Panic reigned on the streets of Dublin last week as Liverpool edged closer to the Europa League final in the Irish capital, with local authorities and UEFA sweating over the seismic number of Reds reportedly traveling to the event.
Liverpool will face Atalanta in the quarter-final of the competition, then either Benfica or Marseille in the quarter-final – and are currently strong favorites with the bookmakers to qualify for the final on May 22.
The final will be held at the 51,711-seat Aviva Stadium, but Liverpool and their opponents – Leverkusen, West Ham, AC Milan or Roma – are expected to receive only around 13,000 tickets, as around half the stadium is filled by businesses. the punters.
This has led to Irish FA staff being in a state of frenzy over the large number of ticketless supporters who are sure to descend on the city, and it is understood they entered into discussions with UEFA last week over the way to minimize the risk of disturbing incidents around the city. match.
One contingency plan appears to be the opening of the Croke Park Gaelic Games stadium, which can accommodate around 82,300 people, as a fan zone to prevent fans crowding the streets and possible clashes, which has happened with West Ham and Fiorentina fans in Prague last year.
Liverpool are the bookmakers’ favorites to reach the Europa League final on May 22.
The final will be held at the 51,711-seat Aviva Stadium (pictured), although Croke Park could be used as a fan zone to stop fans crowding the streets and potentially clashing with each other.
There are concerns over the seismic number of Reds who could be in Dublin for the final
Croke Park has a rich culture which should only be used for GAA and no other sport – although several international rugby and football matches were held there during the Aviva Stadium renovations – so even organize a supporters’ event would be a controversial decision for the locals.
Even this area might not be enough to accommodate the number of fans who might show up. Hotels are also extremely limited – even very expensive – and local police fear the city is being pushed to the breaking point.
Taking a look at hotel booking sites, fans would do well to find a standard night’s sleep without breaking the bank. On Booking.com, for example, the average price as of May 22 is around £650 for a three-star hotel, while AirBNB hosts are, in some cases, charging four figures.
UEFA itself has been heavily criticized for the poor organization of its high-profile matches in recent years, including the last two Champions League finals which saw supporters of Liverpool and Manchester City express their fury at to poor planning.
The final will be Jurgen Klopp’s last match at Liverpool if they qualify for the final in Dublin.
Liverpool fans in Paris for their 2022 clash against Real Madrid were teargassed and blamed for overcrowding that was later found to be due to a failure of electronic ticketing and security. a disaster.’
City fans were left stranded outside Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul last June after shuttle buses to the city center – around 20 miles away – were closed. Some City fans also complained about not being allowed to get off buses to urinate during the four-hour journey due to terrible traffic.
The Europa League final, if Liverpool got there, would be Jurgen Klopp’s last game as Liverpool manager, which would only add to fans’ demand to be in Dublin to be close to the action. The Reds would of course explore possibilities for fan events on Merseyside.
HUGHES’ FIRST TASKS
One of the first tasks on new sporting director Richard Hughes’ to-do list will be to open and resolve contract negotiations with Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, who all have contracts expiring at the end of the next season. season.
But he also has decisions to make regarding Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip, whose contracts at Liverpool expire this summer. Matip hasn’t played since tearing his ACL in November, while Thiago has played less than 15 minutes since suffering a hip injury a year ago.
It would be a huge surprise if Thiago, 32, stays at the club beyond this season, and he is almost certain to move on. The Spaniard is adored by many at Liverpool but his time in England has been blighted by injuries.
Signing new contracts with Virgil van Dijk (left), Mohamed Salah (right) and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the first task on new sporting director Richard Hughes’ to-do list.
Hughes will also have decisions on the futures of Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara
As for Matip, Jurgen Klopp said shortly after his knee operation that Liverpool would “show their class” and hinted he would get an extended contract, but there is growing talk that the former Cameroonian international could have played his last match for the club. .
No final decision has yet been made on Matip’s future, but the defender will turn 33 in the summer, while Liverpool have long been expected to target a new signing at central defense. The emergence of Jarell Quansah has also hurt Matip’s hopes of a new deal.
Matip, who like several other Liverpool stars lives in the posh village of Woolton, would leave Anfield as a cult hero after playing a vital role in the team’s successes since his arrival in 2016. Matip worked at the gym from Kirkby after successful surgery.
Another player whose contract expires this summer is third-choice goalkeeper Adrian. He is a vocal member in the locker room and seems to enjoy his role. The Spaniard, 37, is often seen laughing and joking on the substitutes’ bench at Anfield.
DISAPPOINTING WEEKEND FOR LOANS
Last week Confidential has had a glimpse of the ever-improving fortunes of loanees Fabio Carvalho and Luke Chambers, but a few Liverpool players on temporary duty have had disappointing weekends.
Nat Phillips has been a decent signing at Cardiff overall and fans seem to like his performances, although he was partly to blame for Liam Cullen’s goal in the Welsh derby against bitter rivals Swansea on Saturday.
Calvin Ramsay, meanwhile, has not been seen for over a month at Bolton since a January loan spell at the League One club. The Aberdeen-born full-back has had a difficult time due to injuries over the past 18 months.
Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga is also struggling at St Patrick’s Athletic. He was recently dropped and manager Jon Daly said: “You have to understand that you play on merit, and if you don’t play well or you don’t play well, you don’t play no matter where you come from .”
Calvin Ramsey (pictured at Preston in December) is yet to play for Bolton since joining the League One side on loan in January
GOOD OURS
Made of the week and a good omen from Liverpool statistician Ged Rea. The last time Liverpool lost 4-3 in the FA Cup – 1990 against Crystal Palace – they finished the season as league champions.
Kirkby Children
Manchester City have often got the better of Liverpool’s kids in recent years, but the Reds claimed a rare victory at the weekend, with goals from Rhys Williams and Trent Kone-Doherty helping them to a 2-0 victory.
It was good to see Williams get some regular minutes after a frustrating loan spell at Aberdeen ended prematurely in January and then a brief spell at Port Vale was cut short due to injury. The defender is now 23 and hoping to revive his career after a frustrating few years.
In other proud academy news, Jayden Danns has signed a long-term deal with the club after impressing for the first team last month. If anything, it was a surprise to see him remain on the bench when Liverpool needed an extra-time goal yesterday.
Rhys Williams scored in Liverpool Kids’ 2-0 win over Manchester City
Ladies watch
Luck of the Irish on St Patrick’s Day for Liverpool Women star Leanne Kiernan, who scored her first goal in 694 days on Sunday as the Reds beat West Ham 3-1 to maintain their impressive Championship form.
Bailieborough-born striker Kiernan has been plagued by injuries over the past two years, but coach Matt Beard described her goal as “the best thing to come out of today”. He added: “Setback after setback, she’s actually the best Leanne Kiernan I’ve ever seen on a football pitch.
Leanne Kiernan scored her first goal in 694 in a 3-1 win for the Reds against West Ham
“A lot of it comes from watching different players. If I look at his understanding of the game now, it’s the best it’s ever been. I love the girl to bits. I remember the time I met her when I was 18, when I was at West Ham. Looking at the player and the person she has become, it’s so nice.
Meanwhile, Liverpool Women analyst Jordan Kevan will run the London Marathon for a diabetes charity next month. You can donate on their fundraising page here https://www.justgiving.com/page/jordan-kevan-1706207609030.