UEFA Deny Chances Of Napoli Vs Liverpool Changing Venue

Liverpool face quite the daunting task in the Champions League to get close to equalling their run last season to the final. Now UEFA have denied the idea that they could play one game on neutral territory.

It's fair to say that before last season most people wouldn't have bet on Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool getting to the final of the Champions League, where they'd eventually lose to Real Madrid.

The Reds had to get past a qualifying round just to be in the groups stages. After doing away with Hoffenheim they got past Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and Maribor with relative ease, topping the group.

That gave them a match up with Porto that they went through after a 5-0 win in the away leg in Portugal, setting up a match with Manchester City. They were certainly the underdogs in that one but went through as the better side before facing Roma on the way to the final.

This season things could be a little more difficult for the Premier League side after the balls gave them PSG, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade in their group. PSG and Napoli are two of the best sides in Europe so it won't be easy.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Napoli have asked UEFA to play their home games 160 miles away in Bari.

Playing 160 miles away from Napoli's home would help the Reds. Image: PA Images

The issue arose from the club and the council, who own the 60,000 seater San Paolo stadium, and the seats inside the stadium now actually living up to UEFA requirements for their top competition.

Napoli have been given an exemption over the last few years over the issue but it was supposed to be rectified in the summer but the planned revamp never took place.

Club president Aurelio de Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport, "For me, it's a nightmare. Such a bad stadium limits the status of Napoli at an international level. It's a shame. For this reason, I say enough: I don't want any more controversy, so I'll build my own stadium.

"And that's that. We can't go on like this anymore. Nobody can tell you to do anything if you put in your own money and have the land to build a stadium.

"In the meantime, I've asked UEFA to authorise us to play Champions League matches at Bari."

However the news has since been denied by UEFA:

Good news for travelling fans.

Topics: Liverpool, Serie A, Premier League, England, Napoli, Champions League, Italy

Ryan Sidle

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