European champions – Real Madrid: 1956-60, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002. Liverpool: 1977-78, 1981, 1984, 2005.
The gaffers– Juande Ramos (54) and Rafael Benitez (48).
When last we met: Strangely enough, the teams have only met once before in a competitive game, in the 1981 European Cup final, in Paris when Alan Kennedy's 82nd minute goal won it for Liverpool.
Changed times. The Real Madrid side that night featured just two non-Spaniards, German Uli Stielike and English winger Laurie Cunningham, while the Liverpool team was made up of eight English men and three Scots – Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness.
We meet again: Born in the Spanish capital, Rafa Benitez joined the Real Madrid academy when he was 12, but an injury sustained when he was playing for the Spanish Universities (he studied Physical Education) ended his hopes of making it at the club. After playing for lower division sides for the next seven years he retired, at 26, returning to Real Madrid as a coach, working with the youth, under-19 and reserve teams.
No love lost: Arjen Robben v Pepe Reina.
Reina on Robben: "I am furious with Robben for what happened. My red card was unjust. . . he is a big actor and he did well enough to win an Oscar . . . he was deceitful with the way he behaved." (after Reina was sent off in a league game against Chelsea in 2006 when he shoved his hand in Robben's face – Robben responded as though he'd been shot).
Robben on Reina: "He was the one who got carried away, not me. He made a crazy challenge on Eidur (Gudjohnsen) and I told him . . . 'that was a stupid thing to do, wasn't it?' He swings round and reacts with his hands . . . I wasn't the one who lost control. I don't think people from Liverpool should be talking either, they should be looking at themselves."
Real Madrid v Liverpool
Wednesday, kick-off: 8.45pm (7.45pm Irish-time) – Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid – Live on RTÉ 2 Sky Sports 2
