Why there is 'history' between Liverpool and Inter Milan

Skins versus vests, jumpers for goalposts, three-and-in, a quick keepy-uppy competition then home for a hot Bovril and biscuits. Ah, football in the old days eh? Rubbish. You think today's players whinge and moan at the ref - that's nothing compared to the clip below.

In fairness, Liverpool did have a point.

The date: May 1965. The game: Inter Milan v Liverpool, European Cup semi-final, second leg. The score from the first leg: Liverpool 3 Inter 1. The result in this return: Inter 3 Liverpool 0. The circumstances: shocking.

Bill Shankly, then the Liverpool manager, claimed that two of Inter's goals were illegal and alleged that the referee, Jose Maria Ortiz de Mendibil, was "bent". The outcome still rankles and will provide a greater spark in the Anfield atmosphere tonight.

Were Liverpool robbed: Judge for yourself ...

Comments

[Michael Holloway]

If you look at the clip it is clear that Lawrence steps outside of the penalty box, therefore it should have been a free kick to Inter, or as the ball was being bounced and the Inter player gained control, fairly and without major contact with Lawrence, the ref correctly played advantage. Inter scored, Liverpool out fully deserved

[michael forster]

There were a lot of bent refs about in those days but the 2nd goal was Lawrence’s fault and though I will have watched the game I cant see what shanks was complaining about.

Leeds, on the other hand, were robbed of a cup winner’s cup final and a European cup by bent refs. In Athens when the result was 1-0 to AC the ref was jailed for accepting bribes and the Paris match against Bayern saw the ref deny a stone wall pen when Beckenbaur tripped sniffer and disallowed a 30yd screamer for off-side because a Leeds player was layed out near the corner flag.

[stefano]

I don't see why the goals should have been disallowed. The only controversy is for the 2nd goal, but the forward doesn't commit any foul and just touches the ball...
Anyways, I hope Liverpool will win tonight. From an AC Milan fan and thus Anti-Inter Milan fan

[Paul F]

Just looking at the footage doesn't tell the whole story. You could say that the evidence for an indirect free-kick having been awarded is inconclusive (the ref's arm goes up only momentarily) and that Lawrence wasn't really fouled (the ball was taken as he bounced it). But certainly the Liverpool players were under the impresiion it was an indirect free-kick, and what happened when Lawrence lost the ball would have been called a foul anywhere outside Britain in that era (goalkeepers being overly protected on the continent). Possibly more telling is the fact that Inter were accused of ref knobbling (or attempted knobbling) in 3 successive European Cup semi-finals from 1964 to 1966! Tommy Smith's version of events is a bit one-eyed, and in parts clearly untrue, but I do believe the match was fixed by the referee.