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Second time round: European Cup final rematches

As they prepare for action in Kyiv, Real Madrid and Liverpool are the ninth pair of clubs to meet in two European Cup finals.

Phil Thompson (left) exchanges pennants with Carlos Santillana ahead of the 1981 European Cup final
Phil Thompson (left) exchanges pennants with Carlos Santillana ahead of the 1981 European Cup final ©Getty Images

Real Madrid have won a record 12 European Cup finals while Liverpool have won five, so it is no surprise that their UEFA Champions League showdown in Kyiv on 26 May will join a band of deciders that have happened more than once.

European Cup finals that have been played twice
Real Madrid v Stade de Reims: 4-3, 1955/562-0, 1958/59
AC Milan v Benfica: 2-1, 1962/631-0, 1989/90
AC Milan v Ajax: 4-1, 1968/690-1, 1994/95
Ajax v Juventus: 1-0, 1972/731-1 aet/2-4 pens, 1995/96
Liverpool v AC Milan: 3-3 aet, 3-2 pens, 2004/05,1-2, 2006/07
Barcelona v Manchester United: 2-0, 2008/093-1, 2010/11
Real Madrid v Atlético Madrid: 4-1 aet, 2013/141-1 aet/5-3 pens, 2015/16
Real Madrid v Juventus: 1-0, 1997/98, 4-1 2016/17
Real Madrid v Liverpool: 0-1, 1980/81, ?, 2017/18

This year's finalists' previous encounter was in 1981 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Madrid losing 1-0 to an Alan Kennedy goal for Liverpool. That was the start of something of a European dark age for Real Madrid, who would not reach another European Cup final until 17 years later, when they beat Juventus.

1981 highlights: Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid

• This is the ninth time that a European Cup final will be a replay of a previous showpiece (no sets of teams have ever had three meetings).

• In five of the eight previous repeat finals, the same side won second time round – most recently, Real Madrid beating Juventus last season.

• Liverpool are one of the exceptions to that rule; they beat AC Milan on penalties in 2005, but lost to the same opponents in normal time two years later.

• This is Real Madrid's fourth repeat final: in all three previous double-headers, the outcome of the second game as been the same as the first.

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