Liverpool fans are eagerly awaiting the Champions League league phase draw, which will take place in Monaco on Thursday at 5pm (BST). This season marks the beginning of the new format for the tournament, with 36 teams competing in a ‘Swiss style’ league phase. This means that all 36 teams will be placed in one league, playing eight fixtures each before progressing to the knockout stage.
Liverpool, being in Pot 1, will face two teams from each of the other pots. The potential opponents include top clubs such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig. However, they cannot face teams from their own association, ruling out Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City. Each club can also play a maximum of two sides from the same association. This means that Liverpool cannot be drawn against Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Girona.
The new format of the Champions League allows for more games, providing fans with more exciting matchups. The progress of the teams to the knockout rounds will be determined by their league placing after the eight games. The top eight teams from the league phase will automatically qualify for the last 16, while the remaining eight spots will be determined through playoffs between the teams finishing between ninth and 24th.
The draw itself will be different this season. All 36 teams will be manually drawn out before their fixtures are determined by artificial intelligence. UEFA’s automated software will randomly select the opponents and decide who plays at home and away. Liverpool, being in Pot 1, will be among the first clubs to learn their opponents. Unlike the previous group stage format, where teams faced three opponents, clubs will now play eight different teams, with four home and four away games randomly assigned.
While the league phase draw will take place on Thursday, the confirmed fixtures will be announced on Saturday. The dates for the matchdays have already been set, with the first matchday scheduled for September 17-19 and the final matchday on December 10/11. The playoffs will take place in February, and the last 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will follow in subsequent months. The final will be held on May 31 in Munich.
Liverpool’s return to the Champions League is highly anticipated, and fans are excited to see how they will fare in the new format. With their strong squad and history of success in the tournament, they are expected to be formidable opponents for any team they face. The league phase draw will provide an early glimpse of the challenges that lie ahead for the Reds as they aim to reclaim the Champions League title.