“Tonight seemed like carnage,” Andy Robertson laughed after Liverpool concluded the inaugural league section of the new-look Champions League with their first European defeat of the season.
“The league desk was everywhere,” the Scot stated, reflecting on the 17 different matches which had been happening on the identical time, “so I am glad our place was settled.”
Seven straight wins to begin the league section assured Liverpool a spot within the high two and thereby computerized qualification into the spherical of 16.
“I am simply glad we do not have a play-off,” Robertson admitted. “There’ll all the time be robust video games so let’s examine who we face as soon as they struggle out within the play-offs.” Good concept.
Forward of Friday’s Champions League draw, Liverpool may face any one in every of 4 opponents; Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Monaco or Brest.
As PSG and Benfica completed fifteenth and sixteenth within the ultimate league section desk, they may come up in opposition to both Monaco (seventeenth) or Brest (18th) within the knockout play-off rounds, with the ultimate fixtures to be determined in Nyon this week.
PSG could have solely gained half of their league section matches, however they’re undoubtedly the one facet which Liverpool wish to keep away from.
Luis Enrique’s French champions completed the primary stage of the competitors with a trio of victories and have not been overwhelmed in any setting since a limp 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich again in November. Boasting a youthful and fleet-footed frontline, PSG ought to come via their all-French play-off.
The upcoming draw will solely determine the knockout play-off pairings, the primary legs of which shall be performed on 11/12 February. As soon as these ties are concluded on the next midweek, Liverpool’s variety of potential opponents can have been halved.
The draw for the spherical of 16 will happen on 21 February 2025 and eventually reveals whether or not Liverpool or Barcelona (who completed second within the league section) will play the winner of play-off primary or quantity eight.
This yr’s Champions League group stage equal stretched past Christmas for the primary time in twenty years, nonetheless, the spherical of 16 calendar hasn’t been majorly altered. Simply as final season, the knockout spherical will conclude in spring, with the primary legs set to be held on 4/5 March earlier than the return fixture one week in a while 11/12 March.
There’s virtually a month to attend till the quarter-finals (8/9 April) earlier than the ultimate 4 begins on the finish of April. This yr’s European showpiece, which shall be held at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Area, is ready to happen on 31 Could.
