Liverpool's Championship Quest: Charting Their Path to Champions League Glory in 2025-26
Liverpool's entire campaign depends on their Champions League performance.
Following a disappointing Premier League title defense and with Champions League qualification still in doubt, winning Europe's top tournament has become more crucial than ever before.
Current form indicates Liverpool may find it difficult to secure their seventh European title, yet they've shown different qualities in continental competition this season, earning direct advancement to the round of 16 with a third-place finish in the league phase.
The Reds have now learned who they'll face in the round of 16 and their possible opponents throughout the rest of the tournament.
Liverpool's Last 16 Opponents
Liverpool's Last 16 Opponents
Liverpool escaped the more difficult matchup in the round of 16, avoiding Atlético Madrid and being paired with Galatasaray. Though the Reds will be pleased to dodge Diego Simeone's cunning squad, they've already suffered a loss to Gala this season, falling 1–0 in Istanbul thanks to Victor Osimhen's spot kick.
The Reds must deliver a more unified display on their return visit to Turkey but at least have a home fixture at Anfield to recover if they stumble again away from home.
Liverpool's Potential Quarterfinal Opponents
Liverpool's Potential Quarterfinal Opponents
Liverpool find themselves in the tougher bracket of the draw and their quarterfinal possibilities are notably challenging as a consequence. The Reds will face either defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain or Premier League rivals Chelsea—assuming they advance past the round of 16, naturally.
Liverpool were eliminated from the Champions League by PSG in the round of 16 last campaign and although Luis Enrique's team isn't quite the dominant force they were in 2024–25, a matchup with Chelsea appears more favorable for Arne Slot's squad.
Despite the Reds losing to Chelsea in their earlier encounter this season, enduring late disappointment in injury time at Stamford Bridge, the Blues represent a more manageable opponent given their Premier League inconsistencies.
Liverpool's Potential Semifinal Opponents
Liverpool's Potential Semifinal Opponents
Liverpool will probably encounter European powerhouses or Premier League opponents if they advance to the semifinal stage as well.
The Reds will face the victor of the quarterfinal clash between Real Madrid or Manchester City and Bayern Munich or Atalanta—with the Italian side clearly being the most manageable adversary.
Painful memories of encounters with Madrid still trouble the Reds but former Liverpool defender Álvaro Arbeloa and his struggling teammates will present fewer worries this time around. Los Blancos have been surprisingly inconsistent and were already defeated by the Reds during the league phase.
In contrast, City have completed the double over Liverpool in the Premier League and are hitting their stride at the ideal time in the season, while Bayern Munich have been consistently excellent in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Liverpool's Potential Final Opponents
Liverpool's Potential Final Opponents
Should Liverpool achieve remarkable feats on their path to the championship match, they will meet one of the eight teams from the opposite side of the bracket.
Realistically, this seems likely to be either Arsenal or Barcelona, both presenting massive challenges and would be viewed as favorites in a single-game encounter with the Reds.
Less probable is a battle with Premier League competitors Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, while Bodø/Glimt's remarkable journey will probably conclude before the final.
Atlético Madrid, Sporting CP and Bayer Leverkusen round out the remaining candidates, though reaching the final seems highly improbable.