Theo Squires was intrigued by something he noticed on the Liverpool teamsheet that UEFA have given to journalists at tonight’s Europa League game against LASK.

As expected, Jurgen Klopp has made numerous changes, with only Mo Salah and Kostas Tsimikas retained from last weekend’s draw at Manchester City.

The Greece international will play at left-back, although there appears to be some confusion as to who’ll line up at the other side of the defensive quartet.

In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog (19:10), Squires wrote: “Our UEFA teamsheets have just been handed out, and they have Jarell Quansah at right-back and Joe Gomez in the middle.

“While Quansah can play there, having filled the role at the Academy and made one senior appearance on the flanks as a substitute this season, I suspect they might have got those two the wrong way round tonight.”

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As Squires pointed out, Quansah has occasionally played at right-back while progressing through the academy ranks, and he had a fleeting appearance in that position against Brentford earlier this month (Transfermarkt).

However, Gomez is far more accustomed to playing out wide than the 20-year-old, so we also reckon that the UEFA teamsheet got those two players mixed up.

Perhaps it isn’t an error and Klopp has spotted something which has prompted him to deploy a curious tactical switch, although we doubt that he’d experiment to that degree considering that Liverpool still need more points to ensure their progression in the tournament.

Whatever the case might be, we’ll get our definitive answer when the match begins at 8pm UK time.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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UEFA have confirmed that the 2028 European Championship will be coming to Liverpool – but not to Anfield.

In arguably the worst-kept secret in football, the UK and Ireland has been officially chosen to host the tournament in five years’ time, although the Reds’ home ground won’t be used.

As explained by the Liverpool Echo, the 61,000-capacity venue (once the current redevelopment is finished) doesn’t meet the European football governing body’s requirements pitch dimensions guidelines for its flagship events, falling four metres short of the minimum length of 105m.

Merseyside isn’t being completely ignored, though, as Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock – which is currently under construction – will host some matches at the 2028 finals.

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While it’s pleasing to see that our city will play some part in hosting the tournament, it’s disappointing from an LFC perspective that Anfield has been overlooked on such pedantic grounds.

Once the redevelopment work on the Anfield Road Stand has been finished, thus bringing the capacity past the 60,000 mark, Liverpool’s stadium will be a gleaming venue which still holds its time-honoured authenticity.

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Those of us old enough to remember Euro ’96 will recall how it held four matches at that tournament, including a dramatic 3-3 draw between Russia and Czech Republic in which future Red Vladimir Smicer scored a late equaliser to see his team progress at Italy’s expense.

LFC fans might feel shafted by UEFA once again, with the governing body’s reputation on Merseyside already stained by the disgraceful events surrounding the 2022 Champions League final.

Its inadequate response to the safety of match-going supporters being compromised in Paris that day is obviously much more serious than not choosing Anfield for Euro 2028 due to a technicality, but this nonetheless may seem like another kick in the teeth from Aleksander Ceferin and his cronies.

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called for UEFA to act amid what he called the increasing ‘threat’ of the Saudi Pro League towards European clubs.

An extraordinary summer transfer window has seen some of the biggest names in football swap Europe for the Middle East, with the Reds affected by the trend as Jordan Henderson and Fabinho joined the Gulf influx.

Al-Ittihad are also hoping to add Mo Salah to their ranks, with Ibrahima Konate also being linked with a Saudi move in recent days, and clubs in the west Asian country have a few days longer than their European counterparts to sign players due to a disparity in transfer deadline dates.

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Speaking in Friday morning’s press conference (via Liverpool Echo), Klopp voiced his concerns over the impact of the Saudi Pro League on clubs such as Liverpool and has implored UEFA to lobby for changes which’d strengthen the position of their flagship teams.

The Reds manager said: “I don’t know how stable [the Saudi Pro League] is or how long it will stay like this but I think the next two weeks will show how much of a challenge it is because whatever happens there, obviously, nobody [in Europe] can react anymore. That’s something I think UEFA or whoever should have an eye on to solve that because we all have to protect the game and we want to.

