Trophies
UEFA Super Cup
What is the UEFA Super Cup?
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual match played between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. It has been held every year since 1972 although until 1999 it was played between the winners of the European Cup and the winners of the European Cup Winners' Cup, a European competition contested by domestic cup winners that no longer exists. This year Liverpool FC will play Chelsea FC in the UEFA Super Cup final in Istanbul.
Has it always been held in Istanbul?
No. This is the very first time. The UEFA Super Cup was played over two legs, home and away, until 1997 although in some years it was held as a one-off game or not played at all due to fixture scheduling problems. From 1998 until 2012 the match was held at AS Monaco's Stade Luis II but since 2013 it has moved around different countries with the Czech Republic, Wales, Georgia, Norway, Macedonia and Estonia all hosting the showpiece occasion.
Is the match being played in the stadium where Liverpool FC won the UEFA Champions League in 2005?
Our epic win against AC Milan was held in Turkey's Ataturk Stadium but the UEFA Super Cup final will take place on 14th August at Vodafone Park – also known as Besiktas Park – which is the new home of Besiktas JK. Built on the site of their old BJK Inonu Stadium, it opened in 2016 and has a capacity of 41,188.
When did LFC last meet Chelsea FC in Europe?
Ten years ago, back in 2009, at a time when the two clubs met in Europe every season. Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC were drawn to play each other in the UEFA Champions League five seasons running from 2004/05 to 2008/09, making it one of the biggest rivalries in Europe. The Reds got the better of the Blues by winning the 2005 and 2007 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, but Chelsea FC struck back by knocking us out of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final and semi-final in 2008 and 2009. Whichever team played the second leg at home went through, but this will be the first time Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC have met in Europe at a neutral ground.
Has Liverpool FC won the UEFA Super Cup before?
We sure have! The Reds have lifted the trophy three times in 1977, 2001 and 2005 with only FC Barcelona (5), AC Milan (5) and Real Madrid FC (4) having won the UEFA Super Cup more often. Liverpool FC were also UEFA Super Cup runners-up in 1978 and 1984.
Which clubs did we beat to win it?
In 1977 European champions Liverpool FC faced Hamburger SV over two legs in a contest that was made spicier by the fact that star striker Kevin Keegan, one of our most famous number 7s, had left LFC that summer to sign for the German club. The first leg in Hamburg finished 1-1 but Keegan endured a miserable return to Anfield in the second game as Bob Paisley's men thrashed his new side 6-0. Phil Thompson netted first, Terry McDermott hit a hat-trick, David Fairclough made it 5-0 and with two minutes to play the 6th was scored by Kenny Dalglish – the man brought in to replace Keegan.
How about the other two UEFA Super Cup successes?
The Reds beat another German team, FC Bayern Munich, 3-2 in Monaco in 2001. Gerard Houllier's team led 3-0 with goals from John Arne Riise, Emile Heskey and Michael Owen and although FCB pulled a couple of goals back, the UEFA Super Cup was added to the League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup and FA Charity Shield that LFC had already won in 2001. Four years later Rafa Benitez's European champions took on Russia's PFC CSKA Moscow in Monaco in a game that substitute Djibril Cisse made the difference. Brought on in the 79th minute, he equalised for the Reds three minutes later and in extra-time put Liverpool FC 2-1 up before assisting Luis Garcia to complete a 3-1 victory. It was the last European trophy the Reds had lifted until Jürgen Klopp's team won the UEFA Champions League in Madrid last season.
Anything else we need to know?
There has never been a UEFA Super Cup final played between two English clubs before so Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC will make history in Istanbul. It will also be the first time an English team has lifted the trophy since the Reds did so in 2005 and the first time VAR has been used in a UEFA Super Cup final.
