Champions League football is back but the reception has been the same, as Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson shared his opinion on the game’s new format that focuses only on the fan’s perspective.
On the return of Champions League football to Anfield, goalkeeper Alisson shared his unpleasant feeling on the expanded format, saying players had not been thought of while making the group phase an eight-match round and that “maybe our opinion doesn’t matter”.
The quest for a seventh European Cup begins at AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night for the Merseyside club. The Brazilian admitted his enthusiasm for playing the world’s biggest club competition again after missing out last year, he was given a warning about the future of the sport, emphasizing that players’ concerns need to be taken by the administration ahead of planning the schedule.
The “Swiss system” has been added to the 2024-25 Champions League for the first where each team plays eight matches in the group stage until late January. “I think for the supporters it’s amazing,” Alisson added. “More games, bigger games, big teams playing against each other. For us as players, it’s always a good idea to add some games to a calendar that is not busy. I am being ironic a little bit”.
“Nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion doesn’t matter. But everyone knows what we think about having more games. Everybody is tired of that. But we have to stay focused on the big challenge that we have tomorrow.”
The Brazilian missed a huge chunk of games last season due to injury, but in previous seasons it was a total contrast as he played 60 games including international duty and pre-season tours.
“We understand we have the media side, the TV. We have UEFA, FIFA, the Premier League, the domestic competitions. We are not stupid, we understand that people want more games. But the reasonable thing would be for all the people responsible for organizing the calendar to sit together and listen to all the parts, including the players. We just need to be listened to, and understand the thinking behind the direction that football wants to go. Not only adding games, adding competitions, adding this, adding that”.
“At the end, all we want is to give our best. If you are tired, you cannot compete at a high level. What I want is to give the best in all the games that I play. But we need a solution, and it doesn’t look like we are close to a good solution for football’s sake and the players’ sake.”
Arne Slot had a different opinion together on the competition changes and the Liverpool coach was more pressurized on dealing with it. The game in Milan comes just three days after the weekend, a game from which the Dutchman was determined to learn the right lessons.
Credits- Getty
“If you’re not disappointed if you lose a home game against Nottingham Forest, then something is wrong,” Slot said. “But there were still things that went quite well. I expect a totally different kind of game against Milan”
“Everyone can have his own opinion. But too many players didn’t reach their normal level, not only the ones who started but the ones who came in. That has nothing to do with rotation.”
Federico Chiesa is all set to debut in a Liverpool shirt since landing playing for Juventus this summer. However, Slot confirmed that the winger was still not full 90 minutes, but an appearance is guaranteed.
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