Kieran Maguire: Liverpool ‘seeing dollar signs’ after game-changing news from Italy
Liverpool would be delighted if the Premier League title was decided by a lucrative end-of-season play-off – but it would change football for the worse.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the latest dramatic news from Italy.
As relayed by The Athletic on Wednesday (29 June), the Serie A title will from 2022-23 be decided by a play-off should the top two teams finish level on points.
Most major leagues in Europe use either head-to-head record or goal difference to separate teams who finish on the same points total.
Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group own a number of sports teams in the United States, where a play-off system is more common.
And Maguire predicts that the Boston-based investment group would love to see the Premier League follow in Serie A’s footsteps.
“You can see the dollar signs in the eyes of owners,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“It will be a shame because we’ve grown up with football being incentivised to score goals. Some of those amazing end-of-match dynamics come about as a result of that.
“If goal difference isn’t a factor, teams will just take off players and see the game out when they go one up.
“From that perspective, while the play-off match itself would be great, it would have a negative impact in respect of the remainder of the Premier League.”
Liverpool recorded revenue of £487m for the 2020-21, the last financial year on record.
They are expected to surpass that figure when they release their accounts for 2021-22, a season in which they won both the League Cup and FA Cup.
In other news, Liverpool backed by pundit to “easily” sign Jude Bellingham after “massive” £103m update.