Apr 26 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

IT'S one of the dangers of Champions League football that the further you go, the greater your chances of being deprived of key players.

The UEFA disciplinary system penalises the competitive stars who have been cautioned en route to the later stages, ensuring they are walking a tightrope when the stakes are highest.

European football chiefs are considering changing the policy to ensure top players don't miss the final, but any decision won't come soon enough to save those currently sweating on a ban.

Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso, Steve Finnan and Steve Warnock must tread carefully over both legs against Chelsea, having all received two yellow cards.

They will be hoping French referee Alain Sars will take into account the peculiarities of a European encounter sure to be more fiery than usual.

Liverpool versus Chelsea is more Premiership than Champions League, which could be bad news for the most vulnerable players, particularly if the referee doesn't allow a typically physical encounter to flourish.

Liverpool defender Carragher admits he'll be anxious to avoid the caution which would rule him out of Anfield's biggest fixture for 20 years - but he won't shirk his responsibility.

"If it's going to happen, it's got to be for something unavoidable like a tackle you knew you had to make, but mistimed," he said.

"I'm sure if Chelsea have a couple of players in the same situation they'll still be playing their normal game, and we'll be the same."

Chelsea's William Gallas, Ricardo Carvalho and Glenn Johnson are in the same boat, vulnerable to missing the return leg at Anfield.

Carragher has experienced a similar situation before when a cup final place was at risk, although on that occasion a joke with the officials beforehand served him well.

He's not likely to have the luxury of using a similar ploy with a foreign referee.

He added: "I remember we were playing away to Birmingham just before we played Manchester United in the Carling Cup in 2003. I was one booking away from a suspension then.

"At the time, I just had a quiet word with the referee before the game and asked him to make sure he gave me a chance and didn't just get the book out after one bad tackle. I was joking real-ly, but hoped by putting it in the back of his mind it would help me.

"I don't think I'll be able to do the same this time because the referee will be speaking a different language."

Carragher, typically, is more focused on ensuring his team reaches the final, regardless of the cost to his own chances of featuring.

"In these situations, there's no point worrying," he said.

"I remember what happened to Roy Keane a few years ago when he put himself on the line for his team and missed the final.

"We've all got to think that way. The most important thing is winning the games and reaching the final.

"If that happens and one of us is unlucky, there's nothing we can do about it."

The Liverpool side head to London today with Rafa Benitez receiving an unexpected boost with the return of Harry Kewell, who has suffered a series of problems but joined training yesterday and is in contention. The Aussie is expected to join the travelling party, although he's only likely to be fit for bench duty.

However, Luis Garcia missed training yesterday and Milan Baros is still undergoing treatment on a knee injury.

They remain the biggest concerns for Benitez and both will require fitness tests before the game.

Meanwhile, the FA is preparing a formal request to have five English teams in next season's Champions League should Liverpool lift the European Cup next month. Current UEFA rules only allow England to enter four sides.

It means that should Everton claim the fourth qualifying spot by the end of the Premiership season while the Reds go on to triumph in Istanbul on May 25, one of the Merseyside clubs would have to settle for a UEFA Cup place next term.

The choice would rest with the FA, which feels the current system punishes English clubs for being successful and is lobbying UEFA for a change in the ruling.

An FA spokesman said today: "We will write to UEFA this week to try and resolve this problem."

However, UEFA are adamant that only four English sides can take part in the Champions League each season. England is one of just three countries, along with Spain and Italy, granted four participants based on past success in the competition.

Other nations are allowed fewer teams, but are allocated an extra slot if a club wins the European Cup but finishes outside the normal qualifying places in their domestic league.

Section 1.03 of this season's Champions League regulations states: "At the request of the national association concerned, the UEFA Champions League title holders may be entered for this competition as an additional representative of that association if they have not qualified via the domestic league championship."

It goes on to say: "If the title holders come from an association entitled to enter four teams, the fourth placed team in the domestic championship has to be entered for the UEFA Cup."