Now THIS is the type of news that should have Liverpool supporters dancing in the streets! After fighting with the reality of losing Ryan Babel and Javie Mascherano for the start of the season to Olympic football, it now appears the Anfield club could be in for some great news. Both players could be heading back to Liverpool ASAP!

Three European clubs won their appeal to keep their players out of the Olympic football tournament.

CAS ruled that Lionel Messi, Diego and Rafinha can be kept out of the Beijing Games by their respective clubs Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke.

The news that such a major sporting figure as Messi will not take part in Beijing will come as a major blow to the Olympics on the eve of the Games.

It has been widely reported that Benitez was reluctant to release Babel to the Netherlands, and with Steven Gerrard an injury doubt for their Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege his absence will be even more keenly felt.

Benitez could in theory also use the ruling to prevent Javier Mascherano playing for Argentina.

CAS secretary-general Matthieu Reeb said the three-member panel ruled in favor of the clubs because the Olympic tournament is not on FIFA’s match calendar, and because there was no evidence that the football body’s executive board obliged the clubs to release the players. (Daily Mail)

The ruling in favor of Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke over their star’s not having to play in the Olympics means that Rafa Benitez now has a legitimate case to use as ammo when he comes calling for two of his most prized possessions. The precedence has been set, and from the looks of things, Olympic football could be changing drastically in the near future. What this could mean for Liverpool is a full squad to start what could be their most ambitious League campaign in a long time.

What do Liverpool supporters think about the news that Babel and Mascherano could be on their way back to Anfield for the start of the Premier League season?

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