Bayern Munich 1-1 Liverpool, European Cup S/F 1981

The first fixture between the sides at Anfield had finished goalless - on the three previous occasions in Europe when Liverpool had not won the opening leg at home, they had been knocked out. Further, the Reds had failed to score in their last four games - their worst run for nine years. And, to top it all, they lost the services of Kenny Dalglish early on here. Barry Davies commentates on a famous night for Liverpool Football Club.

[@Albert_O_Balsam]

Brilliant performance, Howard Gayle was exceptional, but that was Liverpool in those days, masters of the European away performance.

[@michaelhughes1316]

i have Howards shirt from this very game; awesome and of course Liverpool were absolutely incredible in England and Europe

[@TheBundleofkent]

Barry Davies at his very best, magnificent commentator. When he screams Rummenigge..........!!

[@Kelly14UK]

Liverpool wearing one of the most effortlessly cool strips of all time

[@steffschmiddy]

Back in time ... old Olympia stadium, great Liverpool team... greetings from Cologne

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

Beautiful ground, even though the camera needed a telescopic lense to cover the action. New stadia (esp in England) is shite now.....

[@HighlandMike325]

Great Cologne team back then too. Schumacher, Littbarski, Bonhof, Woodcock, Engels. Rinus Michels managing.

[@HighlandMike325]

@@andrewphippsphillips1455 Seriously? A running track and no roof?

[@mcoshea83]

Im an everton fan so wouldnt usually watch a liverpool video, the reason i love this game is howard gayle was my football manager from 12 years old to 24 at both our local amateur team in toxteth Stanley House and liverpool school boys, ive seen the full match of this and he was amazing, the guy is a hero of mine and i class him as a close friend, the amount of good he done in the inner city parts of South liverpool, toxteth and Wavertree can never be undersated, he kept hundreds of kids off the streets in one of the most deprived and crime ridden, gang areas in the whole of Europe at the time, the man is an absolute diamond of a fella and behind my dad and uncle the biggest male role model in my life

[@robinevans3440]

How the hell did Gayle not get a penalty!!!Most blatant I've ever seen

[@swaldron5558]

Maybe referee don’t want to award penalty cos he’s black, sad.

[@tonywilliams7152]

@@swaldron5558 what's this theory based on?

[@sib1930]

@@tonywilliams7152 It was 1981 mate what do you expect?

[@tonywilliams7152]

@@sib1930 was 1981 a particularly bad year for racist referee's?

[@sib1930]

@@tonywilliams7152 They've always been around 👍 not as much nowadays tho

[@Albert_O_Balsam]

And I'll add too that the referee was clearly bent, that challenge on Gayle in the penalty area was shameful, a clear penalty, ignored by that shithouse referee.

[@robertgalbraith3977]

Michael Martin after all these years and I have to say its still a penalty without a shadow of a doubt & im a Glasgow Celtic. supporter so its not like im blinded by loyalty HAIL HAIL YNWA

[@robinevans3440]

One of the most blatant penalties ever

[@iShavedYesterday]

What about that challenge on Dalglish?

[@Albert_O_Balsam]

@@iShavedYesterday yes, awful challenge, a cowards tackle.

[@HighlandMike325]

Should have been a penalty, but the referee Garrido was not bent. He was a respected top official who refereed at two World Cups and two European finals and had a long career with FIFA's referee panel after retiring.

[@MightyRoos]

I think what needs to be remember was this was at a time when squad depth did not exist in the way it does now. Back then you had same starting XI except for a injuries and suspensions. So for Liverpool to go to Munich and get a result despite having Colin Irwin and Richard Money filling in for injured Phil Thompson and Alan Kennedy and then having untried Howard Gayle replacing Kenny Dalglish early after also been injured would make this one of Liverpool best results in Europe bar winning finals.

[@ihateyoumother-fucker3204]

MightyRoos just to back your comment up, isn't the 80/81 season LFC won the league with just 12 players?

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

And two points a win still if I'm correct?

