Liverpool best and worst possible Champions League draws as Real Madrid and Napoli lurk again
LIVERPOOL will learn their group today as the prepare to mount the defence of their Champions League crown – and some recent European rivals are lurking in wait. Jurgen Klopp’s side trounced all before them last year on the way to beating Tottenham in Madrid to become champions of Europe for a sixth time. But […]
LIVERPOOL will learn their group today as the prepare to mount the defence of their Champions League crown – and some recent European rivals are lurking in wait.
Jurgen Klopp’s side trounced all before them last year on the way to beating Tottenham in Madrid to become champions of Europe for a sixth time.
But they have to start over again next month, and will be hoping for the best when the draw for the group stages takes place in Monaco today.
As holders, Liverpool have the advantage of being in Pot One when the balls start being drawn, keeping them away of some of the big guns in the competition.
But with three English sides in total ranked in the first pot, it means some other sides with genuine hopes of going far in the tournament are in the other pots.
Not least Real Madrid and Napoli, who have both beaten the Reds in recent seasons, who are both potential opponents in Pot Two.
The last time they faced Real was in the final two years ago, when the Spanish club came away with the win.
And though Liverpool beat Napoli in the semi-finals that year, last season the Italians were group rivals beating them in Naples last year – and coming close to knocking them out in the decisive game at Anfield.
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Borussia Dortmund are there too, bringing the emotional connections linked to Klopp while Atletico Madrid might well be the toughest to overcome if the wily Diegio Simeone knows anything about putting together a side.
In truth, the remaining pots should not throw up too much to be worried about other than Pot Three where Inter Milan look the most concerning.
Antonio Conte promises to build a far stronger Inter than in recent seasons, and with Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez now on board there are better opponents to face.
The chief concern for Liverpool in Pot Four will be avoiding an arduous trip to the far corners of Europe, so Galatasaray and Lokomotiv Moscow will be clubs the Reds would prefer to stay away from.
Liverpool’s Nightmare Group
Liverpool
Real Madrid
Inter Milan
Lokomotiv Moscow
Liverpool’s Ideal Group
Liverpool
Benfica
Olympiakos
Genk
Confirmed teams
Pot 1
- Liverpool (ENG, holders)
- Chelsea (ENG, UEFA Europa League winners)
- Barcelona (ESP)
- Manchester City (ENG)
- Juventus (ITA)
- Bayern Munich (GER)
- Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
- Zenit (RUS)
Pot 2
- Real Madrid (ESP)
- Atletico Madrid (ESP)
- Borussia Dortmund (GER)
- Napoli (ITA)
- Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
- Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
- Benfica (POR)
- Ajax (NED)
Pot 3
- Lyon (FRA)
- Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
- Salzburg (AUT)
- Valencia (ESP)
- Inter Milan (ITA)
- Club Brugge (BEL)
- Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
- Olympiakos (GRE)
Pot 4
- Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
- Genk (BEL)
- Galatasaray (TUR)
- RB Leipzig (GER)
- Atalanta (ITA)
- Lille (FRA)
- Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
- Slavia Prague (CZE)
How does the draw work?
- 26 teams given direct entry to the group stage will be joined by the six winners of the play-off ties.
- The teams will then be split into four seeding pots.
- Pot 1 consists of the holders, Europa League winners and the champions of the six highest-ranked nations. Pots 2 to 4 are determined by the club coefficient rankings.
- No team can play a club from their own association, with the exact draw procedure to be confirmed before the ceremony.
- The draw also establishes the groups for the UEFA Champions League path of the UEFA Youth League.
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Uefa Awards
The following prizes will also be announced during the draw ceremony in the South of France:
- Uefa Men’s Player of the Year
- Uefa Women’s Player of the Year
- Goalkeeper of the 2018/19 Champions League season
- Defender of the 2018/19 Champions League season
- Midfielder of the 2018/19 Champions League season
- Forward of the 2018/19 Champions League season
Champions League 2019/20 schedule
August 2019
- Play off round, first leg – August 20/21
- Play off round, second leg – August 27/28
- Group stage draw, Monaco – August 29
September 2019
- Group stage, matchday one – September 17/18
October 2019
- Group stage, matchday two – October 1/2
- Group stage, matchday three – October 22/23
November 2019
- Group stage, matchday four – November 5/6
- Group stage, matchday five – November 26/27
December 2019
- Group stage, matchday six – December 10/11
- Round of 16 draw, Nyon – December 16
February 2020
- Round of 16, first leg – February 18/19 and 25/26
March 2020
- Round of 16, second leg – March 10/11 and 17/18
- Quarter final and semi-final draw, Nyon – March 20
April 2020
- Quarter finals, first leg – April 7/8
- Quarter finals, second leg – April 14/15
- Semi finals, first leg – April 28/29
May 2020
- Semi finals, second leg – May 5/6
- Final, Istanbul – May 30