen, Rush
Goals : Souness (16, 51, 80), Lee (45), McDermott (62)
Att : 37,255
The first leg saw the Reds blast past Sofia by five goals to one and effectively end the tie in one nigh. Graeme Souness scored his second hat-trick of the campaign as the Reds finished this one thanks to the midfield. The Reds were just days away from the League Cup Final against West Ham and in no great form but set about Sofia like men possessed. Sofia had already beaten Notts Forest on the way to the tie so had some pedigree about them. Although they concede a goal at three up they simply hit back with two more of their own.
Quarter Final 2nd Leg - March 18th 1981
CSKA Sofia 0 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Irwin, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Johnson (Heighway 37), Case, Souness
Unused : Cohen, Money, Rush, Ogrizovic
Goals : Johnson (10)
Att : 65,000
The tie was all but complete in the first leg and after just ten minutes of this one David Johnson scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game. The Reds played this one in their usual very efficient way and ensured the Bulgarian side had no way back in to the tie. Ray Clemence even saved a penalty shortly before the end of the game to ensure he picked up another clean sheet.
Round 2 1st Leg - October 22nd 1980
Aberdeen 0 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee (Case 68), Johnson, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Ogrizovic, Money, Irwin, Gayle
Goals : McDermott (5)
Att : 24,000
Billed as a British Championship the Reds came to this game very much in form and scored the only goal of the night after just five minutes. McDermott scored from a tight angle by lobbing the ball over Jim Leighton. Aberdeen back then were managed by Alex Ferguson who went on to manage Man United.
Round 2 2nd Leg - November 5th 1980
Liverpool 4 Aberdeen 0
Team : Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy (Cohen 36), Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Johnson, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Ogrizovic, Case, Irwin, Rush
Goals : OG (37), Neal (43), Dalglish (58), Hansen (71)
Att : 36,182
With the away goal in the bag the Reds sat about the second leg in confidence. It took some thirty eight minutes though before the Reds opened up their account thanks to a Willie Miller own goal. Phil Neal swept one home before half time as well and the tie was all but over. Dalglish and Hansen completed a 4-0 rout which meant the Reds had won far more easily than they had planned when the draw had been made.
Round 1 1st Leg - September 17th 1980
Oulu Palloseura 1 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, Cohen, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Fairclough, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Ogrizovic, Money, Rush, Irwin, A.Kennedy
Goals : McDermott (15)
Att : 14,000
The Reds had gone out in the first round stage for the past two seasons and breathed a relative sigh of relief at lesser opposition this time around. This was Oulu's first ever game in Europe but despite the Reds taking an early lead they sat back on it and the Finnish side got a deserved equaliser. Bob Paisley wasn't exactly a happy man after the game.
Round 1 2nd Leg - October 1st 1980
Liverpool 10 Oulu Palloseura 1
Team : Clemence, Neal, Cohen, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Lee, Fairclough, McDermott, Souness
Unused : Johnson, Ogrizovic, A.Kennedy, Irwin, money
Goals : Souness (5, 24, pen 52), McDermott (29, 41, 83), Lee (53), R.Kennedy (66), Fairclough (68, 81)
Att : 21,013
The same side as the first leg was sent out for this one with the message do what you didn't do in the first leg and finish this one off. They certainly did that. Palloseura sat in their own penalty area as Souness and McDermott grabbed hat-tricks on the night. If the Reds had played the offside trap better it could have been even more as well. Sammy Lee grabbed a goal on only his second European night for the Reds.
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