“We have to make sure with UEFA that these European leagues stay as strong as they are. For that you always need help from these kinds of things like changing rules or laws or whatever to make sense.

“We are all a bit surprised still probably in that sense by the activity from Saudi Arabia but a lot of players went there and that improves the league, definitely, and at the moment I haven’t watched it but it doesn’t mean I won’t, I just don’t know where to find it yet.

“That is the situation at the moment and I don’t know where it will lead to but it seems rather like a threat and a concern than not to be honest because I can’t see how we really can deny it in these specific moments.

“But what can we do? Say no and we can do that but that’s the difference between the contracts here and the contracts there. They are so big [in Saudi Arabia] that it causes problems, definitely, 100%.”

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With many of Europe’s transfer windows closing today but the Saudi Arabian equivalent remaining open for another week, you can see why Klopp is so frustrated over a situation which could leave Liverpool helpless to prevent players from leaving in the meantime.

The ongoing uncertainty over Salah’s future may well be giving the manager sleepless nights, and if the unthinkable happens and the Egyptian departs in the next few days, the Reds won’t be able to bring in a replacement.

Some cynics might argue that Europe’s elite clubs are now getting a taste of their own medicine from the Saudi Pro League throwing money at marquee players to tempt them into signing, but the German is right to call on UEFA to represent their members by trying to lobby for change.

Bringing the world’s major transfer windows into synchronicity could help to keep the Middle Eastern revolution at bay to some extent, although it won’t stop the Gulf’s wealthiest clubs from continuing to splash the cash in trying to attract Hollywood names away from the top European divisions.

It remains to be seen just what UEFA could do to try and stem the standout tide of the summer, but it’s easy to see why Klopp feels some action needs to be taken so that the likes of Liverpool aren’t in such a vulnerable position.

#Ep88 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Liverpool could indirectly be done a favour by UEFA in their pursuits of two reported summer transfer targets.

Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia (19) and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill (20) have both been linked with moves to Anfield, and even with the Reds having minimal wriggle room for non-homegrown berths in their squad for 2023/24, both could conceivably be signed without impacting that situation.

As noted by Liverpool Echo, that duo would qualify as ‘association-trained players’ for Jurgen Klopp’s Europa League roster, having come through academies at English clubs.

UEFA allows teams to name four such players in their squads for European competition, and LFC currently have just two in Jordan Henderson and Nat Phillips.

With the other homegrown players at Anfield all considered ‘club-trained’, having risen through the ranks on Merseyside, these are classified separately, as are youngsters like Harvey Elliott, Stefan Bajcetic and Tyler Morton who’d be eligible for ‘List B’ as they’re still under 21 years of age.

While Lavia and Colwill would fit that age bracket, new signings can’t be considered for inclusion in ‘List B’, but the association-trained route offers a separate filter lane.

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The various rules surrounding a player’s eligibility for homegrown status can be complex, especially when they vary between domestic and continental tournaments, but UEFA’s regulations may well help Liverpool in their respective pursuits of Lavia and Colwill.

Even with the former being a full Belgium international, he qualifies as association-trained for the Reds because of his prior involvement with Manchester City’s academy.

That could be crucial for the Merseyside club, considering that they’ve already filled 16 of the permitted 17 non-homegrown berths in their senior squad as it currently stands.

As explained by the Liverpool Echo, Ben Doak would take the final slot for the Europa League as he won’t be eligible for ‘List B’ classification until next year, having only arrived from Celtic 12 months ago.

That could leave Klopp with a dilemma as to whether another non-homegrown signing would force one player out of the European squad or compel the manager to omit the Scottish youngster for continental action.

Such bureaucracy will need to be at the forefront of Liverpool’s thinking when it comes to potential new additions this summer, but at least the fine print of UEFA’s rules offer some much-needed leeway when it comes to trying to sign Lavia and Colwill.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Lavia OR Thuram next? Why Newcastle DIDN’T come in for Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s difficult signing, and much more!

