HAJDUK Split, the champions of Croatia, have followed Slavia Prague in protesting to Uefa after Liverpool were guaranteed to be among the top seeds in all three qualifying rounds for the Champions League, but the governing body indicated last night that the holders’ position is secure.
Uefa made provisions to admit Liverpool two weeks ago, after Rafael Benítez’s team failed to secure the FA’s nomination for one of the four Champions League berths, but the controversy was reignited when Slavia Prague, runners-up in the Czech league, complained that they could miss out on being seeded in the third qualifying round as a result of the reshuffle.
William Gaillard, Uefa’s director of communications, revealed yesterday that Hajduk had registered their disapproval after potentially losing their right to be seeded in the second qualifying round, but said that a change of policy was unlikely.
Liverpool’s potential opponents in the first-round draw include Glentoran and Total Network Solutions, champions of Northern Ireland and Wales respectively. The two legs are due to take place in the weeks commencing July 11 and 18. Everton will not be seeded in the third qualifying round, meaning they could face Liverpool, who, under the terms of their entry, are not afforded “country protection”.
Liverpool’s bid to relocate from Anfield to a 60,000-seat stadium in Stanley Park suffered a setback yesterday. Only 48 hours after the Northwest Development Agency declined the club’s application for a £23 million grant, it emerged that a further £9 million of funding, offered by Merseyside’s Objective 1 Programme, may be withdrawn, pending a meeting scheduled for July 20.
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