Interview'I would love Robbo to net the winner in Paris!'
Alan Kennedy is in Liverpool's history books as being the only player to net winning goals for the club in two European Cup finals.
The former Reds No.3 – who made 359 appearances, scoring 32 goals and claiming 32 assists – will be in Paris this weekend cheering on his beloved club as they attempt to win the European Cup for a seventh time.
The fact that the opposition is Real Madrid and the venue is Paris brings back very special memories for a man affectionately known as ‘Barney Rubble’ to Kopites.
It was Kennedy who netted the only goal of the game as Bob Paisley’s men overcame the Spanish giants 1-0 to win a third European Cup in 1981.
He would love nothing more than to see current left-back Andy Robertson replicate that on Saturday night.
“I would love to see Robbo get the winner in Paris, that really would be something special," Kennedy told Liverpoolfc.com.
“Left-backs sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve, and Andy fits into that category very nicely. He is well appreciated by me and the fans at Liverpool.
“He was unfortunate not to get the winner in the FA Cup final when the ball hit his shin and came back off the post.
“He is venturing forward into the box a lot more recently, which I like to see, and gets himself into good positions, like we saw when he scored a crucial goal in the derby against Everton recently.
“In my day, we were a bit more greedier than the players are today and players today certainly have a lot more options than we had.
“I do think Robbo’s time will come and maybe it could be against Real Madrid in Paris.”
As to the main event itself, Kennedy is hoping history will repeat itself for the Reds facing Los Blancos in the French capital.
“You couldn’t write it, could you? But I did think at one stage it could have been an all-English final against Manchester City,” he added.
“I thought Real Madrid were sensational against City and took the game to them. So, it won’t be easy, but hopefully we can cope with it.
“I was fortunate to enjoy plenty of wonderful moments playing for Liverpool and scoring the winner in 1981 is certainly up there.
“Every time we stepped out onto that pitch we went out to win the game, and if there was a little bit of entertainment from us as well, we went out and did that.
“The most important side of any game for me is to win it and it doesn’t matter who gets the winner – as long as we win it.”
Recalling his decisive strike in Paris, he continued: “I remember Ray Kennedy throwing the ball to me and it just hit me on the chest.
“Their centre-half came in and tried to take the ball and take me out as well but he missed both. So I found myself in a bit of space and my thought was just to kick this ball as hard as I could and if the goalkeeper saves it we might get a rebound.
“It was a great moment when the ball hit the back of the net and we were bringing the European Cup back to Merseyside.”
Kennedy, of course, netted another European Cup final winner when he slotted the clinching penalty as Liverpool beat AS Roma via a shootout in 1984.
When Kostas Tsimikas stepped up in the Emirates FA Cup final and emulated Kennedy by going the same way as he did, a wry smile could be seen in the Reds end at Wembley.
“That was great and it certainly did bring back some special memories,” Kennedy said.
“Unfortunately we were at the other end of the pitch for the penalty shootout but Kostas deserves so much credit.
“You’ve got to be accurate and the pressure on him was immense, but you wouldn’t have thought it when he stepped up and won us the FA Cup.
“I thought he coped with it very well and sent their goalkeeper the wrong way with his left foot, which I loved.
“He has done really well when he has got an opportunity this season and I was so pleased for him.”
