MFA president and UEFA committee member Joseph Mifsud said rules cannot be changed to allow holders Liverpool to enter next season’s Champions League.

This was reported yesterday on the BBC website after Dr Mifsud, who has been a committee member since 1994, made his comments to BBC Radio Five Live.

“While the English FA can do something in this regard, I believe as the rules stand at present at Uefa we cannot do anything,” he said.

“Unless of course the regulations are changed. But I don’t agree they can be changed midway through the season.”

Pressure has increased on Uefa in the past week to include Liverpool in next season’s competition following their dramatic penalty shoot-out triumph over AC Milan.

Liverpool finished fifth in the Premiership, missing out on an automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League and Uefa rules do not allow automatic entry for the competition winners.

English Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson, who is also a Uefa vice-president, has lobbied for five English clubs in next season’s tournament.

Liverpool will have to wait another three weeks before the issue is resolved by Uefa’s 15-man executive committee at its meeting in Manchester on 17 June.