Deadline passes for hopefuls

Midnight deadline
Player lists had to be submitted through a national association to UEFA by midnight on Wednesday night for the two-legged matches on 12/13 and 19/20 July. Holders Liverpool FC have recruited four players this week - José Manuel Reina, Boudewijn Zenden, Mark González and Antonio Barragán - for their tie against Total Network Solutions FC of Wales. They have been further boosted by the news that the man who lifted the European Champion Clubs' Cup in Istanbul, Steven Gerrard, is staying at Anfield.

Record bid
Chelsea FC had reportedly made a British-record bid in the region of €50m for Gerrard after discussions between the player and Liverpool over a new contract stalled. However, for the second time in as many summers, the Blues appear to have failed to lure the England midfielder to Stamford Bridge. "Stevie's decided to stay. It's a little bit like last year, only even more dramatic," said Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry on Wednesday. "In the last 24 hours he has reflected on it, thought it through and he wants to stay."

Second and third qualifying rounds
Should the Reds progress against TNS, they will have until midnight on 21 July to register players for the second qualifying round. The deadline for the third and final qualifying round - which will be played on 9/10 and 23/24 August - is 4 August. Sixteen sides will advance from that round to the draw for the group stage, to be staged in Monaco on Thursday 25 August.

A and B lists
The 32 clubs in the group stage will then have a week to sign and enlist players ahead of the 1 September final deadline. A club is entitled to field 25 players from their A list over the course of the Champions League season. Youth players (born on or after 1 January 1984 and eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years since the player's 15th birthday) on the B list do not form part of that squad.

Intertoto Cup
Excluding the first three rounds of the UEFA Intertoto Cup, a player may not play in UEFA club competition matches for more than one team during the course of the same campaign with one exception (see below). For all games from the start of the first knockout round, a club may register a maximum of three new players, provided they are eligible.

Exception
One player from that quota of three who has played for another club in a different European competition may be registered by the 1 February 2006 deadline for the knockout stages. For example, one player who has turned out in the UEFA Cup group stage could be signed and enrolled by a side competing in the Champions League knockout phase.

Unused substitute
A substitute who does not enter the field of play would be entitled to play for another club in the same season provided he is correctly registered.