Liverpool will probably be among the many favourites to win the Champions League this season – right here’s all you must know forward of Thursday’s league part draw.
The Reds returned to Europe’s prime competitors final season, following a yr away, however have been knocked out within the final 16 by eventual winners PSG.
Arne Slot‘s facet will probably be hoping for a greater Champions League exhibiting in 2025/26, as they give the impression of being to win the competitors for the primary time since 2019.
This season will once more see the expanded 36-team match happen, together with the new-look league part changing the outdated group stage.
Meaning all 36 sides play in a single league part with eight matches apiece, earlier than the normal knockout stage takes place.
In 2024/25, Liverpool received all of their first seven league video games, shedding the final one away to PSV Eindhoven in a lifeless rubber.
Right here’s all you must know in regards to the Champions League draw, together with who the Reds could possibly be drawn towards.
When is the draw?
The Champions League draw takes place in Monaco from 5pm (BST) on Thursday.
It will likely be broadcast reside on UEFA.com, in addition to YouTube and TNT Sports activities.
Who might Liverpool play?
Liverpool are in Pot 1 and will probably be drawn towards two groups from every of the next pots:
Pot 2: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Atalanta, Villarreal, Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, Membership Brugge
Pot 3: Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, Napoli, Sporting CP, Olympiakos, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille
Pot 4: Copenhagen, Monaco, Galatasaray, Union SG, Qarabag, Athletic Membership, Newcastle, Pafos, Kairat
Liverpool will play 4 of their video games at house and the opposite 4 away, however will play none of their league part opponents twice.
In the meantime, the Reds can’t play groups from the Premier League at this stage, ruling out Arsenal, Man Metropolis, Chelsea and Newcastle.
Every membership can play a most of two sides from the identical affiliation, so Liverpool might NOT be drawn towards Actual Madrid, Barcelona and Villarreal, for instance.
The highest eight groups will go straight into the final 16, whereas these from ninth to twenty fourth place will face a one-legged playoff towards one of many different sides.
The victors from these 16 playoffs will then face off in eight two-legged playoffs in February, seeking to make it into the knockout stage with the highest eight.
The final 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will probably be two-legged, as per ordinary, with the ultimate happening in Budapest on Could 30, 2026.
Champions League key dates
Fixtures will probably be confirmed no later than this Saturday, however listed here are the important thing dates to look out for:
League draw – August 28
Matchday 1: September 16-18
Matchday 2: September 30-October 1
Matchday 3: October 21/22
Matchday 4: November 4/5
Matchday 5: November 25/26
Matchday 6: December 9/10
Matchday 7: January 20/21
Matchday 8: January 28
Play-off draw – January 30
Knockout play-offs: February 17/18 and 24/25
Final 16/quarter-final/semi-final draw – February 27
Final 16: March 10/11 and 17/18
Quarter-final: April 7/8 and 14//15
Semi-final: April 28/29 and Could 5/6
Last: Could 30 (Budapest)
