A UEFA official has tacitly admitted that a potential Europa League final between Liverpool and Rangers could be 'challenging' as the organization analyzes the possible outcomes for the tournament. The final is set to be held in Dublin at The Aviva Stadium on May 22.
The prospect of an all-British final would undoubtedly lead to waves of fans entering the city. And UEFA is looking to plan for all potential outcomes in the tournament by reserving Croke Park — which has a capacity of around 82,000 — as a potential public viewing venue.
Liverpool is currently the bookmakers' favorite to win the tournament after securing a 5-1 win in the first leg of the Round of 16 against Sparta Prague. Jürgen Klopp's side will host the Czech team at Anfield in the second leg on Thursday evening, where the Liverpool boss will likely look to rest a number of his key players ahead of Sunday's FA Cup clash against Manchester United (March 17).
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Elsewhere, Rangers walked away from the away clash against Benfica with a 2-2 draw last week, as they prepare to host the Portuguese side in the second leg tomorrow. If both teams progress — with both of the clubs possessing strong followings in Ireland as well as in their respective locations — UEFA will likely have to implement the plans to accommodate for an influx of supporters.
In a statement regarding the possible match-up, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said: "Under certain conditions, because of the potential teams that could qualify, this might end up being the most challenging for us. We know they will bring several supporters without tickets and then there is the issue of potential public viewing venues.
"We have already reserved Croke Park as a potential public viewing venue, but that could not be enough. There are a couple of pairings — I won't speculate on the names but you are clever enough to work it out — that would be extremely challenging to find ways to accommodate everybody that will be present for that game."
Several other teams with large followings also remain in the tournament with AC Milan, Marseille, AS Roma and Villarreal all in contention to reach the final. "We are working on this already, together with the local authorities and also Football Supporters Europe," Theodoridis continued..
"If we do get to one of those scenarios, we will also go to the supporters of the clubs involved to find the best solution. The biggest problem we have now is whether Croke Park would be big enough — because we think we would need more alternatives for public viewing for the people who will be in Dublin.
"It's not an easy operation and it is just for a couple of scenarios which would make it extremely complicated — especially with clubs who already have a large fanbase on the island of Ireland. But we are working on it and will involve the fanbases as well. We have to see who gets to the semis and then we will start to work with them as well."
Liverpool.com says: UEFA's lack of adequate preparation for European events, such as the 2022 Champions League final in Paris between Liverpool and Real Madrid, has been clear in recent years. Hopefully, with the concerns they currently have, the issues can be resolved well ahead of the game being played out in May, and dialogue with fan groups is key.
