Liverpool’s path in the group stage of the Champions League is to be confirmed on Thursday, and we now know the possible opponents who lay in wait.
A strong and largely unexpected finish to last season ensured Jurgen Klopp‘s men would have a clean slate for 2021/22.
The third-place finish guaranteed Champions League football for the fifth campaign in a row, and there are some familiar clubs in the reckoning for Ol’ Big Ears and they could be put in Liverpool’s path in the group stage.
Klopp’s side are in pot 2 this time around, meaning they could face one of Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Lille, Sporting CP from pot 1.
There will, of course, be no chance of being drawn with Man City and Chelsea – both pot 1 — while another meeting with either Porto, Ajax, Leipzig and Atalanta could await from pot 3.
But just when is the draw and who could Liverpool meet?
Champions League Group Stage Pots
Pot 1: Chelsea*, Bayern Munich, Man City*, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Inter, Sporting CP, Lille
Pot 2: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Liverpool, Man United, PSG, Sevilla, Dortmund
Pot 3: Porto, RB Leipzig, Ajax, Atalanta, RB Salzburg, Benfica, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shakhtar
Pot 4: Brugge, AC Milan, Young Boys, Besiktas, Dynamo Kiev, Malmo, Wolfsburg, Sheriff Tiraspol
* Cannot be drawn against in Champions League group stage.
When and where is the draw?
The draw will be held in Istanbul on Thursday, August 26 at 5pm (BST) and will be broadcast live on UEFA.com.
Group Stage Schedule
Matchday 1: 14/15 September
Matchday 2: 28/29 September
Matchday 3: 19/20 October
Matchday 4: 2/3 November
Matchday 5: 23/24 November
Matchday 6: 7/8 December
The knockout stages will then follow in 2022 on the road to the final, which is being held in Saint Petersburg, Russia at the Gazprom Arena on May 28.
Fan Comments