Alan Kennedy: My 1981 goal against Real was an act of courage Champions League - Real Madrid vs Liverpool An interview with Liverpool's match-winner

Former Liverpool left-back Alan Kennedy has opened up on his goal that gave his side the victory against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the 1981 European Cup final.

Kennedy, a Liverpool legend, was the first player in history to produce two goals that resulted in two titles.

The first, which is the best known in England and in Spain, was the victory in 1981 to end Real Madrid's run in Europe, while the other was in the penalty shootout against Roma, which halted the Italian dream of lifting the European Cup in 1984.

In a phone call, Alan Kennedy reviewed his professional career in an exclusive interview with MARCA.

What has changed in football in 37 years? It seems like a century has passed.

"A lot. It was another era and another culture. Also another type of football. The pressure of today, the players subjected to a 24-hour test on social networks, seven days a week, mobile phones ... Everything has changed. I passed the medical examination with Liverpool in one minute! They looked at my heartbeat and checked my temperature and that was it. Now, look at all the tests they have to pass."

In past interviews, you have even said it was a time when footballer would drink beers.

"That was the British culture. We used to have a couple of beers at the end of the games. I was not the one who drank the most, but it was a habit. You went to the pub and asked for a pint. Everyone did it. There was no problem if the next day you went on time to training. There was nothing wrong with that. In Liverpool, we were very professional. It is also true that no footballer was dieting like today."

You lived through the golden age of Liverpool and as one of the most important men of that team. The dream of any boy.

"Any young Englishman would have paid to play on that team. Four European Cups in less than 10 years. If you had played in that Liverpool side, you knew that you could do it in any club in the world. There was a huge good competition, but at the same time, you felt wonderfully good there. We were all proud to belong to Liverpool."

Almost 40 years later, how do you remember the final against Real Madrid? What were the days before it like?

"The city was excited about the team, although that season things had not gone well in the league. I remember we flew on the Monday and we stayed at a local hotel. Our big concern was having enough tickets for friends and family members. I shared a room with Alan Hansen, who wanted to follow the routine of any other game."

You arrived injured.

"In the semi-final against Bayern Munich, [Kenny] Dalglish and I were injured. I had broken my wrist, although I told Bob Paisley, the coach, not to worry and that I was fine. They put a very uncomfortable metal plate in my wrist, but the desire to play overcame the pain."

Do you sleep well before a Champions League final?

"I had to tell him [Paisley] that I slept very well. Paisley would not tell us the line-up until at least an hour and a half before we were at the stadium. And luckily I was among them. The truth is that I was even surprised. I had not played since the injury. We did not do anything special during the day. There were many of our fans in the hotel, who encouraged us all the time. We had steak and tea. Nowadays, it would be unthinkable. The athletes now do not stop eating spaghetti and hydrating."

There was a problem with the advertising of the shirts.

"It was surreal. It was the UEFA rules and the players had to tape the symbol of the brand on the shirts. There was an hour left until we played the Champions League final and, with scissors and tape, we taped over the brand on each other's shirts. That mishap made us even stronger. Paisley only told us one thing, to forget about this and focus on the final."

What did you guys know about that Real Madrid?

"At that time, the rivals were not studied very much. It really was not necessary. It was not convenient to fill the heads of football players with these things. You would only get more nervous. We knew they had good players, like Laurie Cunningham, Uli Stielike and Jose Antonio Camacho, but nothing else. I have always admired Real Madrid. I grew up admiring them because when I was little it was the club that won all the European Cups. I did not get to see them, but I heard them play on the radio. They had an English legend."

You were the one who scored the goal. Was it an accident?

"No, it was not. It was an act of courage. Maybe I had some luck, but I think it was a prize for my persistence. Two weeks before, a game of rugby had been played in the Parc des Princes and the grass was quite irregular. The coach pulled out Ray [the other Kennedy] and, as Dalglish had moved to the bottom line, a gap opened up. The defender of Real Madrid [Garcia Cortes] failed to clear it and the ball hit me in the chest. Then I hit the ball with my left leg and the goalkeeper threw himself to the wrong side. Surely if I had chosen the area of the goalpost he would have stopped it, but he did not and it was a goal. Everything else is history."

They say that the celebration was incredible.

"Yes, the night in Paris was long. Many players went to a couple of nightclubs in Paris. I also celebrated it with a lot of beers, but with my friends. Hansen's family and Bob Paisley were also there. We sang and had a good time. Then the reception in Liverpool was wonderful. Even Everton supporters applauded us."

Was there a footballer who took the cup to a bar?

"Phil Thompson, who was the captain, had a pub in Kirkby, northeast of Liverpool. After getting off the bus a manager told him that it was his responsibility to take care of the cup at all times and he took it to the pub. He put it behind the bar on a shelf that night."

What did Liverpool mean to you?

"It was the team I always wanted to play for since my time at Newcastle United. They paid a large sum for a defender, the most expensive of that time in England."

How do you predict the Kiev final?

"Real Madrid have won a lot in recent years. They have the lineage of 12 European Cups. But Liverpool have found great players and a great coach. We have had a great competition. We played very well against Manchester City and Roma. I foresee a very tight match in which any result can be given. They are two very offensive teams and Liverpool could win by three goals or Real Madrid by three. It's a match between the two best teams in Europe."

When you talk about great players, I suppose you will say a lot about Mohamed Salah.

"Salah is a fantastic player and the fact that he scores a lot of goals makes people pay attention to him. But he also benefits from the game of Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. To me, the player that I liked the most from the last matches was James Milner, who works a lot for the team."

Will you be in Kiev?

"I will go with one of my children. I already have the tickets. I hope to see a good match. And may Liverpool win."