Liverpool have been given a huge incentive ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The Premier League title challengers are set to earn a huge sum of money if they can beat Bayern Munich next week and reach the quarter finals of the Champions League. The tie is well placed after the Bundesliga champions secured a goalless draw at Anfield and the Reds have plenty of work to do if they are to join fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham in the hat for the next round.
As reported by the Mirror, £9m is up for grabs next Wednesday. If Jurgen Klopp’s side can reach the semi finals, an additional £10.32m would be handed out. Finalists are awarded £12.9m, while an extra £3.44m is dished out to the eventual winners of Europe’s elite club competition.
Another run to the final is in Liverpool’s sights following last season’s heroics and the tournament seems wide open following the shock eliminations of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain to Ajax and Manchester United respectively.
Juventus, widely tipped to go far this season, have a 2-0 deficit to overturn when they host Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona still have work to do after their 0-0 draw at Lyon.
However, Manchester City remain among the favourites after their dramatic 3-2 victory over Schalke, while Bayern themselves have a strong tradition in the tournament, last claiming the trophy in 2012/13.
Liverpool are next in action on Sunday when they host Burnley in the day’s early Premier League kick off and they could be four points behind leaders City should the reigning champions defeat Watford at the Etihad on Saturday.
Liverpool have been very impressive in their Premier League title challenge and former captain and Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard is keen to avoid turning Liverpool’s season into a success or failure purely on the basis of where they finish in the table. With nine games to go, they have 70 points, which is more than they have managed in 17 Premier League seasons. It is conceivable they could exceed their Premier League best tally of 86 points and still find it is not enough to finish ahead of Manchester City.
The 2005 Champions League Winner explained that the club should consider this season a success whether they win the title or not. Gerrard said: “Certain people around the world will see it as failure but that is football and opinions. Jurgen has taken the squad forward giant strides. He is doing everything he can. Sometimes in football, if someone beats you to it, just, you have to hold your hands up and say the better team won. “I hope that is not the case but I don’t think you can be too critical if you have been fantastic yourself and have done ever so well to be in it in the first place.”