Liverpool’s possible opponents in the first stage of the Champions League have just become clearer after the latest round of qualifying, which has two stages left to complete.
It is back to the top table of European football for Liverpool next season, an immediate return after a single campaign in the Europa League.
The Reds are back where they belong, and Arne Slot is the man who will lead them in Europe in the first season of the new Champions League format.
The competition has grown from 32 teams to 36, and the ‘league phase’ has replaced the group stage, with each team to play eight games in the initial stage.
Although we are still in the midst of pre-season, qualifiers for the Champions League have already been underway, and with the second qualifying round now complete, Liverpool’s possible opponents have narrowed.
22 contenders in 3rd qualifying round
With the second qualifying round now complete, there is just the third qualifying and play-off round left before the 36 Champions League teams are finalised.
You will notice some familiar names in the two-legged ties below, including Pep Lijnders’ Salzburg, who are just a handful of victories away from the competition proper:
Qarabag vs. Ludogorets
Malmo vs. PAOK
Midtjylland vs. Ferencvaros
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Rangers
Sparta Prague vs. FCSB
LOSC vs. Fenerbahce
Salzburg vs. Twente
Slavia Prague vs. Union SG
Slovan Bratislava vs. APOEL
Jagiellonia Bialystok vs. Bodo/Glimt
The first legs of the third-round qualifiers are played on August 6/7, and the second legs on August 13.
The winners of the ties will advance to the final qualifying round, and the losers will either drop into the Europa League play-off round or the league phase itself.
Clubs already qualified
England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa
Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atletico Madrid
Germany: Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund
Italy: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, Bologna, Atalanta
France: PSG, Monaco, Brest
Rest of Europe: PSV, Feyenoord, Sporting, Benfica, Club Brugge, Celtic, Sturn Graz, Shakhtar Donetsk
Key dates
With an increase in the number of games, there is plenty to keep on top of when it comes to fixture and draw dates for the competition:
- League draw – August 29
- Matchday 1: September 17-19
- Matchday 2: October 1/2
- Matchday 3: October 22/23
- Matchday 4: November 5/6
- Matchday 5: November 26/27
- Matchday 6: December 10/11
- Matchday 7: January 21/22
- Matchday 8: January 29
- Play-off draw – January 31
- Knockout play-offs: February 11/12 and 18/19
- Last 16/quarter-final/semi-final draw – February 21
- Last 16: March 4/5 and 11/12
- Quarter-final: April 8/9 and 15/16
- Semi-final: April 29/30 and May 6/7
- Final: May 31 (Munich)
