Familiar foes and first-time opponents as Liverpool learn Champions League fate
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Liverpool's opponents for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase have been confirmed following the draw held in Monaco. The competition features a new format with 36 teams split into four pots, each club playing eight matches in the league phase, half at home and half away, but they will not face any league phase opponent twice.
Liverpool, placed in pot one as seeded participants, are restricted from being drawn against other Premier League clubs or from facing more than two teams from the same country.
The confirmed pots are as follows:
- Pot one: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Internazionale, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Liverpool.
- Pot two: Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica, Club Brugge, Eintracht Frankfurt, Juventus, Villarreal.
- Pot three: Ajax, Bodo/Glimt, Marseille, Napoli, Olympiacos, PSV Eindhoven, Slavia Prague, Sporting CP.
- Pot four: AS Monaco, Athletic Club, FC Copenhagen, Galatasaray, Kairat Almaty, Pafos, Qarabag, Union SG.
Liverpool will be drawn to face two teams from each pot, resulting in eight group stage matches. This format encourages a diverse range of opponents and provides a fresh challenge compared to the previous Champions League structures.
The draw marks the beginning of Liverpool's campaign to reclaim European glory under manager Arne Slot, setting up potential clashes with some of the continent's elite clubs such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid from pot one, as well as strong contenders like Juventus and Atalanta from pot two.
The full schedule will see Liverpool battle at home and away against these teams, aiming to advance beyond the league phase in the highly competitive tournament.
PP