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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has issued an apology to supporters of Liverpool and Real Madrid who were caught up in the chaos prior to the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.

The build-up to the game at the Stade de France was marred by worrying scenes as heavy-handed police needlessly fired tear gas at fans outside the stadium, leading to dangerous overcrowding and crushes.

French authorities despicably tried to blame match-going supporters over the farcical events, although a subsequent report commissioned by UEFA instead pointed the finger of culpability at the governing body of European football over the shambolic organisation surrounding the fixture (The Guardian).

The report even praised the ‘instrumental’ contributions of Liverpool fans for preventing situations which could’ve led to serious injuries or fatalities occurring.

Sadly, there were also chaotic scenes in Istanbul prior to the 2023 Champions League final two weeks ago, with UEFA again coming in for strong criticism over organisational deficiencies.

Ceferin was speaking at the opening day of the European Footballs Fans Congress (via 90min) when he addressed the shambolic turn of events prior to both finals, saying: “We would love to erase events that happened last year from our memories.

“Last year everyone welcomed our decision to move the finals from St. Petersburg to Paris and in the end we all know what happened. Good intentions are many times not enough and we know that and we are sorry for that.

“We are well aware that in Istanbul not everything was perfect. I am certainly not playing down the problems encountered by some. But let us continue working together to improve what can we improve.

“I’m thinking in particular transport links to and from stadium, the hosting of the stadium supporters and access to water and toilets for everyone.”

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If nothing else, Ceferin has acknowledged UEFA’s failings regarding the organisation of the last two Champions League finals, but any football fan caught up in the chaos in Paris or Istanbul won’t be able to readily ‘erase’ those ordeals from their memories.

That’s two years in a row that their showpiece club event has been overshadowed by organisational inadequacies, while the Euro 2020 final at Wembley was also marred by dangerous incidents before the match (The Guardian).

Unfortunately, it seems that European football’s governing body aren’t learning from past mistakes, and match-going supporters will understandably remain cynical until such time that there’s demonstrative evidence of lessons being taken on board by those responsible for such major occasions.

This apology from Ceferin is better than no apology at all, but his words will ring hollow for any Liverpool or Real Madrid fan who had to suffer through the shambles of what happened outside the Stade de France 13 months ago.

Exclusive: Jacque Talbot’s Liverpool transfers update: Liverpool & Newcastle in for Kone, Thuram latest, likelihood of Lavia move… and more!

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For the second year in succession, the Champions League final was overshadowed by pre-match chaos as thousands of football fans endured an ordeal in trying to access the stadium.

Following on from the heavy-handed treatment suffered by Liverpool supporters outside the Stade de France in 2022 (Daily Mail), their Manchester City counterparts were also subjected to logistical nightmares and overcrowding as they tried to get to the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul last Saturday.

It’s led to justified widespread criticism of UEFA, not just from fans of the clubs involved but also within the media.

Sam Matterface, Scott Minto and Alex Crook reflected on the organisational shambles of the game in Turkey on talkSPORT’s Gameday Podcast, with the latter sharing anecdotes which illustrated the trouble that people encountered in getting to the venue.

He spoke of how he and his broadcasting colleagues were ordered to abandon their taxi as the driver insisted they couldn’t negotiate the bottlenecks of traffic which had built up, and he also saw fans of Man City and Inter Milan ‘hanging from windows on the metro’ because it was over capacity.

Crook fumed: “Once again, UEFA have made a massive blunder. The stadium is fantastic but it’s too far away from the city centre.

“Shuttle buses that were supposed to turn up to take fans back to their accommodation or to the airport didn’t turn up. That left thousands of people wondering how to get home. Many had to pay extortionate fees in taxis.

“They’ve got to sort it out, UEFA. Pick a stadium that has the infrastructure to host a game of this magnitude, because at the moment they are failing fans time and time again.”

Matterface also slammed the ‘abysmal treatment‘ of fans in Istanbul, describing it as ‘ludicrous‘ and ‘totally ridiculous‘ and calling on European football’s governing body to ‘get your act in order now‘ before a fatal disaster occurs at showpiece fixtures.

