Fans hail 75,000-seater venues plan for finals

Sep 1 2007 by Staff Reporter, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL supporters welcomed the announcement last night of plans to stage Champions League finals only in stadia with 75,000 capacity.

UEFA president Michel Platini put forward the proposals yesterday, three months after the fiasco when thousands of Liverpool fans were denied entry to see the final against AC Milan at the Olympic stadium in Athens.

The football governing body announced a raft of changes after the May chaos when fans, many with genuine tickets, clashed with Greek riot police at the turnstiles.

Last night, Mr Platini also announced larger ticket allocations for clubs at the 2010 final, which would mean 75% of tickets in the host stadium being split between teams in the final.

Many maintain the Athens clashes were partly caused by an inadequate ticket allocation of just 17,000 for Liverpool FC – just 11,000 of which went to “real” fans, with the rest going to the club’s corporate commitments – in a 63,000-seater stadium.

Liverpool councillor Peter Millea sent a report highlighting the problems that occurred at Athens’s Olympic Stadium to UEFA.

Last night, he said: “I have heard the report and I welcome it. It gives the opportunity for supporters of the clubs actually in the final to attend the game.

“Although it won’t come soon enough and it should be in 2008. I don’t see what the delay is. But on the whole it’s welcome. The sooner the genuine fans get the tickets the better.”

Les Lawson, chairman of the Liverpool Supporters’ Club, said: “It’s 75% that teams are being allocated. That is 25%up on last year. It is an improvement, but I think it should be 80%.

“From my point of view, I would not go to a final at say the New Anfield when Liverpool is not playing. It should be the day of the fans who belong to the clubs involved in that final and nobody else’s. I think the increase is good as a starting point.”

Rick Parry, chief executive of Liverpool FC, said: “We welcome Michel Platini’s comments in terms of extra seats being made available at Champions League finals, and hope that this will benefit all clubs.”

Platini also unveiled his plans to reserve four places in the group phase of Europe’s top club competition for domestic cup winners from 2009. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez welcomed the proposal to give the FA Cup winners a Champions League spot.

Yet, the Spaniard has warned European football would suffer if the teams that finish fourth in Spain, Italy and England lose their place.

Benitez said: “It’s not a bad idea. I think if you win a trophy like the FA Cup you deserve more. The problem is, if the fourth-placed team from Spain, Italy or England cannot play, and teams from other countries come in, you have to analyse it because you want to see the best players in the Champions League.”

Mr Lawson added: “I think the places for the final should go to the four clubs who finish the highest in the league and should involve the FA Cup winners. A few years ago, you could have had Millwall or Southampton in the Champions League if this new policy was in place. To be fair to them, they would not have progressed very far.”

Cllr Millea added: “Changing the rules to allow the FA Cup winners in gives other teams a chance. I think one of the four teams would be the FA Cup winners, as I don’t think it’s lessening the competition in any way.”