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Liverpool given Champs League hope
The calls for Liverpool to be allowed to defend the Champions League if they win the trophy in Istanbul have received massive support from UEFA's president and a Liverpool legend.
UEFA president Lennart Johansson has repeated his views of a couple of weeks ago when he stated today that a way could be found for Liverpool to be allowed back into next season's tournament as holders, despite not qualifying through the Premiership.
Johansson made that statement initially before the semi-final second leg with Chelsea, which saw Liverpool qualify for the May 25 final against AC Milan. But further comments from UEFA's director of communications William Gaillard threw doubt over the prospect. But now Johansson has advised the English FA to put an appeal in writing and it will be favourably received. He told Sky Sports News: "Let's deal with it when we know the facts after the final of the Champions League." "And then see to it that we are crystal-clear that the champion must always be given the opportunity to defend the title." Johansson's views came after former Liverpool legend John Toshack joined the clamour for the Anfield club to be allowed to defend the Champions League crown if they win the final. Toshack, and a Kop hero in Bill Shankly's days and now manager of Wales, insists any team should be allowed to defend a trophy regardless of where they finish in the Premier League. Liverpool can now not finish in the top four spots which have already been decreed as qualifications for next season's Champions League - Everton claiming the final fourth place yesterday by virtue of the Anfield club's defeat at Arsenal. Toshack was at the match to see his old club's failure and agreed that the Premiership's top four should without question go into next season's top European tournament. He said: "If you decide before the competition starts and you make the rules that the top four go into the Champions League, then that should be the case." "But Liverpool, if they win the trophy, should certainly go back into it as holders, no question." UEFA have confirmed they will discuss the situation at their next meeting in Manchester in June. But by then if Liverpool do manage to beat AC Milan in Istanbul on May 25, there will be uproar in the red half of Merseyside, with the Reds by then loudly claiming their right to be admitted as holders, a rule which at present does not exist in UEFA's regulations. Johansson added: "We should see to it in the future that we have rules and regulations that are understandable from the very beginning. In the view of the reactions now, I understand the champions like to defend their title." "If the English FA would like to do so, they should make a proposal that would mean extending the number of teams from England in the Champions League next time from four to five." "They cannot just explain their feelings, they should sit down and write a letter to the UEFA executive committee with a request to extend the number of teams from England from four to five." It is believed that pressure has been brought on UEFA from sponsors and TV companies not to allow a situation in which a club as big worldwide as Liverpool are excluded next season. It's a view supported by Toshack, who, in a Sky Sports interview, added: "Liverpool will be disappointed themselves about this failure to get into the Champions League through the league." "Maybe this is a time for UEFA to make a decision. The winners should always be able to defend their title." "If you start saying at the beginning of the season that the top four go in, then that's what you must do. But I still believe the champions should be allowed to defend the trophy." "I can remember the situation in Spain when I was working there that Real Madrid won the Champions League and finished fifth and the Spanish FA left out Real Zaragoza who had finished fourth and not too much was said about it." One omen in Liverpool's favour come May 25 is the fact that they will be allowed to wear their all-red kit in Istanbul. Milan will play in white. In every one of Liverpool's four previous winning European Cup Finals, their opponents have worn white and the Anfield men their traditional all-red kit. The final they lost in Brussels 20 years ago, saw Juventus wearing black and white stripes. The date of the final means that skipper Steven Gerrard and defender Jamie Carragher will not be able to join up with the England party heading for their two games in the USA. England fly out to the States the day after Liverpool's final, although the FA would probably like the pair to join up with the party later, to play in the second game on May 31 against Columbia. But Liverpool would want their two stars to take part in the likely homecoming tour of the city on May 29 rather than join the England party.
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