[@vantheman12welshman66]

MightyRoos well said

[@simondelaney6483]

80/81 the League was won by Aston Villa

[@vantheman12welshman66]

MightyRoos totally agree with you

[@MightyRoos]

RIP Ray Kennedy

[@richardgardner90125]

RIP Ray Clemence

[@123tinhat123]

I was there, almost lost my finger when Ray Kennedy scored. I jumped on the spiked fence and my ring caught on one of the spikes as I jumped down. Painful but I was happy.😂

[@seanbonella]

as a kid, when living in South London, i followed Liverpool. but when we played football, a game of World Cup where you had to pick a player in '82 World Cup i picked Rumminnegge, he was brilliant....and im a scouser first of all. Dalglish was my hero

[@MrJeepsters]

Ce match était l'opposé du match aller. Le bayern craignait trop son adversaire. Grand match de Ray Kennedy.

[@zaidahmed2959]

Why we aren't good in the current generation is that we lack a solid team all together. Just look at that team with Dalglish, rush, souness, mcdermott, Kennedy etc. They Could outclass any opposition today.

[@MightyRoos]

LFC Reviews Rush had yet to truely emerge as a Liverpool player at the time. It wasn't until the following season when he set off on his goal scoring exploits.

[@zaidabraham7310]

I don't think that team would be very good in today's football. Put that team under modern training methods and modern tactics, and perhaps they'd finish top 4 in the Premier League. But back then you didn't have teams who would snap up talent from all across the world.

[@simonhindley65]

Bollox.

[@MrMichaellee5353]

Rushie did not break into the first team until 81-82 season - but yes, this Liverpool team were formidable in every department

[@CoolDude-jp1kj]

@@zaidabraham7310 Lol shut up

[@jeremyslaney5644]

That referee is definitely as blind as a bat and more crooked than a series of hairpin bends in not awarding Liverpool a nailed on penalty when Howard Gayle was blatantly fouled by a dreadful challenge in the penalty area by a Bayern Munich player

[@gregfox8132]

Clear, clear penalty for gayle, what was the ref even thinking.

[@jimrobertson9011]

The clearest of clear penalties clearly ever 😳

[@alexsheremett3097]

It was a real chess party from all points of view.. Also а Special attention should be given to the brilliant performance of Howard Gayle

[@hankmorgan3501]

Probably one of my favourite European results...bar the final wins of course. The majestic Ray Kennedy silencing the mob from Munich who thought they had it in the bag after the goalless draw at Anfield. KH Rummenigge some double for Sting.

[@robinevans3440]

Remember the radio vividly..."Clemency kicks down field, Can liverpool hold on..Johnson has the ball oh plays a lovely to Kennedy inside the ares...AND KENNEDY HAS SCORED (Screams in the background) Ray Kennedy has scored for Liverpool and that surly will be the goal that will take Liverpool to the European cup final in Paris...Think is was Peter Brackley doing the commentary

[@hankmorgan3501]

@@robinevans3440 Barry Davies I'm sure it was...

[@robinevans3440]

Radio two live....I was living in Newtown Wales at the time. .Yeah the tv was Barry Davies

[@marcturner3463]

I remember this match so well and yes the ref was bent as is the whole of U E A F A , anything to try to not let LIVERPOOL WIN

[@robinevans3440]

Always remember the radio two commentary..Had it on the commemorative LP Viva El Kop. .Got lost in a house move in 87 Gutted I was

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Robin Evans I still have my copy of that Viva El Kop lp. ☺

[@andreferreira8071]

Zico, Junior and Nunes send hugs (Flamengo 1981 world champion!)

[@fensterputzernuernberg]

That foul on Dalglish was totally pre meditated ..... the Bayern Player should have got a Red card he blatantly wanted to hurt Dalglish probably at the behess of the Trainer from Bayern .... Refs a no no ..

[@ushojedi]

First tackle on Kenny would be an instant red these days it wasn't even a foul. That's the kind of stuff teams were up against in Europe

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

Well that would've been a penalty with Howard being flattened at 2m 9s......

