Menn hafa verið að velta því fyrir sér hvað þessi ákvörðun hjá UEFA þýðir fyrir Liverpool í Meistaradeildinni. Allavegana, ég rakst á ágæta samantekt hjá Daily Mail:

• Liverpool will have to play six qualifying matches just to reach the qualifying stage of the Champions League.
• Liverpool will not have “country protection” which means they can face another English side at any stage of the competition.
• Rafael Benitez’ side will still keep their position as one of the top eight seeds. It means they will avoid fellow top seeds Manchester United in the third qualifying round and group stage, and Arsenal in the group stage. They could however play Everton in the third qualifying round and Chelsea, who will be among the second group of seeds, in the group phase.
• Liverpool will get the smallest share of Champions League TV money among the English clubs. If four English clubs reach the group phase, Premiership champions Chelsea will get 40 per cent, Arsenal 30 per cent and two out of Manchester United/Liverpool/Everton 15 per cent each. UEFA will have to decide a new split if all five qualify. Usually, the title-holders get 30 per cent if they are not domestic champions as well.
• The first leg of the first qualifier on July 12/13, the second leg a week later and the second qualifier on July 26/27 and August 2/3.
• Liverpool’s tour to Japan clashes with the second qualifying round although the club could send a shadow squad to the Far East. If they get to the final qualifying round, the European Super Cup against CSKA Moscow on August 26 will be two or three days after the second leg.
• Friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Cologne, plus the pre-season training camp in Switzerland on July 11, will have to be rescheduled or abandoned.

Einnig var bent í ummælum á pistil á fótbolta.net, þar sem tekið er fram að Liverpool ásamt FH! í efri styrkleikaflokknum í fystu umferðinni. Liðin, sem við getum mætt í þeirri umferð. (copy paste úr fótbolti.net greininni).

Tadada!

Rabotnicki Skopje (Makedónía) Dinamo Minsk (Hvíta-Rússland) Sliema Wanderers (Malta) Pyunik Yerevan (Armenía) SK Tirana (Albanía) Levadia Tallinn (Eistland) Glentoran (Norður-Írland) Llansantffraid (Wales) F91 Dudelange (Lúxemborg) Sæti frá Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan) HB Torshavn (Færeyjar) Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)

Ef við drögumst gegn HB Torshavn, þá er ég þokkalega á leið til Færeyja

Líka ágætis punktur, sem ég las á Shankly Gates:

We’ll certainly need a big squad as Liverpool face the possibility of having one of the biggest fixture lists in history with the prospect of: Premier League, Champions League (with 6 qualifying games), FA Cup, League Cup, Super Cup and World Club Championships.

Jamm, þetta verður stuð