UEFA to decide on Liverpools CL place today

[MDK]

Liverpool decision expected

Friday June 10 2005

Liverpool will today discover whether they will be allowed to defend their Champions League crown next season.

UEFA's executive committee are expected to give Liverpool a place in the qualifying rounds but a block of the 14 members will need to be persuaded to change the rules.

An announcement is expected around lunchtime when it will be known whether president Lennart Johansson has succeeded in persuading the majority to agree with his view the champions should be allowed into the competition.

The title-holders are usually guaranteed an automatic place in the group stage but that scenario is highly unlikely and, indeed, Liverpool themselves would be content with a place in the final qualifying round.

The Reds' failure to qualify through their Barclays Premiership finish has allowed Turkish champions Fenerbahce to take up the automatic group spot.

Fenerbahce staying in the group stages also brings UEFA's senior vice-president Senes Erzik, who is from Turkey, on board the campaign to allow Liverpool to become a fifth English side in Europe's elite club competition.

There have been suggestions a minnow from Andorra or San Marino would have to be bumped out of the earlier rounds but clubs from these countries only take part in the UEFA Cup anyway.

UEFA sources say under the most likely scenario the Slovakian champions - their league is not yet over - would play an extra qualifying round and be compensated by the country being given an extra UEFA Cup place.

A source close to UEFA told the Press Association: ``The executive committee is fairly evenly split but the fact the president has said he favours Liverpool's inclusion should prove decisive.

``The situation with Fenerbahce is very important. If they get an automatic place in the group phase that means a guaranteed #5.5million for them, so Senes Erzik will only support a qualifying round place for Liverpool.''

The Football Association, who have been campaigning on Liverpool's behalf, have made it clear that they do not expect automatic qualification for the club.

There is another headache for UEFA in how they split up the TV money if five English sides do qualify - their formulas only cover up to four from the same country.

Liverpool would not object if given a place in the final qualifying round but they would not be happy if told they had to play in the first or second qualifiers - principally because that would clash with their pre-season tour of Japan.

Should the unthinkable - as far as Rafael Benitez's side are concerned at any rate - occur and UEFA rule against Liverpool completely then the Reds will not take the decision lying down.

It has been suggested that they would then consider whether to pull out of the European Super Cup against UEFA Cup winners CSKA Moscow in UEFA's glittering curtain-raiser in August.

They might also threaten to withdraw in protest from FIFA's rejigged World Club Championship in Yokohama, Japan, in December.

So yeah, they are deciding today. I'm really torn about this one, on one hand they did win in it remarkable fashion against all odds, but on the other hand they couldnt qualify for it in their own league. Either way I'm not too fussed about it, if anything it will stop all the complaining from the 'pool fans >_>

[Dan]

Just let them in.

[Hunter Hearst Hetfield]

Doesn't letting Liverpool in mean somebody else lose's their place due to been 33 teams insted of 32?

[therockbox]

They've already got a plan for this to happen, because if a fourth placed team wins the CL from a country that only has three qualifiers they go in automatically. It's just this shitty rule that punishes countries that produce a high amount of quality teams (who boost up that countries' coefficiant rating so 4 teams can qualify) stating that a maximum of four teams can be entered into the CL.

[MDK]

It would amuse me if they were given a qualifying place and then fucked it all up by losing to Lithuanian part-timers.

[Liam]

Why, old chap...that indeed would fill me with great mirth.

[AJ]

They're in... the first qualifying round. Just been announced on SkySports News.

[RawIsWar]

Yep, they are in the 1st qualifying round. Knew it would happen it was just a matter of time before it was announced

[MDK]

Yup, just saw it. Not too suprised about it, but I do hope what I said comes true

[Liam]

Shows what 2 or so weeks of persistent whining can do >_>

[Guest Jules]

Thank fuck. If you're the Champions, you should be expected to defend the bloody crown. Good decision, UEFA.

[therockbox]

Shows what 2 or so weeks of persistent whining can do >_>

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[Liam]

Shows what 2 or so weeks of persistent whining can do >_>

←

And 2 or so weeks of everyone else saying we should be in as well.

←

I'm just trying my best to wind you up, as frankly, I don't care.

