Liverpool Football Club is set to return to the Champions League this season after a year in the Europa League. The team will be led by their coach, Arne Slot, in the first season of the new Champions League format.
The competition has undergone some changes, with the number of teams increasing from 32 to 36, and the group stage being replaced by a ‘league phase’ where each team will play eight games in the initial stage. While the pre-season is still ongoing, the qualifiers for the Champions League have already begun.
As of now, Liverpool’s possible opponents have become clearer after the completion of the second qualifying round. There are still two rounds left before the final 36 teams for the tournament are determined. Some familiar names, such as Salzburg, managed by Pep Lijnders, are just a few victories away from securing a spot in the competition proper.
The third qualifying round will feature the following matchups: Qarabag vs. Ludogorets, Malmo vs. PAOK, Midtjylland vs. Ferencvaros, Dynamo Kyiv vs. Rangers, Sparta Prague vs. FCSB, LOSC vs. Fenerbahce, Salzburg vs. Twente, Slavia Prague vs. Union SG, Slovan Bratislava vs. APOEL, and Jagiellonia Bialystok vs. Bodo/Glimt. The first legs of these ties will be played on August 6/7, and the second legs on August 13.
The winners of these matchups will advance to the final qualifying round, while the losers may have a chance to compete in the Europa League play-off round or even in the league phase itself.
Several clubs have already secured their place in the Champions League, including Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa from England, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, and Atletico Madrid from Spain, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund from Germany, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, Bologna, and Atalanta from Italy, PSG, Monaco, and Brest from France, and PSV, Feyenoord, Sporting, Benfica, Club Brugge, Celtic, Sturn Graz, and Shakhtar Donetsk from the rest of Europe.
As for the key dates of the upcoming Champions League season, the league draw will take place on August 29. The matchdays are scheduled as follows: Matchday 1 from September 17-19, Matchday 2 on October 1/2, Matchday 3 on October 22/23, Matchday 4 on November 5/6, Matchday 5 on November 26/27, Matchday 6 on December 10/11, Matchday 7 on January 21/22, and Matchday 8 on January 29. The play-off draw will be held on January 31, and the knockout play-offs will take place on February 11/12 and 18/19. The draw for the last 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will be conducted on February 21. The last 16 matches will be played on March 4/5 and 11/12, the quarter-finals on April 8/9 and 15/16, the semi-finals on April 29/30 and May 6/7, and the final will be held on May 31 in Munich.
With these upcoming dates and the new format of the competition, football fans can look forward to an exciting and action-packed Champions League season. Liverpool will be eager to make their mark and showcase their talent on the European stage once again.