LIVERPOOLLiverpool next Champions League opponent in doubt after Man City collapse as draw boost clarified

Liverpool remain uncertain about who they could face in the Champions League knockout stages for the 2024/25 season. While the Reds have confidently advanced to the last 16 after securing their spot in the top eight with a 2-1 home win against Lille on Tuesday night, much of the picture behind them remains undecided ahead of the final round of matches next week.

With Arne Slot’s side winning all seven of their games to top the revamped opening stage, they are assured of a top-two finish, making it possible to map out their potential path to the final. However, the new 36-team league format has left most teams closely packed in the standings. The largest gaps exist at the top—Liverpool sit three points ahead of Barcelona—and at the bottom, where Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys trail by three points.

Teams finishing in the top eight automatically progress to the last 16, while those ranked between ninth and 24th will compete in two-legged play-offs next month to claim the remaining knockout spots. UEFA’s preliminary plans for the draw suggest that higher-ranked teams will have an easier path to the final, making Liverpool’s position advantageous.

For example, Liverpool cannot face the other top-two finisher—currently projected to be Barcelona—until the final in Munich on May 31. The Reds already have a general idea of their potential last-16 opponents, as the draw structure pairs second-place teams with winners from specific play-off matches. This could pit Liverpool against sides like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, or Celtic, although final matchday results could alter these scenarios.

Remarkably, only three points separate Bayer Leverkusen in eighth place, securing automatic qualification, from Stuttgart in 24th, the final play-off spot. This means nearly half the league could still finish in positions making them possible opponents for Liverpool.

Manchester City, however, are out of contention as potential opponents. Their 4-2 loss to PSG on Wednesday, after squandering a 2-0 lead, leaves them unable to finish higher than 19th. Meanwhile, clubs like PSG, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Lille, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, and Feyenoord remain in the mix to face Liverpool in the knockout stages.

Liverpool are guaranteed home advantage in the second leg of the round of 16, but beyond that, the home-and-away order for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be determined by a separate draw. While the exact path ahead remains complex, one thing is clear: Liverpool are a team every opponent will hope to avoid once the knockout stages begin.