www射-国产免费一级-欧美福利-亚洲成人福利-成人一区在线观看-亚州成人

  Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Liverpool heroes parade cup as pressure mounts for UEFA re-think
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-27 18:36

New European champions Liverpool got a rousing hero's welcome from home-town fans, but behind the scenes pressure was growing on UEFA to let the club defend their title next season.

An estimated 500,000 Liverpudlians lined the 10-mile route towards the Anfield stadium as the victorious side -- and its hard-won silverware -- travelled through in a red, open-top bus emblazoned with the words: "Liverpool FC, Champions of Europe 2005".

In one of the most dramatic European finals ever, underdogs Liverpool won the European Champions League on penalties Wednesday against AC Milan after pegging back a 0-3 half-time deficit to 3-3.

Around 30,000 Liverpool fans travelled to Istanbul to support their team, and many times more that number could be seen crushed into the streets, on roofs, traffic lights and balconies or hanging off the entrance gates at Anfield to welcome the team home.

As the parade began -- well after its 6.30 pm scheduled start -- manager Rafael Benitez, inspirational captain Steven Gerrard and the rest of the team took turns to stand at the front of the bus with the Champions League trophy, waving to the crowd.

"We could be looking at up to half a million people" who turned the streets into a surging sea of red chequered Liverpool flags, said Ged Poynton, stadium manager at Anfield.

But amid the joy, there was growing anger against the decision by UEFA to stick by rules which bar Liverpool from defending the trophy which the club won for the fifth time.

The government got involved in the row, with Sports Minister Richard Caborn contacting European football's governing body to argue it would be "a travesty" if Liverpool were excluded.

The Reds' fifth-place finish in the Premiership means they have not qualified for next season's competition according to the UEFA rule book, as title-holders do not automatically defend the trophy.

UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said that despite the emotion, the organisation had no plans to change its rules.

Gaillard highlighted the precedent set in the 2000-01 season, when Real Madrid defended the cup after finishing fifth only because the Spanish football federation decided to hand them Real Zaragoza's place.

"The rules are what they are," Gaillard told BBC Radio.

"It is a tough decision to make but it is not for us to make, it is for the FA and they told us Everton would be the fourth English club.

Caborn said the government and FA were pressing the issue.

"I have raised the matter with UEFA's chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson and said it would be a travesty if Liverpool were not allowed to play in next year's competition, particularly after such an amazing final," Caborn said.

"They should re-think this issue and I think they will have to. Nothing is set in stone and it seems only right that the winners should have automatic re-entry rather than having to qualify through the domestic system. It is only common sense."

Reaction to the stunning Liverpool victory -- described by Prime Minister Tony Blair as "unbelievable, incredible, brilliant" -- continued to pour in.

Queen Elizabeth II, back from Canada, called the win "remarkable".

Earlier Thursday the victorious team's plane had touched down at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport, with Benitez and Gerrard walking down the steps carrying the trophy between them to cheers from airport workers.

One of the Spanish manager's first jobs will be to convince inspirational skipper Gerrard to stay at Liverpool, his home-town club.

Gerrard sparked the Istanbul fightback with a marvellous header shortly after the restart and, following their second goal by Vladimir Smicer, he was brought down for the penalty kick six minutes later which allowed Xabi Alonso to equalise at 3-3.

Much of Liverpool was nursing a hangover on Thursday, with an organisation representing private businesses estimating that 20 percent of the city's workforce had taken the day off work.



Roddick's French Open travel ended
Liverpool's Triumph
Spurs rally past Suns 111-108
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Proposed bill to encourage Chinese in US schools

 

   
 

China: Foot-and-mouth disease under control

 

   
 

Battles won on drugs, but war rages on

 

   
 

China wants Games torch on Mt.Qomolangma

 

   
 

Shanghai targeting at property bubbles

 

   
 

China firm as US steps up yuan pressure

 

   
  Asia chief: China league at brink
   
  China names squad for soccer friendly
   
  UEFA may allow Liverpool to defend title
   
  Citic Guoan and Real Madrid agreement
   
  China says its Olympics will be cheaper than Athens
   
  Undercover officer Shaq is on patrol
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Sporting Lisbon beat Alkmaar on late goal
   
UEFA approve home-grown quota
   
European soccer to honor Pope
   
UEFA hopes Chelsea coach learns lesson
   
Furious UEFA accuses Mourinho and Chelsea
   
Middlesbrough dumped out of UEFA Cup
   
UEFA referee chief hints at strike over Frisk
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 99爱在线视频这里只有精品 | 国产三级小视频 | 毛茸茸年轻成熟亚洲人 | 日韩男人的天堂 | 99热com| 免费国产不卡午夜福在线 | 成 人 黄 色 免费网 | 国产日韩欧美在线观看播放 | 18videosex性欧美69| 毛片在线看网站 | 久草久 | 韩日黄色 | 毛片随便看 | 一级毛片无毒不卡直接观看 | 久久色婷婷 | 韩国美女一区二区 | 国产欧美日韩中文久久 | 国产一级片播放 | 欧美成人精品久久精品 | 综合亚洲一区二区三区 | 国产亚洲区 | 波多野结衣视频免费观看 | 成人黄色免费看 | 男女免费爽爽爽在线视频 | 国产成人亚洲精品影院 | 国产做国产爱免费视频 | 国产肥老妇视频一 | 91热成人精品国产免费 | 美女网站18| 91亚洲精品一区二区福利 | 亚洲视频免费在线观看 | 亚洲国产片| 国产呦精品一区二区三区网站 | 俄罗斯特级毛片 | 久久久久久91香蕉国产 | 九九热精品在线 | 国产三级精品三级国产 | 91精品国产91久久久久久 | 日韩欧美一区二区三区不卡视频 | 国产精品李雅在线观看 | 精品视频在线观看一区二区三区 |