Champions League: Haifa appeal thrown out

Liverpool will definitely play FC Haka in the final qualifying stage for the Champions League after Uefa rejected Maccabi Haifa's appeal against their expulsion.

Haifa were ejected from the competition last week by a Uefa disciplinary hearing for fielding a suspended player in the second leg of their second qualifying round tie with Haka.

Uefa have now thrown out the appeal by Haifa, who were using the services of Manchester United lawyer Maurice Watkins, meaning that Liverpool must now overcome the Finns, on paper an easier prospect, to proceed to the lucrative group stages.

The match will be played in the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki on Wednesday.

Haifa's unsuccessful appeal will be a tonic to Liverpool, who would have faced a five-hour flight to Tel Aviv rather than the much shorter trip to Finland.

They will also find the conditions in Finland more to their liking rather than the intense heat of the business-orientated Israeli city.

With the season's curtain-raiser on Sunday against Manchester United in the Charity Shield, Liverpool will be glad of a less testing encounter.

Haifa have estimated the loss of such a high-profile two-legged tie as in excess of £1m.

They originally won the game in question 4-0, and took the tie against Haka 5-0 on aggregate.