Liverpool.com examines Liverpool's potential opponents in the first round of the Champions League. One draw is certainly more difficult than the others.
In the Champions League, Liverpool has no fear. Jürgen Klopp's Reds were the murderers after being drawn in the group of death, putting Atlético Madrid, AC Milan, and Porto to the sword, becoming the first English side to win six out of six in the Champions League group stages.
The knockout stages are a different animal than the knockout stages, where confidence is inherently high. The intensity of club football climbs many levels by the time the Round of 16 matches begin in February, when leagues and cups are decided. With the January transfer window to contend with and lots of games to play, the Liverpool team selected in Monday night's draw might look very different by the time a ball is kicked.
Despite this, there is still merit in examining the six potential opponents as things are. Within the confines of the AXA Training Centre, I can guarantee you that they will be doing exactly that. Liverpool's task has been made easier by the fact that they finished first in their group and have nationality protection in the final 16. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and holders Chelsea are the three most dangerous teams in the league. There are plenty of fascinating games and familiar faces among the remaining contenders, with Liverpool likely to start all fixtures as firm favorites to advance, with one possible exception...
Saint-Germain-des-Pres:
- Currently in first place in the league
- Semi-finals in the CL last season
PSG are the only team Liverpool would prefer to avoid, despite a stuttering campaign in which the current wave of superstars doesn't seem to fit. Mauricio Pochettino's team may have lost points to Club Brugge and RB Leipzig unexpectedly, but their defeat of Manchester City proved what they were capable of at their best.
PSG already has an 11-point lead over the rest of Ligue 1, allowing them to focus entirely on accomplishing their holy grail of winning the Champions League. By that stage in the season, the dazzling front three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar should have found their stride and be ready to put Liverpool's superior defensive unit to the test. The Parisians lack their own elite defensive unit, which might be the deciding factor against a team that is scoring goals of such high quality in such large amounts as Liverpool is this season.
With a number of battle lines created between the sets of players during two high-octane group stage games in 2018/19, both sides won at home, the likely return of Gini Wijnaldum would add another layer of passion to a potentially explosive tie. After going on to win the trophy that year, Liverpool will feel like they won that battle, and with Messi returning to Anfield, there will be more than a passing reference to a certain other encounter that season...
Inter Milan is a club based in Milan,
- Currently in 2nd place in the league
- Group Stages from the previous CL season
A quick return to San Siro will definitely please the visiting fans, who had a great time both in the city and during this week's comeback triumph over AC Milan. This season, Inter will believe they were slightly above average in their group. It was to be predicted that they would lose to Real Madrid twice and beat Sheriff twice, and they did beat Shakhtar Donetsk, with the home triumph on Matchday Five being the crucial result.
After winning Serie A last season, making it out of the group stages for the first time in a decade is a significant step forward for this team, especially given the departure of three key players: manager Antonio Conte, league MVP Romelu Lukaku, and Achraf Hakimi, the best full-back in the world outside of the Premier League.
It would be unrealistic to expect their successors — Simone Inzaghi, Edin Dzeko, and Denzel Dumfries, respectively — to achieve those same world-class standards right away, but their impact on this squad is growing week by week. All three guys were pleased with their recent trip to Rome, where goals from Dumfries and former Roma striker Dzeko helped ex-Lazio coach Inzaghi to a 3-0 victory over his previous club.
Inter, like Liverpool, is competing for the league title against a number of teams, including Napoli and Atalanta, as well as its neighbors AC Milan. A clash with Liverpool is the last thing they need in February, when they already have a Milan derby and a trip to Naples planned.
Sporting Lisbon is a club based in Lisbon, Portugal
- Currently in 1st place in the league
- Didn't qualify for the CL last season
Sporting, like Inter, was in a straight fight for second place in their group, overcoming Borussia Dortmund, who were greatly favored. With both teams finishing on nine points, the Matchday Five victory proved decisive once again. Lisbon has undergone a complete transformation in recent seasons, with rookie coach Rben Amorim leading the team to their first league title in nearly two decades in 2020/21.
They, like Inter, haven't advanced this far in over a decade and would relish the chance to face one of Europe's biggest clubs in the Champions League draw on Monday.
Their club captain is well familiar with the Anfield environment. Sebastián Coates would like to convince Liverpool fans that he's progressed from the rash but eager 21-year-old who joined from Uruguay in 2011 to a high-quality centre back. Anyone who follows the Primeira Liga is already aware of this. Coates is in charge of a defense that has allowed 25 goals in 47 games since the start of last season, and he would love the opportunity to keep his former club at bay.
