Liverpool ‘could launch legal claim’ over VAR blunder that may cost them £80m
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Liverpool could be in a position to launch a “legal challenge” over the VAR blunder which cost them a point against Tottenham.
A whole week has almost passed, but Reds fans are still seething after VAR failed to overturn a decision which saw Luis Diaz’s opening goal against Ange Postecoglou’s side incorrectly ruled out for offside. While the PGMOL have dropped Darren England and Dan Cook from the weekend’s Premier League fixtures, there are “no plans” to overhaul the current protocol which says games cannot be delayed to overturn incorrect decisions once play has restarted.
Before Liverpool’s recent 2-0 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise, Jurgen Klopp was roundly criticised for saying he believes their 2-1 loss to Spurs should be replayed. But while this is unlikely, football finance expert Dr Rob Wilson thinks the Merseysiders could potentially have a legal claim.
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“There's a discernible difference in prize money for the Premier League's top two of about £5million or £6m, but Liverpool still would have qualified for the Champions League, and that's much bigger than finishing 5th,” the professor of economics at Sheffield Business School said, on behalf of BettingSites.co.uk. “It's offset a bit by the Europa League, but £80million is the difference between qualifying for the Europa rather than the Champions League.
“That's why it's much more important for clubs to finish in the top four than finish champions. There isn't that much difference between finishing fourth or finishing first, but it's next to nothing. Fifth to fourth is where the big money is earned.
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He added: “I’m not a lawyer, so I couldn't answer if Liverpool would have a legal case against the Premier League or not. My understanding is that the laws of the game prevent the game from being stopped. As far as the officials were concerned, the VAR decision was the right one, but you would imagine some kind of legal challenge. That legal challenge would involve multi millions of pounds in unachieved revenue.
”That could entail not finishing at the top of the Premier League or not reaching the Champions League – which is easier to calculate. Failure to get into the top four will cost Liverpool £80million next year. I don't see we've got any precedents here, other than when Mascherano and Tevez were playing for West Ham, and the Hammers sent Sheffield United down.
“That ended up being a £5m payment which was never relative to the cost of relegation. That does give us a precedent to say a legal challenge will be the next stage."
A victory for Liverpool against Spurs would have seen them go one point clear at the top of the Premier League. Instead, they were dragged back down to fourth position. Things could get even worse for them, as Klopp’s side travel to Sussex to face a dangerous Brighton side.
- Premier League
- Liverpool FC
- Jurgen Klopp
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