Minto added: “What happened last year in Paris – [UEFA] absolutely got away with it.”

After what happened outside the Stade de France a year ago, Liverpool fans who were at that game will resonate with the commentators’ condemnation of UEFA and the difficulties endured by supporters in Turkey at the weekend.

Aleksander Čeferin and co simply need to be held accountable for why they continue to select venues which are clearly incapable of staging such major finals and learn from the mistakes of Paris and Istanbul, as their continued failure to do so could potentially lead to a fatal situation occurring.

You can view the talkSPORT pundits’ comments on the Champions League final chaos below (from 13:25), via talkSPORT on YouTube:

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Another Champions League final, another sorry mess for UEFA to try and justify…

Liverpool fans who travelled to Paris for last year’s showpiece against Real Madrid were subjected to barbaric treatment outside the Stade de France (as were the Spanish club’s supporters) from heavy-handed police (Daily Mail).

Rather than accepting fault for the chaotic and dangerous scenes, though, the governing body of European football tried to lay blame on spectators who they accused of arriving late to the venue.

Following such a shambolic episode, and one which could easily have ended in tragedy had it not been for the restraint of the paying football fans, you’d have imagined UEFA would learn lessons and ensure it’d never happen again.

Unfortunately, the build-up to last night’s Champions League final was again marred by substandard organisation, with hordes of Manchester City supporters caught up in a bottleneck outside the Ataturk Stadium, with no movement at entry points to the venue.

As per The Mirror, a video on social media highlighted how a medical situation developed as one spectator was caught up in the overcrowding, with emergency services finding it an ordeal to get to the person in need of treatment.

Sports reporter Aadam Patel uploaded footage on Twitter from outside the stadium which showed how dangerously overcrowded it had become, with some supporters visibly and justifiably frustrated at how the situation was allowed to develop and how little was being done to rectify it.

We may enjoy poking fun at City over the sometimes subdued nature of their support base, but after the horrific events of Paris last year and now this, rivalry can be put to one side.

Many Liverpool fans could easily empathise with the plight of those who were caught up in the overcrowding in Istanbul last night, with the unacceptable scenes highlighting how UEFA have learned absolutely nothing from May 2022.

It’s simply not good enough from European football’s governing body.

You can see a clip of the chaotic pre-Champions League final scenes below, via @aadamp9 on Twitter:

City stewards from Manchester saying this is chaos. Fans barely moving in the queue. This is 2023… pic.twitter.com/OcBb2MIMnK

— Aadam Patel (@aadamp9) June 10, 2023

The post (Video) Chaos before UCL final shows UEFA have learned nothing from Liverpool fans’ ordeal in Paris appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire doesn’t expect UEFA to abolish the 10-year coefficient system as part of the new Champions League format, namechecking Liverpool as a club who could duly benefit.

European football’s governing body recently confirmed changes to its flagship club competition which will see 36 teams qualify rather than the current 32, and the abolition of the long-standing group stage in favour of a league phase informally dubbed the ‘Swiss model’.

As explained by The Athletic, the new format could realistically see five Premier League clubs qualify, one more than the current four places reserved for English clubs. Had the change been brought in for next season, the Reds would be on course to make the tournament.

Despite some suggestions that UEFA will review their 10-year coefficient system which allows for greater revenue for clubs who enjoy success in Europe over the previous decade. Maguire thinks the contentious ruling will be kept and was critical of how it favours the perceived bigger clubs in the continent.

He told Football Insider: “I don’t think there is much chance of the 10-year UEFA coefficient being abolished. If you take a look at the current distribution, they get 30 per cent which does seem excessive.

“The aim of that is clearly to protect the interests of the elite and protect their incomes when clubs such as Liverpool do have a year out of the competition. From an investor point of view, you can understand why it is wanted, but it is essentially parachute payments with a small ‘p’.

“The new format will bring in more money, but if the elite clubs are going to get the same proportion of a much bigger cake then that is disappointing. It is a blow for aspirational clubs trying to push into European competition.”

