“Tonight looked like counters,” laughed Andy Robertson after Liverpool had completed the first phase of the New Look Champions League with her first European defeat of the season.
“The Ligabian was everywhere,” said the Scotsman, thinking about the 17 other games that took place at the same time. “I am glad that our place was settled.”
Seven victories in a row to start the league phase guaranteed Liverpool a place in the Top Two and thereby the automatic qualification in the 16th round.
“I’m just glad that we don’t have a play-off,” admitted Robertson. “There will always be hard games, so let’s see who we are confronted when you fight in the play-offs.” Good idea.
Before the CHAMPION League draw on Friday, Liverpool was able to compete with one of four opponents. Paris Saint-GermainPresent BenficaPresent Monaco or Brest.
When PSG and Benfica took 15th and 16th place in the final League phase table, they will appear in the knockout play-off round either against Monaco (17th) or Brest (18th).
PSG may have won only half of their league phase games, but they are undoubtedly the one side that Liverpool wants to avoid.
The French champion of Luis Enrique ended the first stage of the competition with a trio of Siegen and has not been beaten in November for a 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in November. PSG has a youthful and brisk foot front and should come through its all-round French play-off.
The impending draw only decides on the knockout play-off pairings, the first legs of which on December 12th. To be played February. As soon as these connections have been completed in the following week, the potential number of potential opponents of Liverpool will have been halved.
The draw for the 16th round is found February 21, 2025 And finally reveals whether Liverpool or Barcelona (who was second in the league phase) will play the winner of the play-off number one or number eight.
This year’s Champions League Group Stage Equivalent extended over Christmas for the first time in two decades. However, the round of the 16th calendar was not significantly changed. Just like last season, the Ko 4./5 March Before the return a week later 11/12 March.
Until the quarter -finals (April 8th and 9th) is almost a month to wait before the last four start at the end of April. This year’s European Showpiece, which will take place in the Allianz Arena of Bayern Munich, is scheduled to take place on May 31.