A glimpse into the past: the Champions League final will bring together famous teams from the past and present. Who will turn the tide?

Real Madrid have won the most Champions League trophies (or Champions Cup predecessor) – thirteen in total, the most in Spain this season. Liverpool FC have achieved six triumphs so far this year, dominating the English Cup, the oldest club competition. Two giants clash. Their record against each other is even so far. Who can turn it around?

The last final between these teams is probably still vivid in fans’ memories. In the 2017/2018 edition in Kiev, the royal club from the Iberian Peninsula clearly reigned supreme, winning 3: 1.

The goals were provided by Welsh striker Gareth Bale (2x) and his French teammate Karim Benzema for the winning team, while Senegalese runner Sadio Mané equalized for the losers. So players who can appear on the pitch again.

However, the first final clash is already rather dusty and falls into the period when the competition was still called the European Champions Cup.

On 27 May 1981, also in Paris, but then at the Parc des Princes stadium, this year the celebration is hosted by the Stade France in Saint-Denis, Liverpool beat their Spanish rivals 1-0 when defender Alan Kennedy scored with eight minutes to go.

How was this game different? First of all, it was the national schools, with most of the players coming from the country that sent a representative to the title fight.

True, the Yugoslavian expert Vujadin Boškov (a native of Novi Sad, Serbia) sat on the Real bench, but the Liverpool team was led by English legend Bob Paisley.

Eight Englishmen and three Scots made the starting line-up in the winning team, with another native of the city of the Beatles as a substitute.

To highlight this, it will be best to present the line-up. Clemence – Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A. Kennedy – Lee, McDermott, Souness, R. Kennedy -Dalglish (85th Case), Johnson.

However, the Spanish set also relied on the natives, and they too sent a distinct minority of legionnaires on the field to start the game, just two. German stopper Stielike and English striker Cunningham were trusted.

The rest are native Spaniards, as evidenced by the line-up:: Augustín – García Cortés (87th Pineda), García Navajas, Stielike, Camacho – Del Bosque, Ángel, Sabido – Juanito, Santillana, Cunningham. This year, however, it will be a battle of foreign legions.

Source: UEFA Champions League