Pedro Porro, an intriguing Spanish right back, is another man eager to impress English eyes. Currently on a two-year loan from Manchester City, he is expected to sign a permanent move with Sporting in the summer for roughly €10 million. However, a strong showing against a major Premier League foe such as Liverpool could persuade Pep Guardiola to give his countryman an opportunity, as Joao Cancelo is needed at the back.
Benfica
- Currently in 3rd place in the league
- 3rd Qualifying Round in the CL last season
Despite having more Champions League experience than its Lisbon rivals, Benfica will be playing in their first knockout encounter in five years in the last 16. Only Pizzi, a central midfielder, is still with the team that was narrowly eliminated in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich a year ago, and while there are a few players familiar to Premier League fans in this group, like as Nicolás Otamendi, Jan Vertonghen, and Joo Mário, none are at their best. A thrilling victory over Barcelona provided them the boost they needed to qualify ahead of the Catalan giants, but their chances of a fairytale run remain small.
With only four points separating the three top contenders for the Primeira Liga this season, expect either prospective Portuguese opponent to be focused on their home affairs. Sporting's convincing 3-1 victory against Benfica on Friday suggests they were the better team, but all three will be exposed to the whims of Europe's wealthier clubs during the January transfer window.
Villarreal
- Currently ranked 13th in the league
- Didn't qualify for the CL last season (Europa League Winners)
All of Liverpool's prospective opponents are fascinating, but this one is the most intriguing. The Spaniards were the last club to qualify after an overwhelming winner-takes-all win away at Atalanta, and they're the only team unsure of their status in Europe next season after a dismal start to their league season. In their Champions League group, the Yellow Submarine won as many games as they did in 15 La Liga games. With Rayo Vallecano in 6th position 11 points behind them with Barcelona, Valencia, and Athletic Bilbao all chasing them down, their best chance of playing in Europe next season may be to win the Champions League.
Villarreal, and their manager Unai Emery, are to be appreciated within the peculiar environment of a two-legged tie, as fanciful as that may sound. After defeating RB Salzburg, Dynamo Kyiv, Arsenal, and Manchester United on their way to winning the Europa League last season, this group has earned valuable experience in difficult situations away from home, in games where they are outmanned in terms of talent. This evening in Bergamo, they demonstrated it once more.
Pau Torres, the centre back, and Arnaut Danjuma, the winger, have been extensively connected with a number of English clubs, including the two they have defeated. Gerard Moreno, the forward, was named to the Ballon D'Or shortlist for 2021, while Alberto Moreno, his namesake, has achieved a level of consistency that eluded him at Anfield. His return would be well-received, especially after his raucous celebrations at United's expense following their dramatic penalty shootout triumph in May.
Any dreams of progression would be dashed if Danjuma or Torres left in January, but this is a team capable of upsetting any team that underestimates them.
RB Salzburg is a club based in Salzburg, Austria
- Currently in first place in the league
- Group Stages from the previous CL season
Salzburg won the most competitive group in the competition this year. With all four teams still in contention on Matchday Six, it was the two teams that earned back-to-back victories — Salzburg and French Champions Lille — that advanced. This dynamic team full of young potential has broken through another new frontier by reaching this round for the first time, thanks to a brave 1-0 win over Sevilla.
Karim Adeyemi has dominated the headlines, terrifying defenders and winning penalties at an incredible pace. After Naby Keta, Sadio Mané, and Takumi Minamino, the German forward is expected to become the fourth Salzburg alumnus to join Liverpool. Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu have recently departed Austria to make their mark in the Premier League, with Mwepu already having a great strike to his name at Anfield.
Adeyemi isn't the only promising young player in the current crop; Nigerian attacker Chukwubuike Adamu and American midfielder Brendon Aaronson have also caught the eye. With a 12-point advantage already built, they should have little trouble retaining their Austrian Bundesliga crown. Their issues will stem from a lack of meaningful competition, as they will have no opponents in the same league as Liverpool to prepare for such a feat.
Inter Milan or Villarreal (18.71%) are Liverpool's most likely opponents in the draw, followed by PSG (17.86%), RB Salzburg (15.98%), and the two Portuguese teams (14.82 per cent). Intriguingly, if Chelsea plays Real Madrid first, the advantage flips to Paris (20%), with Salzburg (16.49%) ahead of the rest (15.88 per cent).
Believe me when I say that those draw generators may drive you nuts if you allow them, but the reality is that Liverpool should only have one opponent to worry about. Even a tie with PSG would be difficult to overcome. They'll be a match for any team with the form they've showed so far this season. On Monday, whoever's name is selected alongside Liverpool's, you can bet they'll be the most disappointed.
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