[lfc-news] Liverpool must go to Japan - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 13 June 2005
Liverpool must go to Japan
By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has told Liverpool they must play in the
Club World Championship in December.

Liverpool face an extended fixture list following UEFA's decision to
allow the Anfield club into next season's Champions League first
qualifying round as defending champions.

But any plans to lighten the load by withdrawing from December's Club
World Championship in Japan will not be tolerated, according to Blatter.

The tournament will incorporate the Toyota Cup, a play-off between the
European and South American club champions.

"They must play the Toyota Cup because it is binding for them for 2005,"
Blatter said. "The cup is in Japan. Do you think they won't play? They
will play."

The Echo revealed on Saturday that Liverpool intend to pull out of the
fixture, though the club has made no official comment yet on their plans.

Chief executive Rick Parry said today: "We have not expressed any
opinion on our proposed participation yet. We have not been officially
invited and we cannot assess the implications until that happens."

The Reds, however, will have to rip up their pre-season plans and start
again from scratch following UEFA's decision on Friday.

Boss Rafa Benitez said: "It is commonsense, the UEFA decision. But it
does mess nearly everything up because we have given our players
holidays and now we have to play the qualifying rounds on the 12th or 13th.

Striker Fernando Morientes, cup-tied for Liverpool's successful
Champions League campaign last season, however, is thrilled just to be
able to play in the competition again.

"After being in the stands for the whole of the last European campaign,
I'm overjoyed about being able to play in the Champions League again,"
he said.

"I want to be top scorer in the competition again, as I was with Monaco,
and win the trophy with Liverpool."

Morientes has three winners medals from four finals and went on: "UEFA
have treated the whole thing very sensibly and come up with a very fair
solution. I am happy, but I never thought they would not let us defend
our title.

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