Liverpool have made contact with both Real Madrid and UEFA to complain about the ticket allocation the Reds have been handed for the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie next month.
Jurgen Klopp ’s side will host Carlo Ancelotti’s men at Anfield on February 21 before travelling to the Bernabeu on March 15 in what is a repeat of last year’s final.
Real Madrid have provided Liverpool with an allocation of 1,800 tickets - the same number they controversially gave Chelsea in last season’s quarter-finals. And the club has contacted UEFA and Real Madrid regarding the reduced allocation to understand the rationale behind this decision.
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In an official statement, the club confirmed that the ‘allocation is significantly less than expected for this game’. Spirit of Shankly, the official Supporters' Trust, and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association have also asked the club to raise their concerns and asked to remain in dialogue throughout the process.
Real Madrid are understood to have taken the decision in response to the ongoing redevelopment of their stadium. However, even with a reduced capacity of around 60,000, Liverpool should be entitled to approximately 3,000 tickets with UEFA’s regulations stating that an away team is entitled to at least five per cent of the seats.
A Liverpool FC statement read : “The club fully understands the impact this initial decision by Real Madrid has on supporters and the challenges with making travel arrangements for the game.
“Representatives from Liverpool are in direct contact with the Supporters’ Trust and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association and will continue to explore all options to increase the allocation, particularly for disabled supporters. Liverpool will provide supporters with an update when the ticket allocation has been confirmed.”
The Athletic reported that as things stand, Liverpool have been allocated just four wheelchair bays for the clash at the Bernabeu, with all four situated in the home end of the stadium.
“We will continue to work with Spirit of Shankly and LFC to make this allocation fairer,” the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association tweeted on Tuesday. “Irrespective of building work at the stadium, the allocation for disabled supporters is shocking.”
When Liverpool last faced Real Madrid at the Bernabeu back in November 2014, they were given 3,700 tickets as a 79,283 crowd saw a much-changed Reds side suffer a 1-0 defeat thanks to Karim Benzema’s solitary goal.
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