Liverpool’s confirmed spot in Pot 1 for the new Champions League league phase is a positive development for the club. This means they will avoid six other high-profile opponents and have a better chance of progressing further in the competition. The upcoming season’s Champions League will be the first to adopt the new format, which expands to a 36-team competition and replaces the traditional group stage with a league phase.
Under the Swiss model, teams will play more fixtures, including eight “group” games against different opponents, before moving on to the knockout phase. Liverpool will have to wait until the draw on August 29 to learn their specific opponents for the league phase, but they now know which teams they have joined in Pot 1. These teams include Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Barcelona.
In the new format, clubs are still divided into four pots, and each club will face two teams from each pot – one at home and one away – in the league phase. Unlike in the past, clubs from the same pot can be drawn against each other. However, Liverpool is only set to face two of their fellow Pot 1 teams, which means they will avoid six high-profile fixtures during the league phase.
Usually, clubs from the same association are not drawn against each other in the league phase, but exceptions are made when there are four or more clubs from the same association participating. This is to avoid fixture congestion and ensure a fair competition. As a result, Liverpool could potentially face Manchester City during the league phase, although they are guaranteed to face only two teams from Pot 1.
The current pots for the Champions League league phase are as follows:
Pot 1: Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Barcelona
Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge
Pot 3: Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven
Pot 4: Sturm Graz, Brest
There are still seven more clubs that will join the league phase through qualifiers, with Shakhtar Donetsk, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys, and Galatasaray being the only confirmed teams for the playoffs at the moment.
While Liverpool’s spot in Pot 1 is advantageous, there is still a possibility that they could face a challenging group of opponents, including current finalists Real Madrid and Dortmund, Europa League finalists Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta, as well as teams like Feyenoord and Sporting CP. This potential “league phase of death” would test Liverpool’s mettle and make for exciting matches.
UEFA has also announced a change in scheduling for one gameweek of the Champions League. During this week, matches will be held on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with fixtures taking place on September 17, 18, and 19. After that, the competition will return to its usual schedule of matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The league phase will span from mid-September to the end of January.
Overall, Liverpool’s inclusion in Pot 1 for the Champions League league phase bodes well for their chances in the competition. While they may face strong opponents, their avoidance of six high-profile fixtures during this stage provides them with an advantage. Fans can look forward to an exciting and challenging campaign as Liverpool aims to make their mark in the new format of the Champions League.