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Liverpool have now qualified for another tournament alongside Champions League

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With the news that Liverpool have qualified for next season’s Champions League, there is an added bonus as the club will also return to the UEFA Youth League.

After Tottenham‘s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night, Liverpool’s all-but-certain spot in the Champions League for 2024/25 was then confirmed.

It comes after a campaign away from Europe’s top-tier tournament, and will see them one of 36 teams to enter the inaugural version of a new-look comPetition.

As ever, qualification for the Champions League also means Liverpool can enter an U19s side into the UEFA Youth League.

Like the expanded Champions League, next season’s UEFA Youth League will begin with a league format, though only six games will be played (three home, three away).

After that, the knockout stages begin with one-legged ties from the round of 32 onwards, with the semi-finals and final contested at a neutral venue over four days.

UEFA Youth League dates, 2024/25

FLEETWOOD, ENGLAND - Tuesday, December 19, 2023: Liverpool players line-up for a team group photograph before the FA Youth Cup 3rd Round match between Fleetwood Town FC Under-18's and Liverpool FC Under-18's at Highbury Stadium. Back row L-R: Lucas Pitt, Jayden Danns, Wellity Lucky, Amara Nallo, goalkeeper Kornel Misciur, Trent Kone-Doherty. Front row L-R: Trey Nyoni, Josh Davidson, Michael Laffey, Kieran Morrison, Lewis Koumas. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

League Phase

Matchday 1: September 17/18/19
Matchday 2: October 1/2
Matchday 3: October 22/23
Matchday 4: November 5/6
Matchday 5: November 26/27
Matchday 6: December 10/11

Knockout Phase

Round of 32: February 11/12
Round of 16: March 4/5
Quarter-finals: April 1/2
Semi-finals: April 25
Final: April 28

The draw for the league phase will take place in Monaco on August 29, when Liverpool will learn their first six opponents.

It will come as a big boost to the club’s academy, with the UEFA Youth League viewed as a crucial pathway from the U21s setup and towards the first team.

The likes of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Neco Williams, Rhys Williams, Stefan Bajcetic, Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon all cut their teeth in the comPetition before moving up the ranks.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 4, 2022: Liverpool's Oakley Cannonier (2nd L) celebrates scoring the opening goal with team-mates during the UEFA Youth League Group A Matchday 3 game between Liverpool FC Under-19's and Glasgow Rangers FC Under-19's at the Liverpool Academy. (Pic by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)

Last time out in 2022/23, the young Reds reached the quarter-finals, defeating Napoli, Ajax and Rangers in the group stage and Porto in the last 16, before being knocked out by Sporting CP.

Liverpool U21s will also face continental opposition in the Premier League International Cup, which they qualified for by finishing in the top 12 of their league.

Most recently, the U21s played Monaco, Benfica, Feyenoord and Athletic Club in this season’s tournament, which concluded with a 3-1 defeat to the latter.

Olympiakos were winners of this season’s UEFA Youth League, beating AC Milan 3-0 in the final at the end of April.

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