The paint on the finish of the 2013-2014 Premier League season hasn't even dried yet, but Liverpool are set to return to the pitch this afternoon. The club is embarking on its 2014 summer tour and will face Irish outfit Shamrock Rovers. The club friendly scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET will be held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and can be live streamed here free.
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With some of Liverpool's greatest footballing talents set to embark on their World Cup journey, a lessened squad will be available for manager Brendan Rodgers. Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard won't bless the Dublin pitch, but those in attendance will have the opportunity to watch the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel.
Fortunately for Shamrock Rovers, they won't face the same dilemma (h/t to Belfast Telegraph). "Our group doesn't have any WorldCup lads in it, so we'll all be there anyway," joked striker Ciaran Kilduff yesterday.
Club chairman Jonathan Roche faces his own dilemma on a yearly basis, budgetary ones. He understands today's friendly is an opportunity to aid his cause (h/t to the Irish Times). "We're not in Europe and this doesn't make up for that emotionally or financially, but it's a stopgap and it's good for the club," Roche said.
"We've played Juventus and Tottenham competitively in the last few years, plus Real Madrid in a friendly, and that's good for everyone involved," he added.
"It's good for the players too to be playing in front of more than 40,000 people in a stadium like this and hopefully a few of the ones who have come to see Liverpool will look at us and think, 'I'll go and see them again.'"
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