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Liverpool fans could be forced to travel 160 miles further as Napoli president wants games moved to Bari

Aurelio De Laurentiis said he will ask Uefa to get Champions League games moved over concerns with the Italian club's stadium

LIVERPOOL fans may be forced to travel an extra 160 miles for their Champions League game against Napoli.

The Italian club's president is preparing to ask Uefa to allow Napoli's home matches to be moved to Bari this season.

 The Napoli president wants to move Champions League games away from the Stadio San Paolo to Bari
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The Napoli president wants to move Champions League games away from the Stadio San Paolo to BariCredit: Reuters
 Dries Mertens and his Napoli team-mates may have to travel 160 miles from the west coast to the east coast
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Dries Mertens and his Napoli team-mates may have to travel 160 miles from the west coast to the east coastCredit: AFP or licensors
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Jurgen Klopp's side are scheduled to play in Italy on October 3, the second matchday of this season's tournament as they look to go one step further than last year.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has publicly criticised the home of Napoli, Stadio San Paolo which is municipally-owned.

And he is prepared to pay for 1,000 coaches to take fans to each match from Naples on Italy's west coast to Bari on the east coast.

It takes more than three hours to drive between the two stadia.

 Liverpool fans still don't know where the match on October 3 will be played but Uefa are yet to receive a request
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Liverpool fans still don't know where the match on October 3 will be played but Uefa are yet to receive a requestCredit: Getty Images - Getty

In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, De Laurentiis said: "The stadium of Napoli is a nightmare. Such a bad stadium limits Napoli at an international level.

"It will take two years but I am going to build a new stadium so nobody can say anything to me."

The comments angered Naples mayor Luigi Di Magistris, who is in an ongoing dispute with the Napoli president.

Di Magistris said: "His suggestion is unthinkable and impractical. It’s a serious matter to even think about something like that.

 Aurelio De Laurren has promised to rebuild the Napoli stadium within two years
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Aurelio De Laurren has promised to rebuild the Napoli stadium within two years
 Liverpool were drawn with Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade in Group C
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Liverpool were drawn with Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade in Group CCredit: AP:Associated Press

"Napoli play and will play at the San Paolo stadium."

De Laurentiis is not only the president of Napoli but also took over former Serie A side Bari, who are now in the fourth tier following financial struggles.

Liverpool and Napoli were drawn in the same group as French giants Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade in Group C.

Napoli’s 2018/19 home shirt has a hidden animal lurking in the design
 Liverpool will be desperate to go one step further than last year and win a sixth European Cup but may face extra travelling than they first thought
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Liverpool will be desperate to go one step further than last year and win a sixth European Cup but may face extra travelling than they first thought
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