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The 10-year coefficient benefitted Liverpool greatly in 2021/22, with the ruling accounting for £19.3m of the £89.2m they banked from reaching the Champions League final last year (The Mirror).

It was their third time getting to that stage in five seasons, while they’d also reached the Europa League final in 2016, all of which helped them to sit ninth in the historic coefficient.

Even if the Reds were to miss out on the competition for 2023/24 but qualify for the first edition of the new format, their cumulative 10-year performance would grant them a healthy supply of income.

While Liverpool could be among the big beneficiaries if UEFA keep the coefficient in place for the revised Champions League, it’s understandable why Maguire has questioned the fairness of the ruling, which appears to favour clubs who are already established as European heavyweights.

The various stakeholders will have differing views on the coefficient based on their placing within it, but the main takeaway for Jurgen Klopp’s side is that continued qualification for the tournament is crucial if LFC are to maximise the revenue coming into the club.

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A football finance firm has revealed how much Liverpool earned from their run to last year’s Champions League final, with their report also hinting at what the Reds could miss out on if they fail to qualify for the tournament next season.

Swiss Ramble [via Liverpool Echo] presented figures from UEFA’s financial report outlining that the Reds claimed €120m (£105.6m) in revenue from getting to the decider at the Stade de France, where they lost to Real Madrid.

In qualifying for the group stage and winning all six matches in that phase of the tournament, Jurgen Klopp’s side earned €32.4m (£28.5m).

A further €66.3m (£58.3m) in prize money came from battling through three knockout rounds in reaching the final, while they banked €6.2m (£5.5m) in TV pool money owing to their third-placed Premier League finish the campaign prior.

Liverpool’s Champions League run in 2021/22 saw them claim €9.4m (£8.27m) in revenues from a 30% share of the TV pool pot available to English clubs in the competition last season.

Another factor in the overall earnings is a team’s placing in the coefficient ranking over a 10-year period, with the Reds’ standing helped by them reaching three of the previous five finals in the tournament.

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Despite the massive disappointment of losing the final last May, which paled in comparison with the disgusting treatment of match-going spectators by UEFA and the French authorities, these figures show the value of a prolonged run in the Champions League.

Each phase of the competition yields significantly more revenue, while consistently getting to the business end not only helps with seedings for the group stage draw but also the financial benefits from a strong historical coefficient.

Liverpool’s position in that regard is strong due to their excellent record in the tournament since 2017/18, but failure to qualify for next season could have longer-term implications.

Missing out on the 2023/24 edition would hamper the Reds’ coefficient, with a greater weighting placed on more recent years, and make it much harder to yield the same rewards outlined by Swiss Ramble.

It’s not just the prestige of the Champions League which makes it so important to be in the tournament, but also the vast financial benefits from playing in the competition and progressing through the rounds.

That’s what makes Liverpool’s final eight matches of the Premier League campaign so pivotal, and there’s simply no room for error anymore withground to make up on the top four as the finish line comes into view.

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The post Report shares what Liverpool earned from 2021/22 UCL run – and what they could soon miss out on appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool fans who were in Paris for last season’s Champions League final will need no explanation as to why supporters would be after compensation from UEFA and now the case looks set to be taken to the next stage.

As reported by BBC Sport: ‘Nearly 900 Liverpool fans caught up in the chaotic scenes at last year’s Champions League final are to sue Uefa, say lawyers’.

After being manhandled and sandwiched into small areas by French police and match officials, missing the start of the game, chased and pepper sprayed – there’s no reason as to why anyone should ever expect to experience that at a football match – let alone the biggest spectacle in Europe.

READ MORE: (Video) Klopp snaps at reporters, asks for better questions and to stop wasting his time

Despite an admittance of guilt from the event organisers there is still a set of supporters who have sought legal aide to ensure that a mere refund of tickets is not the only penalty that is to be paid.

Many could be seen crying and being mentally tormented by the events outside the Stade de France last summer and that experience will be enough for many to not want to travel abroad to watch the Reds again.

