Liverpool hope to hit £1m fundraising target as Legends honor Anfield for first time in three years

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A number of high-profile players will take to the Anfield ground this afternoon as Liverpool Legends take on Barcelona in front of a huge crowd.

The likes of Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard will represent the Reds as the club raises funds for the Liverpool FC Foundation, which works closely with local residents in the city area. Proceeds from the match will also help the Owen McVeigh Foundation, Right to Play, Forever Reds and the Barca Foundation.

Today’s contest is the fifth time Liverpool have staged such a match in the Premier League and is essential in supporting current and future projects run by the Foundation. Explaining the importance of days like today, LFC Foundation CEO Matt Parish told ECHO: “It’s hugely important to us. We focus our work on the Liverpool city area and we try to help the areas that need it most Last season we worked with 50,000 beneficiaries and when we did an independent evaluation it showed that 75% of our participants were in the top ten areas that needed it the most. It shows that we are working in the areas that need the most support.

LIVE UPDATES: Liverpool vs Barcelona goals, score and commentary

HOW TO WATCH: Legends Game TV Channel and Facebook Stream Details

“This is our fifth Legends game and we have sold out at every opportunity. The money raised from this not only allows us to run our programs but also supports the work of other charities and some amazing organizations in the Liverpool area. One of our core principles is that we don’t believe we are the experts in everything. We want to work with people who are experts in their respective fields and fund them to do their job.

“If it’s a full sale, the last game in 2019 brought us £800,000. It could be between £800,000 and £1m this time around. We also have a Facebook virtual ticket option for the first time. We’ve had some interest in that and the announcement that Steven Gerrard is playing alongside the other amazing names we have and that could increase the funds.”

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has only increased the need to support high-risk individuals within the community, who have faced countless challenges such as limited job opportunities and rising costs for food and other essentials.

Liverpool were one of many teams to step up in times of need, underlining the club’s continued commitment to taking the lead in raising life-changing funds.

“I was really proud of how not only the LFC Foundation but football has stepped up. From Jordan Henderson as club captain, Marcus Rashford, Everton and Tranmere Rovers have done a great job,” said Parish.

“All football clubs are part of the community, so it’s important that we do that. For those who were struggling and facing challenges before COVID, it only exacerbated. Communities that needed our support really need it right now and that’s why it’s important for us to release this Legends game We’ve been waiting since 2020.

“We were worried when he [Legends match] exhausted the first year as to whether or not we could keep up the momentum. It proved that we were capable of doing it and we would love to do it again next March.

“One of our challenges is that because the team is so successful it is difficult to get tickets. But we distribute tickets through our Red Neighbors program to local schools around Anfield and Kirkby. Beyond that, it’s a real opportunity for local fans to come in and see some great football, in one of the best stadiums in the world, at a great price. We’re lucky to have such a catalog of incredible talent. As long as this continues, I don’t see why these games can’t continue.”

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