[@MrMarcusirish]

Ref books Howard Gayle after he was taken out twice, one tackle and he's in the book...good old days of subtle racism

[@pj5517]

Racism as in he should have ignored an awful challenge by Gayle.

[@jonblazeinc]

@@pj5517 what awful challenge, some bent refereeing Mr Magoo

[@matthewcoombs3282]

The Bayern officials put directions to the Paris final in the programme, somebody got a copy to the Liverpool dressing room and it fired up the players! Ha ha!

[@ihateyoumother-fucker3204]

matthew coombs I can well believe that as it reeks of typical German arrogance.

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

They thought they were European football's gift because of the Euros win in Italy. They were all over LFC before the game because of the goaless draw at Anfield (not many left there with a clean sheet). Was great that plucky old Villa & an unknown Nigel Spink did for them in Rotterdam over 12 months later

[@VLAREZENDE1983]

matthew coombs before the match lvpool vs Flamengo in the final of world champiochip in tokio 81 the british players laught of Flamengo’s players when they made their usual ritual before the matches... Coclusion: 41 minutes of game; Flamengo 3-0! Ha ha!

[@HighlandMike325]

They never learn. Skip forward to 1999 and there's Matthaus coming off subbed and celebrating at 1-0. Here come Sheringham and Solskjaer 🤣

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Vla The entire Liverpool team thought the game against Flamengo was a complete waste of time and they didn't take it seriously. They got drunk the night before. They put no real effort into it. It was meaningless to them.

[@MrMichaellee5353]

The late, great Ray Kennedy with his Right foot!

[@Dexter101x]

The ref was bought, he didn't stop play when Dalglish was injured and didn't give the penalty when Gayle was fouled in the penalty area, and UEFA didn't investigate or ask questions later? Sounds like UEFA condoned such actions by the refs

[@andrewphippsphillips1455]

I've spoken to Howard online a year or so ago & he recalls being stunned at that decision. He was still buzzing at the chance in this match & reckons he just frightened the Germans (watch that bit where he has four of them near him in the second half).

[@pablojablo6371]

@@andrewphippsphillips1455 Proper L8 lad ;-) Tough as fuck.

[@pj5517]

Liverpool played on and could have kicked it out. The ref doesn't have to stop the game

[@webbo9798]

NO investigations carried out in those days, on what was deemed to be too minor an episode to impact the so called "spirit" of the game. things have changed somewhat ...still not exactly "perfect" by any means.

[@HighlandMike325]

I love the way Bayern go a goal down 7 mins to go, and start playing like an English team, running faster, getting the ball forward faster, and they score within 5 mins. Did it not occur to them to do that sooner?

[@mky8838]

Penalty for liverpool on player number 16

[@jonblazeinc]

The foul on Gayle was stone wall penalty shocking the ref or linesman didn't spot it

[@makiseythimopoulos3470]

liverpool fc great team, both semi-finals 0-0,1-1 very good games cheers from a aek athens supporter

[@salimtufail]

The cheats lost. That's the main thing.

[@nkmusicedmno1590]

I want full match please post it thank

[@vantheman12welshman66]

The referee was definitely on the Germans payroll

[@HighlandMike325]

He wasn't.

[@jmasl7]

Did Barry Davies not actually realize about the away goals rule for a couple of minutes?

[@justclosing]

The days when British players played German players

[@othersideimages]

Saw this live as a kid back then - was a time when Bayern were so scared of English teams because they were destroyed by Liverpool and even Everton. When English football was top...

[@JWD1012]

Why does Barry Davies say Gayle was 19? He was 22, nearly 23 going by his DOB on wikipedia.

[@marcusgallagher9173]

Toxteth Howard gale Frist black player Ever 4 Liverpool.... We love ya Liverpool lad

[@merseydave1]

No live tv in england then! just the radio ... National = BBC Sport on 2, Local = radio merseyside or radio city. I concur with wolves76 below as that was a cogent assessment of the situation. When Ray Kennedy scored (I can see that radiogram in our front room now) we hit the roof! then Bayern hit back those seconds seemed like hours! good memories.

