sportbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Liverpool Set To Face Nightmare Champions League Group

Liverpool Set To Face Nightmare Champions League Group

They got to the final last time, what can they achieve this time around?

Jacque Talbot

Jacque Talbot

Liverpool's Champions League seeding hopes received a slight boost as FC Basel flopped in qualifying for the competition.

Basel finished second in the Swiss Super League - the former club for both Shaqiri and Salah - but lost 5-1 on aggregate to Greek side PAOK Salonika.

Klopp's side are currently in pot three, however, if Basel and Portuguese side Benfica do not make it out of qualifying, Liverpool will be bumped up to pot two and there could be trouble, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Benfica take on Turkish side Fenerbahçe in a two-legged game in the third round of qualifying on the 7th and 14th of August, should they progress they would have to beat Ajax or Standard Liège to make the group stage and their spot in pot two.

Salah doing Salah while 'Bobby' being 'Bobby'. Image: PA
Salah doing Salah while 'Bobby' being 'Bobby'. Image: PA

Pot one is already confirmed, with only Liverpool or Benfica to complete pot two.

Pots three and four are yet to confirm but Inter Milan and Hoffenheim will be in pot four as automatic qualifiers.

Provisional Champions League 2018/19 draw pots - Liverpool in pot three.

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Lokomotiv Moscow

Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Napoli, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma

Pot 3: Liverpool, Dinamo Kiev, Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, RB Salzburg, CSKA Moscow, PSV Eindhoven

Pot 4: Valencia, Viktoria Plzeň, Celtic, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, FK Astana, Inter Milan, Hoffenheim

Provisional Champions League 2018/19 draw pots - Liverpool in pot two.

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Lokomotiv Moscow

Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Liverpool

Pot 3: Dinamo Kiev, Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, RB Salzburg, CSKA Moscow, PSV Eindhoven, Valencia

Pot 4: Viktoria Plzeň, Celtic, Fenerbahçe, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, FC Astana, Inter Milan, Hoffenheim

A best-case scenario draw for Liverpool would see them play Lokomotiv Moscow, Salzburg, and FC Astana as second seeds, or Lokomotiv, Shakhtar Donetsk and Club Brugge as third seeds.

A worst-case draw would see them play holders Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan as third seeds, or Real Madrid, Schalke, and Inter Milan as second seeds.

Liverpool made the final last season from pot three, where they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid.

Words: George Buksmann.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Liverpool, Football News, Football, REds, Champions League