Liverpool could be punished after breaking Champions League rules Liverpool could be punished by UEFA after they appeared to break Champions League rules with their team selection for Tuesday night’s clash against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Rule 4.01, subsection d, clearly states that all teams competing in Europe’s premier club competition are required to field their strongest teams throughout the competition - but Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers may have fallen foul of this regulation. Rodgers left first-team regulars Glen Johnson, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Mario Balotelli all on the substitutes’ bench - opting instead to deploy what appeared to be a significantly weakened team. CHELSEA CLASH It’s believed Rodgers may have made the decision with Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea in mind. The Reds, who finished last season second in the Premier League table, have struggled this season - and were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United in their previous outing, last Saturday. But Rodgers’ decision to field a weakened team attracted strong criticism on social media, with former England striker - and current Match of the Day presenter - Gary Lineker stating the starting line-up was "unbefitting of a club of Liverpool's European stature" and that they had given up before the game had even began. RODGERS HITS BACK This led Rodgers to hit back at the retired striker in his post-match press conference. The Northern Irish coach said: "Gary's a figure who I respect and he's been a top player in his day. "But he has never been a manager, so he does not know what you're up against with planning and training. "In terms of my team selection, I'm not really bothered (about the criticism). I go with my gut feeling and my gut feeling was that the performance on Saturday (a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle) was not good enough. "We have seven games in 21 days and because we cannot train so much we have to develop in the games. I did not see this as the big showpiece game where we have to play the big names." please log in to view this image UEFA TO DECIDE LIVERPOOL'S FATE Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by the reigning European champions - Karim Benzema scoring the only goal of the game in the first half - and the players Rodgers selected were not overawed by the occasion. But plenty were left wondering whether Liverpool could have achieved a positive result had their best players been on the pitch. It’s now in the hands of UEFA to decide whether or not to take any formal action against Liverpool, who face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League knockout rounds following their controversial defeat. LINK
Looking at the ruling highlighted in the image, it could be argued that the weakened team played in the first game considering the scorelines
The fact that he played virtually the same team vs both Newcastle and Chelsea but made a hatful of changes at Madrid means that you're probably guilty as charged, but it'd open up a right can of worms so it'll be kicked under the couch
This will be an #epic CAS trial if UEFA try to argue a team losing 1-0 away is weaker than one losing 3-0 at home
Would be setting some ****ing precedent considering the sides that some top teams have put out in their final qualifying games after they'd already topped their group. Didn't both United and Chelsea put their third teams out for final games over the last decade once they'd topped their groups? Wasn't there some to-do with a game against Galatasaray that got other teams in the group up in arms that a weakened team had been fielded? Does anyone expect Madrid to play their top team in the next two games now that they've virtually topped the group?
It comes back to the regular argument doesn't it; what's the point in naming a squad if you can't use it?
The GMS publishes loads of BS. I wouldn't trust them if they said tomorrow was Wednesday. None of the papers I have read have mentioned the possibility of UEFA considering any action. That is why I am pretty confident that Rodgers has learnt his lesson and will never repeat that silly unnecessary stunt again.
Nah, good luck to whoever has to try and prove that. It's subjective opinion as to whatever the 'strongest team' is. How do you clearly define that?? You can't.
Especially as the team that played Madrid performed better than the one that played Newcastle and Chelsea.
Ridiculous. nothing will happen, and if it does an appeal will be made. All he'd have to say is, look at first result against Madrid at home, look at result against Madrid away. Now tell me which was the better team? Uefa ask you to name 25 players in your CL squad, you're allowed to pick any players from that 25. If not, then they may as wel say you're only allowed to pick 16 players. Saw the same thing happen in the Prem with Blackpool I think it was and all they said was, you asked us to pick 25 players and we played a team that came from that 25. How can some jobsworth official tell the manager that sees them in training every day what his best team is. It's there to stop teams playing their under 18's...
We all know BR did not play what he thought was his strongest side. That said, be impossible to prove beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt that BR didn't think it was on the night. He could claim players left out were fatigued after Newcastle game and the players he played were fit rested and better on the night. Performance would back him up. In other words... sure hes guilty but impossible anyone could ever definitively prove it. Its not like mafia where you kill anyone you suspect of being guilty because they go invisible.
I did not see this as the big showpiece game where we have to play the big names." Hung by his own words unfortunately!
This is complete Bullshit, who but Rodgers, can dictate what Liverpools "Strongest team" is? UEFA are ****ing ******s! Managers get a squad of 22 players, they should be able to field whoever the **** they want, for ANY game, from that 22. Who the **** decides which players are "the best" or which XI will get the best result? If it aint the manager....then this ain't football.
It is a ridiculous rule but in recent years Wolves and Blackpool have both been caught out for doing it in the PL and handed fines of £25,000.
It's ****ing madness!!! So basically the FA or UEFA or whoever is governing body of the competition, is dictating to a manager what XI he HAS to play based on their opinion on who is the best?! What kind of ****ed up rule is that. ****, why bother with managers, just let the FA pick all teams starting XI's for every match, since they know who is best. A manager could change a team for many reasons, I am not for one second suggesting that the Chelsea game didn't have some influence on BR's choices, but So what? it's his squad to play with and pick as he sees fit. Also UEFA are bascially saying that Kolo Toure and all the other guys who played are ****. Good morale boost for them too But managers see the players train and know, "oh he hasn't trained to well, he seems a bit off, ill bench him for this one." Only a manager can pick an XI!! ARRGHHHJJ Im on Tramadol
