Featured Image Credit: Alamy / Gary Oakley/Sportimage
Topics: Liverpool, Champions League, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp
Ryan Smart
Topics: Liverpool, Champions League, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool can qualify for the Champions League if they finish fifth next season as a result of a major UEFA rule change.
The Reds ended the most recent Premier League season in fifth place, meaning they must settle for Europa League football in the upcoming campaign.
Jurgen Klopp's side went on a superb unbeaten run at the end of the league season, winning seven of their last 10 fixtures, but that wasn't enough to overhaul Manchester United or Newcastle.
United and Newcastle are two of four Premier League sides - the others being Manchester City and Arsenal - that will feature in the final iteration of the Champions League in its current format, prior to the competition undergoing a revamp.
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For the 2024/25 season, the number of teams involved will rise from 32 to 36, with no traditional group stage.
The clubs will instead play in a single league phase, where they play eight teams - four matches at home, and four matches away.
From there, the teams who finish in the top eight will qualify for the last 16, with teams who finish between ninth and 16th contesting a play-off round. The remainder of the knockout stage will be unchanged.
And the new format could have a major impact on Liverpool and other Premier League sides.
Why UEFA rule change could affect Liverpool and other Premier League clubs
To make up the four additional teams in the 2024/25 season, UEFA will introduce a rule change which gives sides new opportunities to qualify.
Automatic qualification will be granted to the two best-performing European nations from the previous campaign.
This is significant for English clubs, as based upon 2022/23 performances, both England and Italy would receive an extra qualification spot in the Champions League.
Manchester City defeated Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League, while West Ham beat Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final. Roma, meanwhile, qualified for the Europa League final but lost to Spanish side Sevilla.
While the change does not affect Liverpool for the upcoming campaign, Klopp's side would be able to finish fifth next season and still almost certainly guarantee Champions League football, given the recent dominance of English clubs in European football.