Liverpool FC Forum

by **JBG** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:20 am

Everton midfielder Lee Carsley has welcomed the news that Mersey rivals Liverpool are being allowed to defend the UEFA Champions League but would rather avoid Rafa Benitez's side in the qualifying stages.

Liverpool were notified by Uefa earlier on Friday that they would be permitted to enter Europe's elite club competition, despite them finishing outside of The Premiership's four qualifying places.

The 31-year-old, whose side pipped the new European champions into fourth spot, feels Uefa were right to place them in the qualifying stages but remains fearful of meeting them in the knockout rounds.

"I think if you win the trophy then you should have the right to defend it, so I suppose it is fair," Carsley revealed exclusively to Sky Sports News.

"It is definitely right that they have to go through qualifying because they are getting in by default.

"I wouldn't like to get them in the qualifying round because they are obviously a very good team but it would be nice to get them in the group stages if we were both to qualify."

Rumours had circulated that Liverpool’s entry to the Champions League might have been at the expense of Everton, forcing The Blues into the Uefa Cup.

Carsley admitted that the situation had played on the minds of everyone involved at Goodison Park and the Irish international added: "The longer it went on, the more we started to think that something had to change.

"I can’t see that being the case now though."

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Carsley wants to avoid reds - By tom latchem - created on 10 jun 2005

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