UEFA seeks 'win-win' resolution for Reds

Liverpool have been given cause for optimism as they await a decision over their Champions League fate.

The club are still to hear whether they will be allocated a place in the competition they won a fortnight ago for next season.

Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League by right after finishing fifth in the Premiership but UEFA officials are discussing whether a place can be found for the holders.

A decision is expected this week but UEFA communications director William Gaillard has revealed there is a lot of “sympathy” for Liverpool.

Gaillard told The Sun: “The feeling is Liverpool played a great final and it is sad they did not automatically qualify.

“The idea is to find a solution that does not hurt anyone and satisfies Liverpool – a win-win situation if you like.

“It is not easy to change the rules during the season but the way they won has probably helped them a lot.

“Of course it would have been easy for us if they had finished fourth in their league! We do have rules but at the same time there is a lot of sympathy for Liverpool’s plight.”

Liverpool’s Mersey rivals Everton, who beat the Reds to the fourth qualification spot, have already said they would object to a solution which would mean them having to take a smaller share of the prize money.

Officials in Turkey have also expressed dissatisfaction that Liverpool may be entered into the group stages with a high seeding therefore demoting their champions, Fenerbahce, to the qualifying round.

But Gaillard added in The Times: “The idea of putting Liverpool straight into the group stages is one of the more remote possibilities.

“There have been a number of proposals. We can’t say yes to Liverpool if it means damaging another club, so, if Liverpool are to be admitted, we have to work hard to find a way in which this can happen.”