It'll be fun to see them actually lose thier title in the tournament itself, rather than losing it sitting on the sidelines.

[therockbox]

Shows what 2 or so weeks of persistent whining can do >_>

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And 2 or so weeks of everyone else saying we should be in as well.

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[lazy_arse]

Liverpool get in Champions League

Liverpool have been given the chance to defend their Champions League crown after Uefa handed them a place in the first qualifying round for next season.

The Reds beat AC Milan in last season's final but, because they finished out of the Premiership's top four, were not guaranteed entry in 2005-2006.

Uefa's executive committee changed its rules on Friday to allow Liverpool in.

But the Anfield club will get a smaller slice of television revenue than the other four Premiership teams involved.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton will still get less money than they would have done had Liverpool not been granted a place, however.

Spokesman William Gaillard admitted splitting the pot five ways rather than four will be "a burden on the other English-based clubs".

Liverpool will also get no "country protection" which means if they progress through the qualifying stages they could face Everton or Manchester United - who enter at the third qualifying round.

If the Reds make it through to the group stages, they could be drawn to face Chelsea, who they beat in the semi-finals last season, or Arsenal.

But first Rafael Benitez's men must face a first qualifying round tie, with the first leg being played on 12 or 13 July and the second on 19 or 20 July.

LIVERPOOL'S FIXTURE CONGESTION

Champions League

12-13 July: 1st round, 1st leg

19-20 July: 1st round, 2nd leg

26-27 July: 2nd round, 1st leg

2-3 Aug: 2nd round, 2nd leg

9-10 Aug: 3rd round, 1st leg

23-24 Aug: 3rd round, 2nd leg

Pre-season

16 July: v Bayer Leverkusen

22 July: FC Cologne

27 July: Shimizu S-Pulse

30 July: Kashima Antlers

Super Cup

26 Aug: v CSKA Moscow

That means they will now probably have to cancel scheduled friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Cologne.

And if successful in the first qualifying round, they will probably also have to cancel a pre-season tour of Japan, where they are due to play Shimizu S-Pulse and Kashima Antlers.

Uefa chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson told BBC Radio Five Live the decision by the 14-man executive committee was unanimous.

"Unanimous means that everybody is supporting it. By definition, that is also the case here.

"There were no discussions actually on where they should enter the competition because everybody was of the opinion they should be given the opportunity but they have to start from the beginning.

"They could not be allowed to get into the 32 for example."

But while there is joy for Liverpool, there has been disappointment for Manchester City.

The Uefa Cup spot which Liverpool had earned for finishing fifth in the Premiership will not transfer to another English club so City, who would have been next in line, will not be in Europe.

Uefa insists the saga which has dogged it since Liverpool finished fifth domestically and then won the Champions League will never be repeated.

"The Uefa executive committee decided to amend the regulations for the future editions of the Champions League, so that the holders will have the right to defend their title and therefore qualify automatically," said a statement on the organisation's website.

The new system is in marked contrast to 2000, when Real Madrid won the Champions League but finished outside of Spain's qualification positions.

On that occasion fourth-placed Real Zaragoza were relegated to the Uefa Cup.

[therockbox]

As I was saying to wannabe on MSN, we're going to be playing a lot of games next season. I think we'll definately pull out of the tour of Japan, as well as playing weakened squads in the FA and League Cups.

[Hunter Hearst Hetfield]

I know it's a little off topic but Liverpool will also be competeing in the World Club Championship in January (The one Man Utd dropped out of the 2000 F.A. Cup for)

That adds more games to a already jam packed schedule which will also include the one off European Super Cup Game.

If they have to do a potential 6 qualifcation matches for the Champions Leauge and the compertion itself they would be doing themselfs a big favour if they withdrew form the World Club Championship imo.

[therockbox]

I think we should withdraw from the League Cup or FA Cup, personally.

[britneyspearsisgod]

No, they shouldn't withdraw from anything. I said it when Manchester United withdrew from the FA Cup and I stand by this opinion: Your success doesn't give you options to choose. You defend all, or you defend nothing. That's how it should be.

[MDK]

Or they could just do an Arsenal and play a youth team in the League Cup.