What should have been a day to remember for all the right reasons, regardless of the result, was taken from everyone in attendance and that should lead to a much firmer punishment for those who were supposed to be in charge.

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post 900 Liverpool fans set to sue UEFA after Champions League Final chaos – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool might not be in action until 1 April, when they visit Manchester City in the Premier League, but a number of Reds players will be busy on international duty in the meantime.

The two-week break to the club calendar sees many national teams involved in qualifying rounds for their respective continental tournaments, while some are partaking in their first friendlies after the World Cup in Qatar at the tail end of 2022.

As per LFC’s official website, 12 members of Jurgen Klopp’s first team squad at Anfield have joined up with their countries, a figure which would’ve been higher had Darwin Nunez not been ruled out through injury following his withdrawal against Real Madrid last week.

In what may well come as a relief to Liverpool supporters and coaching staff, the Brazilian trio of Alisson, Fabinho and Bobby Firmino were all omitted from the latest Selecao squad, the first under interim boss Ramon Menezes.

So which Reds players are on international duty, and when will they be in action? We’ve marked your card for the dozen to keep an eye on between now and the end of March.

Which Liverpool players have been called up during the international break?

Jordan Henderson (England), Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Ibrahima Konate (France), Caoimhin Kelleher (Republic of Ireland), Andy Robertson (Scotland), Diogo Jota (Portugal), Kostas Tsimikas (Greece), Mo Salah (Egypt), Naby Keita (Guinea), Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones (England under-21)

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When will Liverpool players be in action during the international break?

Wednesday 22 March

Republic of Ireland v Latvia (7:45pm): Kelleher is first up as Stephen Kenny’s side welcome the Baltic outfit to Dublin for a friendly. There’s a strong chance that the 24-year-old features here if Southampton number one Gavin Bazunu is preferred for their subsequent Euro 2024 qualifier against France.

Thursday 23 March

Italy v England (7:45pm): The rematch of the Euro 2020 final may see Henderson involved at some point, with the Reds skipper having missed both clashes against the Azzurri in the UEFA Nations League last year.

Portugal v Liechtenstein (7:45pm): Jota missed the World Cup through injury and will surely be eager to atone for that agonising setback against the Alpine minnows in his nation’s first Euro 2024 qualifier.

Friday 24 March

France v Netherlands (7:45pm): A tasty-looking showdown takes Van Dijk and Konate back to Paris, the scene of our Champions League final defeat 10 months ago, as two nations vanquished by Argentina on penalties at the World Cup face off in European qualifying.

Gibraltar v Greece (7:45pm): In the same qualification group, Tsimikas will hope to feature in a match his team will expect to win against the side who are likely to end bottom of Group B.

Egypt v Malawi (7pm): Salah and co missed out on the World Cup but will be expected to make amends during their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Guinea v Ethiopia: Despite not featuring prominently for Liverpool this season, Keita could well start for his nation in this AFCON qualifier.

Saturday 25 March

Scotland v Cyprus (2pm): Robertson and his compatriots begin their Euro 2024 qualification campaign looking to reach the finals of this tournament for the second time in succession.

England U21 v France U21 (5pm): For Elliott, this friendly is a chance to keep momentum going amid his regular selection at club level. Conversely, Jones may view it as an opportunity to get the game-time he’s been lacking with the Reds.

Sunday 26 March

England v Ukraine (5pm): Henderson and the Three Lions are at Wembley in a European qualifier against the team they hammered in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, with the Liverpool captain scoring that night.

Luxembourg v Portugal (7:45pm): Another very winnable fixture for Jota’s country may present him with a chance to rediscover the scoring touch that has deserted him this season, just in time for the Reds’ run-in to the campaign.

Monday 27 March

Rep of Ireland v France (7:45pm): Konate could come up against a club colleague again as Les Bleus are in Dublin to face Kelleher and the Irish, for whom this remains a grudge match after the Thierry Henry handball in the 2010 World Cup play-offs.

