Michel Platini urges Brendan Rodgers to explain Liverpool team selection

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers should explain his team selection in Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid to the fans, according to UEFA president Michel Platini.

Rodgers came under fire for benching a host of big-name players for the Champions League loss, with Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli and Raheem Sterling all sitting out.

With Saturday's visit of Chelsea on the horizon, it was suggested that the Northern Irishman prioritised that clash over the Bernabeu trip by resting his first-teamers, claims that he later denied.

Although admitting that he is powerless to "interfere", Platini claims that Rodgers does owe an explanation to the Reds' fans for the perceived under-strength first XI.

"First of all he has to explain to his fans why he put this team - not to me, not to you," the Frenchman is quoted as saying by ESPN.

"Are you sure it was not the best team? How can I say that? The coach of Liverpool, if I say something, he'll say, 'Oh, Michel Platini, I put my best team of the moment.' And I would be stupid.

"If I am the coach of Liverpool I say, 'It's my best team. How you can prove it's not your best team?' I can't interfere with that."

Liverpool, who lost the Premier League title by a point last season, now sit seventh in the table, 12 points adrift of frontrunners Chelsea ahead of Saturday's clash at Anfield.