Kicked out of Champions League and experiencing a torrid Premier League campaign, it has been a bad, bad time for Brendan Rodgers. This situation is a far cry from last season. Rodgers is fully under scrutiny, every decision he makes is being watched. Bets are being placed that he won’t survive this season still in charge of Liverpool; on the man who was the first ever Liverpool manager to win LMA Manager of the Year, taking Liverpool from 7th to 2nd and mounting a record 84 points last season. Liverpool now find it difficult to score a single goal, with their goal difference being -3. Placed 11th in the Premier League, it’d be a truly herculean task to manage to finish fifth even. However, Liverpool shouldn’t give up on UEFA Champions League games next season.
With Liverpool back in transition, like Brendan Rodgers said, it is time for ultimate transfer windows once again; those that will shape the future more than ever. For player pulling power, Champions League is crucial. Liverpool knows that best, after they failed to woo Diego Costa, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Willian and so many others to Merseyside. Liverpool can’t afford that next season. Champions League also means a lot of revenue. The prize and TV money involved is nothing short of enormous, but that’s not the biggest problem. The real problem arises when you consider the fact that other Premier League rivals, Manchester City, United, Arsenal and Chelsea would still be playing in it. It would be a financial disaster and one more step backwards for Liverpool, while the rich extend their riches. However, Liverpool’s league season may make sure that they may not even qualify for Europa League next season.
So what can Liverpool do to qualify for the coveted Champions League? The answer is in Istanbul.
No, I’m not going to talk about how Liverpool should make a late push for the fourth place and achieve it, like they won the Champions League back in Istanbul ten years ago. The answer is literally in Istanbul.
UEFA made a change, or rather an addition, in the process of qualification for CL last season. They created a new ruling stating that the winners of the Europa League will also qualify for the Champions League in an attempt to broaden the appeal for the second tier European Championship and increased the maximum number of qualifying clubs to five. After Liverpool lost to Basel, they ended up in the last 32 for Europa League since they finished third in their group. This means Liverpool can take advantage of this new ruling; they can win the EL and in that process secure a place in next year’s Champions League.
In the recent EL draw, Liverpool was drawn against Besiktas. This means Liverpool will be traveling to Istanbul once again, back to the Ataturk Stadium once again. Liverpool fans know all about the joyful memories that are etched there, not so joyful for those hailing from the red side of Milan. The last time the Merseyside club played Besiktas, it was in the Champions League season of 2007-08, when Liverpool overpowered the Turkish team to an emphatic 8-0 victory. Also, Steven Gerrard would be playing against Demba Ba again, the latter who capitalized on the former’s slip and scored the goal versus Chelsea which led to Gerrard being denied his first ever Premier League medal. This fixture would offer redemption for the Englishman.
The answer is literally in Istanbul.
Should Liverpool beat Besiktas, they’re in for the race to the Europa League trophy. For Brendan Rodgers, winning this cup would be winning his first ever trophy. It would ease the pressure that has been heaped on him recently. It would also be Liverpool’s biggest cup in years, and also give them qualification to the Champions League. Not to mention the auxiliary prize money from there.
Obviously it’s not easy. Rodgers barely has any European experience required to guide a side to the finals of a European championship, never mind win it. It’s also not impossible though. Rodgers did almost win Liverpool the Premier League last season.
Come mid-February, it’ll all be clear to everyone what Rodgers’ priority should be. Should Liverpool still be in a miserable league position, it’d be clear to see that Liverpool must abandon thoughts of securing a top four place and work toward winning the Europa League. It is tough, but it is possible. Liverpool can take examples from Chelsea, or even themselves from 2005 on how league form has little to do with winning a European championship.
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