Liverpool is set to be in Pot 1 for the upcoming Champions League league phase, ensuring they avoid six other prominent teams.
The forthcoming season's Champions League marks the first with an expanded 36-team format, adopting the 'Swiss model' where a league system replaces the traditional group stage.
This expansion means an increase in matches, including eight 'group' games against various opponents, leading up to the standard knockout phase.
Liverpool awaits the league phase draw on August 29 to determine their opponents, but their placement in Pot 1 is confirmed.
Joining Liverpool in Pot 1 are:
- Man City
- Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Inter Milan
- Borussia Dortmund
- RB Leipzig
- Barcelona
Despite the format change, teams are still categorized into four pots, with each team playing two from each pot – one at home and one away during the league phase.
In a departure from tradition, teams from the same pot may face each other in this new setup. However, Liverpool will only encounter two teams from Pot 1, avoiding six high-profile matches during the league phase.
Typically, teams from the same country do not compete against each other in the league phase, but exceptions exist for countries with four or more teams to prevent scheduling conflicts.
This exception means Liverpool might compete against Man City in the league phase, although they will face only two teams from the list mentioned above.
The current Champions League league phase pots are as follows:
Pot 1: Man City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Barcelona
Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Juventus, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge
Pot 3: Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven
Pot 4: Sturm Graz, Brest
(Pot 2 or 3): Shakhtar Donetsk