Netherlands v Gibraltar (7:45pm): Van Dijk and the Orange host the minnows of Group B in what, on paper, looks like their easiest fixture in Euro 2024 qualifying.

Greece v Lithuania (5pm): Tsimikas and his teammates are in the same qualifying group as the Dutch, French and Irish, but next Monday they’ll be hosting their Baltic opposition in a friendly.

Ethiopia v Guinea (9pm): Similar to how Champions League groups see the middle two fixtures pit the same opposition against one another home and away, the AFCON qualifiers bring Keita up against Ethiopia for the second time in quick succession.

Tuesday 28 March

Scotland v Spain (7:45pm): Robertson has faced Spanish opposition at club level in every season as a Liverpool player, and he’ll face off against La Roja in the Scots’ second Euro 2024 qualifier.

Malawi v Egypt (2pm): Another AFCON qualifying double header as Salah and his compatriots head to southeast Africa for the longest journey faced by any Liverpool player on the international scene this month.

England U21 v Croatia U21 (7:45pm): Another chance for Elliott and Jones to get match practice under their belts at underage level before returning to Klopp’s first team squad for the final two months of the season.

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post Dates for the diary: Which Liverpool players are on international duty – and when appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

If there’s anyone who doesn’t need to be told about the mishandling of last season’s Champions League final, it’s Liverpool fans but the UEFA President appears to be shifting the blame in his comments about the game at the Stade de France.

In an interview with Gary Neville’s The Overlap YouTube channel (via The Times), Aleksander Ceferin said: “I feel sorry for what happened and we will make sure that it doesn’t happen again, that’s the most important thing for me.

“When I went to the match, I had a meeting with the King of Spain and someone came and said there is a problem with some entrances with the fans.

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“We didn’t know how serious that was back then, because Uefa does not have jurisdiction outside the stadium. The French police did not communicate with us…

“It was hard to check what was right and what was wrong, we got some strange information. I really didn’t know the scale of the thing that was happening.”

There will be many who will scoff at the words of the man in such an important role at Europe’s footballing governing body and be simply in disbelief about what he has said regarding not knowing about the events outside the stadium.

For our supporters to be chased around by Police with pepper spray, locked out of entering the ground and missing kick-off but the people in charge of the event never knew – seems impossible to believe.

If those in power hadn’t been so concerned with packing the stadium with their own clients and sponsors and spent less time schmoozing their rich and powerful friends, rather than thinking about the turmoil that was occurring outside, there could have been more consideration of the actual fans at the game.

We all know better than to believe most of the comments of those in power and this is just another sad example.

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post ‘We didn’t know’ – UEFA President blames French police & ‘strange information’ for Paris CL final turmoil appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool supporters are all too aware of incompetence of UEFA’s organising skills and one account from the Porto vs. Inter Milan Champions League clash has drawn harrowing comparisons to last season’s final in Paris.

From being locked out of the stadium, to supporters being crammed into small areas – it’s a truly worrying account of events that has been shared online by Twitter user @FootballShirtC2, who was in Portugal to enjoy a sample of top European action.

Accounts of the stadium being sold at twice the capacity and seeing a child being thrown off a balcony by police that were present is something that should never be heard about a football match in what is supposed to be the top level of European competition.

READ MORE: Johnson says £220k-per-week man is ‘not past his peak’ despite ‘one of his worst performances’ for Liverpool

The Twitter thread is supported by others who were also present on the night, such as this video posted to Twitter by Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri:

DANGEROUS SCANDAL FROM PORTO!

AS HAPPENED TO LIVERPOOL IN PARIS!

The situation outside EstadioDo Dragão!

A thousand of normal Inter fans with regular ticket – many bought from Porto site with no restrictions – kept out, amassed dangerously!#PortoInter pic.twitter.com/B27aFsEr1Y

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) March 14, 2023

We should never see scenes like this in 2023 and it’s important to note that this is likely the fault of the stadium organisers, the police and UEFA but you would think after the events at the Stade de France – there would be an effort to ensure that no more scenes like this would be happening.

