Liverpool Hit Out At Uefa Over Ticketing

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has criticised UEFA’s ticketing policy
after the club was told that it would not be getting any more than its 17,000
allocation for the Champions League final at the 63,000 capacity stadium in
Athens.

Stated Parry: ‘UEFA must look at the way they allocate tickets for future
finals. Thousands of genuine fans are not being given the chance to attend what
is the biggest game in club football.’

The UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan takes place in
Athens on 22nd May and there are growing concerns of a number of fans turning up
without tickets.

Liverpool have operated a fancard policy this season with supporters earning
a point for each European game attended this season.

Those with seven or more points have qualified for tickets while the rest,
including long-term season ticket holders, have been entered into a ballot.

A club statement read: ‘Liverpool have expressed their disappointment and
frustration to UEFA – but have been told categorically that no more tickets will
be allocated to the club, not even the returned tickets from Milan – they will
go into a UEFA ballot.’

UEFA has given each club 17,000 tickets while 20,000 are for the ‘UEFA
family’ of commercial partners and governing bodies with 9,000 having been sold
by ballot.

Parry added: ‘When you only get 17,000 tickets, you are never going to find a
system of distribution that is anything but a problem. The point is there is not
enough to go around. We have told UEFA there will be 40,000 Liverpool fans in
the ground by hook or by crook.

‘So wouldn’t it be better to give us the tickets and let us distribute them
fairly without fans having to go to extreme methods to get them? Our pleas fell
on deaf ears.’