Spurs and Liverpool clinch memorable Champions League Final places.

Spurs and Liverpool clinch memorable Champions League Final places.

If English football has ever known such a triumphant night then some of us have yet to see it. Miracles do indeed happen and this week those two famous English aristocracies proved once again that even if  the rest of Europe does look at Britain with a chuckling derision it can still look at the rest of the world in the eye. It does seem that she can still claim that its football teams can reach a major Champions League Final without any feeling of shame or self consciousness.

Last night Tottenham hauled themselves out of the deepest hole in Holland by beating Ajax Amsterdam when the form book suggested that they needn't have bothered to get on a plane let alone step onto a Dutch footballing pitch. Seven days ago Spurs had been played off the park at their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Ajax scored an important away goal to take back to Holland. But then it all unravelled for the once unbeatable Ajax.

For the first hour or so Ajax seemed to be gliding imperiously to a Champions League Final with a now comfortable two goal cushion on the night and nothing to get in their way. But all of that plain logic turned into a spectacular false dawn when Lucas Moura, deputising for the lethal Harry Kane, scored perhaps one of the most momentous hat-tricks of his career and Spurs were through to their first Champions League final. The world had been turned upside down, inside out and then left us speechless and dumbfounded.

On Tuesday Liverpool had sealed their place in the Champions League Final, returning back to the same competition and same position as last season when they were soundly beaten and just overcome by the big occasion. Gareth Bale's stupendous overhead scissors kick was just one of the many delightful jewels to be displayed by Real Madrid in their comprehensive demolition of Liverpool in Ukraine.

So how is it that against all the odds and against all plausible probabilities  Spurs and Liverpool both managed to recover and compose themselves when near certain exit from the Champions League seemed only a matter of time. Sometimes sport can play strange tricks with the mind, where the law of averages counts for nothing, somehow catching you out when least expected.

 Facing what appeared to be inevitable defeats, both Spurs and Liverpool picked themselves up from the ground, wiped away the dust and carnage left behind in the first leg of their matches and just showed the rest of Britain exactly they were both capable of. They staggered to their feet, brushed themselves off with an almost effortless swagger before performing the most astonishing comeback since Frank Sinatra strode onto a stage at 75.

It is though now hard to choose between these two well balanced English footballing treasures, these masters of the short passing game who will come together on June 1 in Madrid for what promises to be one of the most pulsating exhibitions of football to be put before a Champions League Final audience. For the first time since Manchester United beat Chelsea 11 years ago both Spurs and Liverpool face up against each other in a collision of  attack minded cultures.

In 1972 though, the more nostalgic among Tottenham supporters may care to think back to their team's much acclaimed victory against Wolves in the UEFA Cup Final. Played over two legs Spurs overcame Wolves with football of the highest class, originality and precision. Spurs had the tall and domineering Alan Gilzean, the hurrying, scurrying and equally as graceful Ralph Coates with Martin Chivers holding up the ball in exemplary style while always heading the ball with power and consistency.

Liverpool of course have been this way before on numerous occasions. Now five time winners of the Champions League Liverpool bring a handsome pedigree and aura about them that even the most impartial can only drool over with admiration. In 1977 the now sadly missed Tommy Smith rose wondrously to head home Liverpool's first goal in their 3-1 dismissal of Borussia Monchengladbach and Emlyn Hughes gave us the biggest smile ever seen in European Cup Final history.

The following year Liverpool did it all over again when this time a very poor and limited Bruges were only beaten by Kenny Dalglish's goal. But they were never likely to disturb the Anfield's side composure and as Wembley greeted yet another British victory in the competition Liverpool found themselves on the verge of greatness. In 1968 of course Manchester United had followed Celtic's lead by bringing back the European Cup in a 4-1 destruction at the old Wembley but Liverpool had now regained the limelight. 

In !981 Liverpool were once again at the forefront of European football attentions and headline makers into the bargain. An Alan Kennedy goal was enough to see off a disappointing Real Madrid in Paris. The European Cup had been securely tied with red ribbons. It would take Liverpool another 36 years to re-capture that highly coveted trophy now known as the Champions League. In quite the most extraordinary turn around Liverpool mounted an incredible fightback to wipe out the 3-0 half time lead that AC Milan had established in Istanbul.

This time though there are no Steven Gerrards around to provide the inspiration and this time it'll be left up to an Egyptian, Brazilian and Dutchman to open up a slightly jittery, leaky and porous Spurs defence. True, Tottenham have enjoyed an often quite brilliant season but with the dropped points against West Ham and Bournemouth Liverpool may feel they can catch Tottenham off their guard.

On reflection though this has been the kind of week that very few of us could ever have seen coming. But given the monumental size of the task that both Spurs and Liverpool are up against  perhaps we can look forward to another goal carnival in the Champions League Final itself. Sport, particularly, can often take you to the very extremes of emotion when the mood takes it. Sport can often leave you with misleading impressions or just remain joyously unpredictable. It is to be hoped though that when Spurs take the field against Liverpool for this year's Champions League final nobody will know quite what to expect. Roll up, roll up and get your tickets now.