"I just hope the people above let us defend it," said Steven Gerrard.

[kikoefc]

That was a quote from Steven Gerrard after the 2005 Champions League Final. Liverpool put in strong complaints that they should be able to defend the trophy they had won even though they did not qualify through their league position, and that the competition would not be valid if the holders could not defend the trophy. Fair enough.

However, what will happen if this season Liverpool manage to win the Uefa Cup, but finish 4th at the same time? Will UEFA keep their rules that the holders must defend their trophy? Will Liverpool contradict themselves and now argue that they should play Champions League football? Discuss...

 

[chicoazul]

Nah, Champions League competition is much more lucrative and lusted after than the Europa League.

There wouldn't be a club in the world that would want to sit out of the Champions League to participate in the Europa Goblet, champions or not.

Everton would be the exact same.

 

[spikeman]

They'll end up in Europa league either way. And they won't even get fourth.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

That was a quote from Steven Gerrard after the 2005 Champions League Final. Liverpool put in strong complaints that they should be able to defend the trophy they had won even though they did not qualify through their league position, and that the competition would not be valid if the holders could not defend the trophy. Fair enough.

However, what will happen if this season Liverpool manage to win the Uefa Cup, but finish 4th at the same time? Will UEFA keep their rules that the holders must defend their trophy? Will Liverpool contradict themselves and now argue that they should play Champions League football? Discuss...

already catered for in uefas rules for the comp.

the team that wins the goblet automatiically goes into next years group stage, unless they qual. for champions league in which case they go into that. no mention of if they finish 4th and therefore get knocked out in an early qualifier though. if they win thegoblet though i would imagine that they will have a decent ranking and the round they would enter the c.l. at would give them a goblet group place if they then lose in c.l.


lets face it though....it aint happenin' ....either option.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

2009?10 UEFA Europa League - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The previous season's winners, Shakhtar Donetsk, would have been guaranteed a place in the group stage even if they did not obtain a qualifying place through their domestic league. However, as Shakhtar qualified for the UEFA Champions League, the original allocation places were altered to compensate for the vacant title holder spot in the group stage.

just in case anyone thinks that if the r/s win the goblet and qual for c.l. means that there is an extra goblet place then the answer is no......

If the Europa League title holders also qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League through domestic performance, their vacated place in the Europa League is not taken by any team.

 

[ToffeeDan]

There's Lille or no chance of them winning the Europa League

 

[TX Bill]

They'll end up in Europa league either way. And they won't even get fourth.

You got that right brother.

I think they get sixth or seventh.