Hmmmm...not sure if this is fair but I guess it sort of makes sense...

quote:

UEFA decides to allow Liverpool to defend Champions League title By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer June 10, 2005 LONDON (AP) -- Liverpool will be allowed to defend its Champions League title, but will have to begin play in the first qualifying round. European soccer's governing body announced the decision on Friday after the 14-member executive committee agreed to make an exception for the five-time European champions. Liverpool, which beat AC Milan on penalty kicks in the final in Istanbul last month, had failed to earn an automatic spot in next season's competition. Under UEFA's rules, the champion didn't automatically qualify. The top four teams in England's Premier League qualify, and Liverpool finished fifth. Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton qualified automatically. UEFA decided Friday that, from now on, the champion will have the right to defend the title. ``They (the executive committee) felt it was the best and wisest, and I felt that way too,'' UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said. ``The rules said that no association could have five clubs in the Champions League. The decision that has been taken today is exceptional.'' If the situation occurs again, the Champions League winner would take the place of the final qualifier from its domestic league. Had the rule been in force this season, Liverpool's archrival Everton, which finished fourth in the Premier League, would have had to drop out. ``In the upcoming season, England will be the only national association ever, and for the last time, that will be allowed to have five clubs,'' Gaillard said. Liverpool will enter the qualifying rounds, which begin next month. The draw will take place June 24. Liverpool will have to play six matches to reach the group stage, which begins in September. Former Liverpool captain and manager Phil Thompson said the ruling was a ``great decision for football.'' ``We've had the right things in our hearts and they've had the right things in their minds,'' he said.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_y...ov=ap&type=lgns

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What's the higher priority? Top-four in the standings at season end or winning the championship? Winning the championship, IMO, therefore it's totally fair...

Funny that they put them in the first qualifying round though. I would have thought they would have put them in the second or third round.

Still good news. They deserve it.

fuckin scalley wag scouser scum! haha

Good on ya boys! walk on

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Its a tough call.... Rules are rules they honestly should have stuck to em. On the other hand the way the rules were set don't account for suprises like Liverpool fighting through to become euro champs.

So in other words give em another cinderella shot i guess thats fair... and maybe they should start thinking about changing that rule.

rules were made to be broken... and this is one of them.


and Time2Burn, holy fuck, I haven't seen you in ages!

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Keep it real, and stay single, always mingle...

good news for the pool fans but this is gonna have some serious financial repurcussions....
the money that the UEFA gives the FA to distribute among the teams is now gonna be divided 5 ways and each of the current four CL qualifiers stand to lose as mush as 5 million quid...Everton are supposedly already complaining...lol...so is ther FA as the UEFA are not gonna increase the English quota....and the clubs havent been informed yet of this...should be interesting to see the reaction of Chelsea,Arsenal & Man U....
also if Liverpool choose to accept this then they lose their pre-season fixtures most liekly as there is a clash of dates and fixture congestion...
hmm...

this is obviously done because of the $$$... It pays more to everyone to have Liverpool play instead of some small team at the first round.

Liverpool got its place to the expense of some other small club who fought to get where it deserved. I wonder which birth spot will be cut.

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quote:

Originally posted by Aitizaz Everton are supposedly already complaining

bAHHAHA yeah that was a guarantee

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Rightfully so

I think this is fair, they won the cup, they should play next year too! Thats how it is in every other major fotball competition (euro, world cup etc)...

quote:

Originally posted by malek Liverpool got its place to the expense of some other small club who fought to get where it deserved. I wonder which birth spot will be cut.

They should've just had Liverpool play that "other small club" for the spot. Would have been the fair thing to do.