Liverpool are again within the Champions League this season as a part of the new-look match. Right here’s all you have to know forward of Thursday’s league part draw.
After a season within the Europa League the Reds are again in Europe’s prime tier, however it’s not the identical as once they final performed in it.
This marketing campaign will convey the primary of an expanded 36-team Champions League, together with a ‘Swiss model’ league part changing the same old group stage.
Which means all 36 groups in a single league part, with every taking part in eight fixtures, earlier than breaking off for a extra conventional knockout stage.
Right here is all the pieces you have to know concerning the Champions League‘s league part draw.
When is the draw?
The Champions League draw will happen in Monaco from 5pm (BST) on Thursday and will probably be broadcast reside on UEFA.com, in addition to YouTube, TNT Sports activities and BBC Sport.
Who might Liverpool play?
Liverpool are in Pot 1 and will probably be drawn towards two groups from every of the next pots:
Pot 1: Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Barcelona
Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Membership Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan
Pot 3: Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven, Crimson Bull Salzburg, Younger Boys, Celtic, Dinamo Zagreb, Lille, Crimson Star Belgrade
Pot 4: Monaco, Sparta Prague, Bologna, Girona, Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, Brest, Slovan Bratislava
4 opponents will probably be performed at residence and 4 away, with no repeat fixtures.
They can’t play groups from their very own affiliation within the league part, which guidelines out Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man Metropolis.
Every membership can play a most of two sides from the identical affiliation (eg. Liverpool couldn’t be drawn towards Actual Madrid, Barcelona and Girona).
Why are there extra video games?
This season is the primary for the Champions League‘s new format.
There are 36 groups concerned within the league part and progress to the same old knockout rounds will probably be decided by every membership’s league putting after their eight video games.
The highest eight groups within the 36-team league will go straight into the final 16, with the remaining eight locations decided by 16 playoffs between the edges who completed between ninth and twenty fourth.
How will the draw happen?
This season’s draw will probably be totally different to typical, with all 36 groups drawn out manually earlier than their eight fixtures are decided by AI.
These opponents will probably be drawn at random by UEFA’s automated software program, in addition to figuring out who performs who at residence and away.
Golf equipment from Pot 1 would be the first drawn, that means Liverpool will probably be amongst these to study their opponents first.
Golf equipment will probably be drawn to play eight totally different groups – a big change from the three group stage opponents within the outdated group stage format – with 4 residence video games and 4 away video games randomly assigned.
Champions League key dates
Fixtures will truly be confirmed on Saturday, however listed here are the dates for the matchdays:
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
Final 16/quarter-final/semi-final draw – February 21
Final 16: March 4/5 and 11/12
Quarter-final: April 8/9 and 15/16
Semi-final: April 29/30 and Might 6/7
Last: Might 31 (Munich)
