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UEFA may allow Liverpool to defend title
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-27 08:31

English soccer officials are pressing European soccer's governing body to allow Liverpool to defend its Champions League title next season.


Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, left, and manager Rafael Benitez step from the plane at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Liverpool, England, Thursday, May 26, 2005, carrying the Champions League trophy after his team beat AC Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday May 25. [AP]

Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 on penalty kicks Wednesday night in Istanbul, Turkey, after trailing 3-0 at halftime, for its fifth victory in Europe's most prestigious club competition — and first in 21 years.

Under UEFA's rules, Liverpool doesn't qualify for the tournament next season. The Reds finished fifth in England's Premier League, and only the top four teams qualify — Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool's bitter crosstown rival, Everton.

"Liverpool are the European champions and we believe as European champions they should get the chance to play in the Champions League next season," England Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick said Thursday. "This is a difficult situation, but we had an extraordinary match, it's thrown up an extraordinary issue and it needs an extraordinary solution."

UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said he doesn't expect the qualifying rules to be changed.

"We cannot change the rules in the middle of the season," he said in a BBC radio interview. "We cannot take a team from another country out of the direct qualification because we would like to put in a fifth English team."

However, UEFA president Lennart Johansson said earlier this month that Liverpool could get a wild-card berth if it won the Champions League. UEFA's executive committee meets on June 17-18 in Manchester, England, to discuss the matter.

"The door is always open," Johansson said. "We are there to serve football and not just dictate. It is for the executive committee to decide, and anything can be granted if they decide to go to the member associations and ask for a change in the regulations."

Johansson said it would be "unfair" to exclude Everton.

In 2002, the Spanish federation left Real Zaragoza out of the Champions League so that Real Madrid could defend its title.

The English FA has already ruled that Everton will keep its European spot.

"For sporting reasons and for the wider interests of European football, Liverpool should get a special exemption," FA executive director David Davies said. "We know there is a body of support on UEFA's executive committee for our view."

Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry called for quick action.

"UEFA and the FA need to get their act together and get it sorted relatively quickly," he said. "I think it would look a little odd if we weren't giving the opportunity to defend.

"I think it's UEFA's decision. At the end of the day, it's their competition. I think it is unfair to put the onus on the FA."

Everton officials said they backed Liverpool's right to defend the title but had no intention of giving up their own spot.

"The (English) FA has already announced its decision on the matter," Everton said in a statement. "However, we have said all along that we believe the champions of what is European football's elite tournament should be allowed to defend their trophy."

British sports minister Richard Caborn said it would be a "travesty" if UEFA kept Liverpool out.

"They should rethink this issue, and I think they will have to," Caborn said. "Nothing is set in stone and it seems only right that the winners should have automatic re-entry rather than having to qualify through the domestic system. It is only common sense."



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