Search

06 Sept 2025

Real classics – 7 memorable matches between Real Madrid and British teams

Real classics – 7 memorable matches between Real Madrid and British teams

Manchester City resume their quest for a maiden Champions League title on Tuesday when they play Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final.

Pep Guardiola’s City beat Real 2-1 in both legs of their previous Champions League meeting in 2020 to reach the quarter-finals.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some memorable clashes between other British teams and the 13-time record-winning Spanish giants.

Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal, February 2006

Thierry Henry’s brilliant solo goal secured Arsenal’s biggest win in European football. The Gunners became the first English club to win at the Bernabeu and did so against the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham. A 0-0 draw at Highbury in the return sent the Gunners through to the Champions League’s last eight, but they went on to lose to Barcelona in the final.

Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid, May 1981

The European Cup remained in England for a fifth successive season after Alan Kennedy’s solitary late goal in the final at the Parc des Princes in Paris ensured Liverpool became champions of Europe for a third time. Bob Paisley became the first manager to win a hat-trick of trophies in the competition with one club.

Liverpool 1-3 Real Madrid, May 2018

Real avenged that defeat 37 years later at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. Gareth Bale scored one of the great Champions League final goals with a stunning overhead kick to put the Spaniards 2-1 up just minutes after stepping off the bench in the second half. Bale scored again to seal Real a record-extending 13th title, their third in a row and fourth in five seasons.

Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid, March 2009

Former Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres tormented his old rivals with a man-of-the-match display and Steven Gerrard scored twice as Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool ran riot against the Galacticos to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on a memorable night at Anfield. Madrid’s 5-0 aggregate defeat was one of their biggest in Europe, but Liverpool went on to lose to Chelsea in the next round.

Ipswich 1-0 Real Madrid, September 1973

Bobby Robson’s Ipswich ambushed the mighty Real in the first round of the UEFA Cup thanks to a deflected Mick Mills shot. The Tractor Boys were just the third English side to beat Los Blancos and they progressed after a 0-0 draw at the Bernabeu in the return leg. Ipswich went on to lose on penalties to Lokomotiv Leipzig in the last eight.

Real Madrid 0-1 Celtic, June 1967

Two weeks after becoming the first British club to win the European Cup by defeating Inter Milan in Lisbon, Celtic travelled to the Bernabeu for one of Real’s all-time greats Alfredo Di Stefano’s testimonial match. Jimmy Johnstone stole the show with a superb display and Bobby Lennox’s second-half goal clinched Celtic victory.

Aberdeen 2-1 Real Madrid, May 1983

Under Alex Ferguson, Aberdeen became the third Scottish club to win a European trophy when they upset Real in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Gothenburg. John Hewitt struck the winner in extra time to seal one of the Dons’ greatest triumphs after John Black’s early opener had been cancelled out by Juanito’s penalty.

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!


Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

Subscribe

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.


Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

Register / Login

Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.

Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.