The Champions League is almost back.
And for Liverpool supporters, the question is now becoming very simple:
Who could we draw?
Liverpool are preparing for another European campaign, and the league-phase draw will determine the eight opponents standing between the Reds and the knockout stages.
There are some enormous clubs waiting in the pots.
And there is also the possibility of a rather awkward reunion.
Which pot are Liverpool in?
Liverpool are in Pot 1 for the Champions League draw.
That immediately puts some of Europe’s biggest clubs into the group of teams Liverpool could potentially face.
The new Champions League format means there are no traditional groups of four.
Instead, every team will be drawn against eight different opponents.
Two opponents will come from each of the four pots.
That means Liverpool will face eight different teams during the league phase.
Who can’t Liverpool face?
There is one important restriction.
Liverpool cannot face another English club during the league phase.
That means Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa are all ruled out as potential opponents.
A team can also face a maximum of two clubs from any other individual association.
So while the draw can produce some fascinating combinations, there are still restrictions on who can be paired together.
The potential Pot 1 opponents
This is where things get interesting.
Liverpool could potentially face some huge European clubs from Pot 1, including:
● Paris Saint-Germain
● Bayern Munich
● Real Madrid
● Inter Milan
● Barcelona
● Atletico Madrid
That’s an absolutely frightening list.
Imagine Liverpool drawing Real Madrid.
Or Barcelona.
Or PSG.
Or Inter Milan.
And then there’s Curtis Jones.
If Liverpool draw Inter, the former Liverpool midfielder would return to Anfield after completing his move to the Italian giants this summer.
That would be some reunion.
Pot 2 could also provide difficult opponents
Liverpool’s potential Pot 2 opponents include some very familiar European names.
Borussia Dortmund.
Roma.
Sporting CP.
Porto.
Club Brugge.
Real Betis.
PSV Eindhoven.
None of those would be easy games.
A trip to Dortmund or Porto, in particular, would provide a serious test for Andoni Iraola’s team.
And the Champions League isn’t just about the biggest names.
These games can be incredibly difficult because of the atmosphere, travel and quality of the opposition.
Pot 3
Pot 3 could also throw up some interesting ties.
Potential opponents include:
● Feyenoord
● Napoli
● RB Leipzig
● Villarreal
● Galatasaray
● Fenerbahce/Lyon
● Shakhtar Donetsk
Liverpool have already experienced some of these atmospheres in recent European campaigns.
A trip to Istanbul would be particularly intimidating.
And Napoli away would certainly be one of the tougher assignments Liverpool could receive from this pot.
And then there’s Pot 4
Pot 4 isn’t completely settled yet because of the remaining qualifying ties.
The teams currently confirmed include VfB Stuttgart, Como and Lens.
Other places will be filled by teams coming through qualifying.
Potential combinations include:
● Slovan Bratislava/Celje
● Levski Sofia/AEK Athens
● Hapoel Be’er Sheva/Sabah
There are also clubs whose final pot position depends on the outcome of their qualifying ties.
Those include Celtic/LASK, Slavia Prague, Dinamo Zagreb/Viking and NEC Nijmegen/Bodo/Glimt.
When does the Champions League begin?
Liverpool’s league-phase campaign begins in September.
The scheduled matchdays are:
Matchday 1: September 8-10
Matchday 2: October 13-14
Matchday 3: October 20-21
Matchday 4: November 3-4
Matchday 5: November 24-25
Matchday 6: December 8-9
Matchday 7: January 19-20
Matchday 8: January 27
The exact fixtures and kick-off times will be confirmed by UEFA.
What would be Liverpool’s dream draw?
If I could pick Liverpool’s eight opponents, I’d probably want a mixture.
One huge European night.
A couple of difficult but winnable games.
And a couple of sides Liverpool would expect to beat.
The Champions League is a marathon rather than a sprint.
Liverpool don’t need to prove themselves by drawing Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
They need to put themselves in the best possible position to finish high enough in the league phase and reach the knockout rounds.
But imagine Liverpool vs Inter…
There’s one fixture that would immediately stand out.
Liverpool vs Inter Milan.
Curtis Jones returning to Anfield.
A player who came through Liverpool’s academy.
A player who recently left the club.
And now potentially returning as an opponent in Europe’s biggest club competition.
Football has a funny way of writing its own stories.
The Champions League is back
This is what Liverpool supporters have been waiting for.
Big European nights.
Anfield under the lights.
Difficult away trips.
And the possibility of facing some of the biggest clubs in world football.
Liverpool are in Pot 1, which means they have earned their place among Europe’s elite.
Now comes the fun part.
Who will Liverpool get?
And more importantly…
How far can Iraola’s Liverpool go in the Champions League?
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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