1983 European Cup Winners' Cup final: Aberdeen v Real Madrid

Forty years is a long time in football. Cast your mind back to 1983 and there are events that happened that simply could not be repeated. Unless the oil wells dry up then it is hard to see Manchester City being relegated. If they cannot find a nation to fund them then Hamburg winning the Champions League seems unlikely.

Just look at the landscape of Scottish football four decades ago. Dundee United held off the challenge of Celtic and Aberdeen to land their one and only Premier League title, with Rangers languishing in fourth. But the story of Dundee United's triumph was not the only feelgood chapter the New Firm penned during the 1982/83 campaign.

1980 European Cup quarter final: Celtic v Real Madrid

Celtic's previous European Cup match against Real Madrid in Glasgow was a glorious occasion. But for one of the goal scorers that evening there would be a tragic tale to follow.

For two great clubs trying to restore glory days in European club football, the 1979/80 European Cup had been a struggle for both Celtic and Real Madrid. The Scottish champions, managed by Billy McNeill, trailed Partizan Tirana 2-0 on aggregate in the first round before rallying to win 4-2. And they were far from convincing in a 3-2 aggregate win over Irish champions Dundalk.

Reaching their first European Cup quarter final since 1974, Celtic would take on the might of Real Madrid, yet the Spanish giants were far from the intimidating prospect of the 1960s. In fact, coach Vujadin Boskov was the latest to try and win a seventh European Cup for the club, their last success coming in 1966.

1981 European Cup final: Liverpool v Real Madrid

Sometimes an idea for a future blog just falls on my lap. But with a minute to go at the Bernabeu during the second leg of Real Madrid's semi-final against Manchester City, I have to admit that the prospect of me reminiscing about the 1981 European Cup final seemed distant.

Yet there is something about this Real Madrid team that throws all logic out of the window. Somehow they dragged the match into extra-time before they finished off a shellshocked City. "Improbably, miraculously, beyond their dreams and expectation," as the wonderful Peter Drury declared.

1984/85 UEFA Cup: Tottenham v Real Madrid

With Tottenham and Real Madrid going head-to-head in the 2017/18 Champions League, this week I am taking a look back to their 1985 UEFA Cup quarter final, and two particularly harrowing games for Steve Perryman.

It said a lot regarding the recent fortunes of Real Madrid that, in the eyes of many, they went into their 1985 UEFA Cup quarter final with Tottenham as underdogs. A recent run of just one win in ten matches had seen the club slip out of the race for La Liga, something not made easier by the fact that Terry Venables' Barcelona were on their way to the title. Manager Amancio Amaro was under heaps of pressure, especially with President Luis de Carlos standing down, and Ramon Mendoza expected to take his place in the summer of '85.