[@zobielamouche1]

are you serious with the 1st sentence?

[@merseydave1]

Yes ... with all of it.

[@zobielamouche1]

David Cummings when did live tv come to england?

[@merseydave1]

Live sport was only shown if it was a Final ... that game was a semi-final ... we only had 3 channels then, BBC 1, BBC2 and ITV. This was recorded highlights shown around 10/10-30 pm. Live [none final] football came to the UK/GB in 1983 via the BBC and ITV and satellite/cale came in 1992.

[@merseydave1]

Just to add .. we had live International qualifying matches in regard to ;England Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

[@phillipsexton9543]

Gayle should have had a pen but the whole game hasn't been shown following the booking I remember Gayle had a big spat with a German defender and then Paisley (rightly) substituted him. Paisley never really trusted him again and Gayle made no more than say half a dozen appearances in 5 years at the club. That said he made a much better fist of it in later years at Blackburn when Dalglish was manager. Howard wasn't the first scouse black to make the 1st team in Liverpool that was Cliff Marshall at Everton. 2 great players and neither of them made it paradoxically if they were born later they both would have. I remember reading Tommy Smith abused young Howard quite a bit and I wish that had come out EARLIER. All these people belong in their time though

[@jonblazeinc]

Yes Tommy Smith was well known racist and outspoken about black people some say it was prominent amongst white people in those days but no excuse in my book. 1 training session Gayle and Smith come face to face with young Gayle threatening to wait for Smith with a baseball bat 1 day. Souness was there at the training and had a pop at Smith and stuck up for Gayle

[@yemred5854]

It was an era of horrendous racism. Howard Gayle revelations in his book about the vile racism he suffered from Tommy Smith was truly shocking.

[@armchairdetective1214]

That tackle on gayle clear clear clear penalty!!! FFS.

[@johncunningham7145]

Awful referee Garrido[ Portugal] bad challenge on Dalglish and awful challenge on Gayle he let go same referee in Argentina 78 refereed Argentina v Hungary let the Argentines kick lumps out of magyars.

[@Zyram-dw2cr]

GO REDS GO 👏🏼👏🏼

[@darren2514fv]

Barry Davies on the phone

[@hassankassim692]

Hi there

[@lastschicker]

Not often you see a substitute substituted especially when he isn't injured!!!

[@michaellea3529]

Referee was clearly biased against Howie Gayle, ignoring a definite penalty and cautioning him for nothing, the feeling of LFC management team at the time was that he would be sent off.

[@pj5517]

@@michaellea3529 Wasn't nothing was a waist high challenge and not his first.He would have been sent off

[@michaellea3529]

Waist high?! He tripped the German’s ankle, no more than an inch off the ground. Just a free kick foul, never a cautionable offence, and was his first. The ref was massively biased. The feeling that he would have been sent off, unjustly, was probably correct.

[@seanbonella]

only team to put a challenge in...and we bet them

[@xpat73]

Not anything on the Dalgish foul?? lol

[@MrJeepsters]

Liverpool avait un gros avantage : dieter hoeness jouait au bayern

[@eddiekerwin4285]

Liverpool FC at there best true champions of Europe

[@eddiekerwin4285]

Liverpool FC in there prime wot a team

[@COVID-sd8zz]

WHEN FOOTBALL WAS BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH.PLAYED AT A NICE TEMPO AND EVERY PLAYER DOING THIS JOB IN HIS POSITION AND NOT OTHERS JOBS,THE PREMIERSHIP IS AN OVERRATED KICK AND RUSH HEADLESS CHICKEN 2 GAMES IN 5 DAYS JOKE.FOOTBALL IS HIT NOW,THESE ARE THE DAYS WHEN THE ACTUALLY CHAMPIONS PLAYED AND ANY NATION COULD WIN IT,NOW WE HAVE THE LOSERS LEAGUE

[@TheWelwyn21]

Bayern were an aging team did well