Look back at Liverpool's last European win over Spurs

Building up to Saturday's Champions League Final, Andy Harte looks back at the last time Liverpool and Spurs faced each other in Europe and the route the two club's travelled to reach this weekend's final in Madrid.

In 1973, Liverpool won their first European club competition when they lifted the UEFA Cup, kick-starting a long and successful record on the continent. This Saturday is a chance for the club to secure their sixth European Cup crown.

To claim another European crown, Liverpool will have to get past a familiar domestic foe, a similar story to back in 1973 when they beat Tottenham en-route to winning that first piece of European silverware.

This weekend in Madrid will see Tottenham and Liverpool meet for the first time in Europe since that UEFA Cup semi-final 46 years ago. Spurs went into that year’s competition as the holders having beaten another English side, Wolves, in the previous season’s inaugural final.

The first leg of the semi-final took place at Anfield, a ground which the North London club hadn’t claimed a victory at since 1912. Only ten days previously, the two sides had played out a 1-1 draw in the league with two penalty saves from Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings denying Liverpool a win. 

The Reds won the first leg 1-0 thanks to an Alec Lindsay goal mid-way through the first half, with match reports suggesting it was Spurs who had the upper-hand in the game.

“Tottenham endured a 90-minute battering by Liverpool to finish only 1-0 down and must have a fine chance of reaching the final of the UEFA Cup for the second successive season.”

Going into the second leg, the teams knew who they would be facing in the final should they make it. Borussia Mochengladbach had got by FC Twente and would await the winner of the all-English tie.

Spurs went ahead on the night to draw level on aggregate through World Cup winner Martin Peters early in the second half, but were pegged back five minutes later by Republic of Ireland international Steve Heighway. 

Liverpool had a vital away goal and even a second from Peters just after the hour mark wasn’t enough to stop the men from Merseyside reaching the final with their away goal in the 2-2 aggregate score enough to see them through.



The Reds now had a chance to add to their league title that they had secure between the first and second legs. 

“I’m confident that we at Liverpool can win our first European prize and complete the championship-UEFA double” stated Bill Shankly after the game. He was right to be confident as his side achieved the double beating Germany side 3-2 on aggregate in the final.

Spurs already had two European wins by then including being the first British side to do so ten years previously in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. 

Mauricio Pochettino is tasked with leading Tottenham to their first Euro honour since 1984 when Anderlecht were defeated on penalties.

The route to Madrid

The road to the 2019 showpiece has been bumpy for both teams. Liverpool lost all their group away games and Spurs only had one point after three matches with Pochettino admitting that his men’s hopes of advancing were slim. 



Late wins against Inter and PSV were followed by a precedent setting late equaliser from Lucas Moura in the Nou Camp that sent them through to the knock out stage.

Moura was the hero again in the semi-final against Ajax as his 95thminute hat-trick goal had his manager crying tears of joy. 

Drama was the order of the semi-finals as the previous evening Liverpool turned a three goal first-leg deficit around to break Barcelona hearts in spectacular fashion in the semi-final second leg at Anfield.

If the semi-finals are anything to go by then we are in for a treat on Saturday night. Two wins for Liverpool in the league this season against Spurs won’t mean anything in this one-off game.

In only the second ever meeting of the sides in Europe, it may be the most important one ever for both clubs. 

extratime.ie reporter Macdara Ferris will be in Madrid this weekend to cover the Champions League Final and give a flavour of events from the Spanish capital as Spurs battle it out with Liverpool to be crowned champions of Europe.

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