[lfc-news] Johansson opens door to the Reds - Guardian

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The Guardian, 3 May 2005
Johansson opens door to the Reds
By Dominic Fifield

Uefa's president Lennart Johansson has suggested that Liverpool could
yet be allowed to defend the Champions League next season should they
win the competition this year but finish outside the Premiership's top four.

Johansson said Uefa would be open to discuss the prospect of granting
England an unprecedented fifth place in next season's competition should
Liverpool, currently fifth in the league, overcome Chelsea in tomorrow's
semi-final second leg and go on to win the trophy in Istanbul next
month. Previously Uefa had insisted only four teams from any one country
could play in the Champions League.

"The door is always open," Johansson told BBC Radio 5 Live. "This is a
very demanding case but it doesn't mean it cannot be discussed.
Liverpool are welcome with their point of view. They can make any
proposal and we will deal with it and we will give them a quick answer.
We are there to serve football and not just dictate.

"If there is a possibility to make an exception for the winner of the
Champions League then there could be an additional place. 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. But it would be unfair on Everton who have played the whole
season and qualified via fourth place to then exclude them."

That concession has been privately welcomed on Merseyside, though
neither Liverpool nor Everton will address the issue publicly until the
outcome of the semi-final is clear. "It's not a live debate at this
stage," said Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry. "There is clearly
an element of inconsistency within the rules. On the one hand there is a
desire for the champions to participate but equally a very clear rule
that says no country can have more than four participants.

"That works fine providing the champions always finish within the top
four which I guess they generally do. But it's Uefa's responsibility -
after all, it is their competition and it's for them to address what
should happen to the winner. I don't think it is appropriate that
national associations should be left with such extraordinarily difficult
decisions."

Johansson intends to tighten the rules next season. "In my opinion the
rule is already there," he said, "but if there are exceptions to the
rule then we have to clarify the situation and make a clear statement
about it."

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