Hint at five English sides in League

UEFA president Lennart Johansson has said five English teams could compete in next season’s Champions League.

Johansson said last night Liverpool could enter if they win the tournament but finish outside the top four in the Premiership.

“If there is a possibility to make an exception for the winner of the Champions League then there could be an additional place,” said Johansson. “The door is always open. We are there to serve football, not just dictate.”

UEFA has previously insisted their rules are clear, that only four teams from any one country can go forward to play in the Champions League.

With Everton set to clinch the coveted fourth spot, and with Liverpool still in with a chance of lifting the Champions League trophy, UEFA has told the FA to decide who should join Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd in next season’s tournament.

However, Johansson has potentially smoothed the waters and says his organisation will deal with any request as and when they receive it.

“Liverpool are welcome with their point of view. They can make any proposal and we will deal with it and we will give them a quick answer,” he added. “It is for the executive committee to decide and anything can be granted if they decide to go to the member associations and ask for a change in the regulations.

“But it would be unfair on Everton who have played the whole season and qualified via fourth place to then exclude them.”

Johansson, though, has stated there will be a tightening of the rules for next season to ensure such an eventuality can be adequately dealt with in the future.

France’s Thierry Henry admitted last night that Les Bleus are sweating over qualification from the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying group.

France, under coach Raymond Domenech, sit top of qualifying group four on 10 points, the same as second-placed Israel, with Ireland a point further back, but recent performances have failed to convince fans of the former world and European champions.

Henry said last night: “We’re worried. Of course, I don’t go home every night telling myself that everything is great.

“The 1-1 draw against Israel was really the first time that we controlled a match, we were also controlling things at the back,” he added.