This thread of the events at the Estadio do Dragao should be spread far and wide, as the only way for change to happen is by ensuring that moments of ineptitude like this are shared far and wide.

You can view the full Twitter thread via @FootballShirtC2:

14/03/22 – Porto vs Inter

From not accepting valid tickets to woeful organisation.

Here’s a short thread on what I experienced at Estadio Dragão tonight…#UEFA #FCPorto #Inter https://t.co/n3FbNDqz3v

— Rhys (@FootballShirtC2) March 14, 2023

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post ‘Extremely unsafe’ ‘Dangerous scandal’ – Porto fan’s harrowing account of Inter clash as journo makes Paris UCL final comparison appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool fans are most likely to be fully supportive of Real Madrid’s response to UEFA over the refunding of ticket prices for last year’s Champions League final.

What should have been a memorable occasion in Paris between two historic clubs on the biggest stage in European club football sadly turned into a day and night which will linger in the memory for all the wrong reasons.

Many spectators who attended the match were subjected to barbaric treatment by the authorities in and around the Stade de France, with Europe’s governing body only too happy to wash their hands of the inept organisation of the fixture and instead lay the blame on paying supporters.

UEFA announced earlier in the week (via their official website) that they’d refund fans who attended the final, but they’ve been met with a frosty response from Real Madrid, who ultimately won 1-0 on the night.

The LaLiga giants issued a statement (via The Mirror) in which they deemed the offer of reimbursement to be ‘insufficient’, criticising the ‘deficient organisation’ and stating that people had ‘their safety and physical integrity compromised’.

The Bernabeu club have duly ‘decided not to collaborate in the limited compensation procedure promoted by UEFA, which we ask to rectify and assume full responsibility’.

READ MORE: (Video) ‘What it says to me’ – Carragher sounds LFC warning over potential investment at Anfield

READ MORE: ‘Whisper it quietly…’ – Athletic journo suggests much-maligned Liverpool ace ‘might be back’

We might have been in opposition to Real Madrid on the pitch that night, and again next week, but we’re very much in alliance with them over their response to UEFA.

While the refund offer is better than nothing, it still doesn’t go nearly far enough from Aleksander Ceferin and co, considering the trauma endured by fans of both clubs who were in Paris that day, and indeed ever since.

The Spanish club could easily have said thanks and taken the compensation, but their firm stance on the matter shows backbone on their part and sends a defiant message to European football’s governing body.

Bravo, Real Madrid – we fully back you on this one.

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post Liverpool fans will love Real Madrid’s response to UEFA over UCL final refund proposal appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

With UEFA announcing that Liverpool fans will be receiving their money back after the Champions League final debacle, one solicitors representing our supporters has said that the claim has not gone far enough.

In an email to all their clients who attended the game, Binghams Solicitors wrote: ‘Whilst we are glad to see UEFA make some progress towards accepting responsibility for the event, this does not go far enough and it is important that you are aware that your claim will continue regardless of today’s announcement from UEFA’.

This will act as peace of mind to many fans who are unsure whether they should accept a refund at this stage, as many expect that they are entitled to more than just the money for their ticket back in their own pocket.

READ MORE: BBC pundit labels 7-0 victory as a ‘freak’ and says Liverpool are ‘absolutely not’ back to their best

They go onto state that the UEFA refund should be accepted by all fans and that they will continue to work on behalf of everyone who has registered with themselves, to ensure that a bigger compensation is paid out.

Let’s see what happens on that front but it’s good to see that so many people are being represented legally and that this should have some positive financial implications for all those affected by the traumatic events last summer.

When you miss all the build-up, are crammed into small areas, attacked with pepper spray and chased around by police for no reason, there should be repercussions and compensation offered.

You can view the full statement from Binghams Solicitors via @empireofthekop on Twitter:

Binghams Solicitors statement on the Champions League final #LFC pic.twitter.com/k13j6ltqTo

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) March 8, 2023

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post Solicitors state ‘this does not go far enough’ after UEFA refund scheme for Paris announced appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.