Sporting director target responds to ‘interest’ as UEFA ‘censor’ denied – Liverpool news round-up
On Tuesday night, Liverpool suffered a brutal 5-2 defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 first leg.
The Reds got off to a great start and went 2-0 up after 15 minutes but Real fought back before half-time to level the situation and then benefited from a sort of second-half collapse from Liverpool.
Now it looks like Jurgen Klopp’s side will be eliminated from the competition ahead of the second leg in the Spanish capital in three weeks’ time.
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But apart from the aftermath of what happened on the pitch at Anfield, there is a lot more going on around the football club.
Tuesday’s game saw a demonstration of fans in the stands after an independent review blamed UEFA for the near-fatal events of last season’s final in Paris.
Elsewhere, the youth side are trying to succeed where the senior side have failed, and the club are looking to fill a key position in their hierarchy ahead of the summer transfer window.
Here Liverpool.com round up three Reds stories you need to read on Wednesday 22 February and offer a verdict on each one.
Liverpool learn UEFA Youth League date
Liverpool’s UEFA Youth League clash with FC Porto will take place on Wednesday 1 March at 17.30 UK time, the club have confirmed.
The club secured their place in the knockout rounds by topping Group A with 15 points from 18 ahead of Ajax, Rangers and Napoli.
The Reds have scored 20 goals in their six games in a group stage equivalent to that of the Champions League.
Porto, on the other hand, finished second in Group B behind Atlético Madrid but ahead of Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen.
Fans can watch Liverpool’s potential stars of the future in action on BT Sport.
Liverpool.com says: Another opportunity for youngsters like Ben Doak, who has just returned from injury, and Trent Kone-Doherty to shine and hopefully surpass the senior side.
Liverpool respond to Spy Kop’s criticism
Liverpool have denied anyone tried to ‘censor’ a demonstration against people involved in last season’s Champions League final scandal.
Before the game, fans held up the Red banners criticizing key UEFA figures and French ministers who had blamed ticketless fans for the events at the Stade de France.
The aforementioned review called these claims “reprehensible” and unfounded, and said a “mass death disaster” was narrowly avoided when supporters were corralled and tear-gassed.
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However Liverpool fan group Spy Kop 1906 criticized the “stubborn stewarding” at Anfield after staff demanded a banner be taken down.
The group said this “unnecessary” behavior prevented everyone from making their voices heard, stressing that the demonstration aimed to have “maximum impact and minimum disruption”.
In response, the club said the issue was due to misunderstandings, explaining that fans would be allowed to display banners but not walk with them (via The Athletic).
Liverpool.com says: More clarity is needed to ensure supporters can exercise their right to protest peacefully.
Sport Director Ziel replies
Reported Liverpool’s sporting director Ziel Markus Krösche says he is “happy” at Eintracht Frankfurt.
On Monday, The Athletic claimed the Reds had identified Frankfurt’s Sporting managing director Krösche as a possible replacement for the outgoing Julian Ward.
Ward is set to leave his position at the end of the season and Liverpool could hope to have a replacement in time for what appears to be a crucial transfer window.
Speaking to SPORT1, however, the German appeared to throw cold water on the story and express his commitment to Frankfurt after the 2-0 home defeat to Napoli in the Champions League.
“That’s speculation,” he said. “You have to ask the person who wrote it.
“I’m here and happy to be at Eintracht Frankfurt. We still have a lot planned, we have developed very, very well. There is nothing more to say.”
Liverpool.com says: If Krösche was in contact with Liverpool, then you can understand why he doesn’t want to reveal it publicly. But perhaps it hasn’t gone beyond mere admiration at this stage.