“We just need to be listened to” - Liverpool superstar Alisson takes aim at UEFA over new Champions League format ahead of AC Milan clash
Liverpool's No. 1 Alisson Becker has taken aim at UEFA after the governing body's decision to change the format of the Champions League. The Brazil international spoke about the new format ahead of the Reds' upcoming match against AC Milan at the San Siro on September 17.
The format of the premier continental club competition has now evolved from eight groups of four teams to a single league with 36 teams. This will see each team play an extra two games in the league stage, which no longer concludes in December, but in January.
The first eight teams will qualify for the knockout stages while the teams that finish 9th to 24th will need play-offs to determine who qualifies. With players set to participate in more games, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is not pleased with UEFA, saying (via Standard):
"For the supporters, it is amazing. More games, more bigger games, big teams against each other. For us players as well, it is good that you are going to play against the best in Europe - and it is always a good idea to add some games to the calendar that is not busy... I am being ironic a little bit."
"Sometimes, nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games so maybe our opinion does not matter. But everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody is tired of that. But we have to bring those kind of things on side and stay focused on the big challenge we have here."
When asked about how many games he thought a player should play through the season, he responded:
"This is not only a question I should answer. Whether the number is 30 or 40. It is a matter to sit down all together and listen to all the parts because we understand we have the media and TV, the side of UEFA and FIFA, Premier League, domestic competitions."
"We are not stupid, we understand that people want more games, but the reasonable thing would be for all the people I mentioned - those who make the calendar - to sit together and listen to all the parts inclusive of the players. I think so many players have spoken already about that. We just need to be listened to."
He added:
"That's what we would like to do, to sit together and understand what is the thinking of the direction that football wants to go - not only adding games, adding competitions, adding this and that.
"What we want is to give our best for the football. If you are tired, you cannot compete at a high level. I want to give my best in all the games I play but we need a solution. It does not look like we are close to a good solution for football's sake and players' sake."
The Liverpool goalkeeper will look to set his concerns aside and perform well against AC Milan when the Reds travel to the San Siro.
Milan vs Liverpool - Champions League preview
The UEFA Champions League will see Milan host Liverpool at the San Siro, with the Reds' new manager Arne Slot in charge of the visitors. This comes after the Merseysiders were dealt a shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on September 14.
Milan are coming off a better time on the pitch than Liverpool are, with the Italian giants beating Venezia 4-0 in the Serie A on the same day. However, Champions League nights are different.
Liverpool notably beat Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, but when both sides met in the final of 2007, the Italian giants emerged victorious. More recently, though, Liverpool beat Milan 2-1 in the group stage of the competition in December 2021.