Liverpool will not look to qualify for next season’s Europa League through UEFA’s bonus places by finishing high the Fair Play League.
UEFA offer clubs finishing top of their country’s fair play league (based on least amount of yellow and red cards during one season) to the three fairest countries.
Whilst the Reds aren’t top of the English fair play league, Manchester Utd, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal above them all look to have qualified for Europe through their league positions.
England as a fair play league are also fourth overall in Europe, as thing stand with three games left to play.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed that the club will continue with their pre-season plans which see the club travel to South East Asia and Australia, rather than begin in the second qualifying round of the Europa League on 18 July.
The Guardian quote Rodgers as saying, “It’s highly unlikely we’d get that route as it is for the top three countries and we are fourth, but it is not something I would be keen on.
“I want to get there through the right means, through our performance level, and if we have to have a year where we are not in Europe it is going to give us an opportunity to push on.”
What are your thoughts on this? Are Liverpool stupid or sensible to consider all qualification routes for the Europa League? Or are pre-season tours more important?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or on Twitter @thisisanfield.
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