Five classic Liverpool vs Real Madrid Champions League matches

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Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield tonight and we've taken a look at some classic contests between the European superpowersTwo giants of world football meet again tonight as Liverpool take on Real Madrid at Anfield for the second time in two years. The clubs have a great history in the Champions League, winning the competition 21 times between them.After many incredible matches, these European superpowers will take to the pitch once again, and with the added spice of the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold, it promises to be a tense and fiery night on Merseyside.Though it will have to be a classic if it is to beat some of their previous affairs.

And ahead of this evening's big game, here’s five of the best meetings between Liverpool and Real Madrid.READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk sends Real Madrid reminder as 'special' Mohamed Salah Liverpool point madeLiverpool 1-0 Real Madrid, May 27, 1981The clubs' first-ever meeting came in the 1981 European Cup final at Parc des Princes in Paris.Alan Kennedy’s close-range finish meant he was the first Liverpool player to score against the famous white of Real Madrid as the Reds became first English side to beat the Spaniards in a continental final.The win gave Liverpool their third European Cup succes, with captain Phil Thompson the man given the honour of lifting the cup.Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid, March 10, 2009One of the best wins during the Rafa Benitez era at Liverpool was the demolition of Real Madrid at Anfield during the 2008-09 season.The round-of-16 clash proved to be a prime example of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard at their best, with the captain getting two on the night and the Spanish striker also getting on the scoresheet.Andrea Dossena popped up for the fourth, leaving the Reds five goals to the good over the two legs, after a 1-0 win away in Spain.Liverpool ended up losing in the quarter-finals, against Chelsea, 7-5 on aggregate.Liverpool 1 Real Madrid 3, May 26, 2018The first Champions League final for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp promised to be exciting and there were definitely plenty of talking points from a manic game, being held in Kyiv, Ukraine.Real Madrid ended up winning 3-1, where the talent of the likes of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale were all on show.The biggest blow to Klopp’s side came only half an hour into the clash, as in-form Mohamed Salah was taken out and injured by Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos.From there, two Loris Karius mistakes and a bicycle-kick from Bale gave the Spaniards victory, with Sadio Mane only able to respond after the first Real goal.A disappointing night for Liverpool, but it was a sign of the potential of the squad and what would come later under Klopp.Liverpool 0 Real Madrid 1, May 28, 2022The two clashed again in another Champions League final, four years after the last, this time in Paris.Unlike the 2018 encounter, this match was low scoring, and was marred by a number of organisational failures from UEFA and the French authorities, but again was a win for the Spanish side, 1-0 on this occasion.Klopp’s Liverpool were going for a treble, after narrowly missing out on the Premier League a few weeks before, but they were edged out by Real Madrid again, this time through a Vinicius Jr goal just before the hour mark, despite dominating large parts of the contest.Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid, November 27, 2004The most recent game between the clubs came just last season in the Champions League group phase. After past pain the Reds wanted to change the momentum, following three consecutive losses against Madrid.Anfield was electric, as goals from Alexis Mac Allisterand Cody Gakpo sealed off an impressive win against the La Liga giants.Arne Slot’s side ended up losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.