Liverpool’s possible opponents for Champions League are clearer – Lijnders reunion?

Fourteen opponents are vying for the final seven spots in the Champions League this season, and Liverpool’s potential opponents could still include Pep Lijnders’ Salzburg.

The premier European comPetition officially gets underway in mid-September, but since June clubs have been comPeting for the last remaining spots.

Liverpool’s qualification came from the performances in the league under Jurgen Klopp last season, but it is Arne Slot who will lead a European campaign for the first time at Anfield.

With the club back where it belongs, there will be some level of expectation – but we have to remember we are returning to a different-looking Champions League.

The new format has seen the comPetition grow from 32 teams to 36, there is no group stage and each team will play eight Games before possible knockout fixtures instead of six.

Twenty-nine teams have already guaranteed their place and now 14 are left to compete for the seven places remaining in the final play-off round.

Battle for last 7 spots

The third round of qualifying is over, leaving just one final play-off round before the 36 teams comPeting in the comPetition this season are locked in.

There are several teams who the Reds have played in recent seasons still fighting for their place, and that includes Lijnders who is now just two games away from the competition proper:

Young Boys vs. Galatasaray
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Qarabag
Midtjylland vs. Slovan Bratislava
Bodo/Glimt vs. Red Star Belgrade
Malmo vs. Sparta Prague
Lille vs. Slavia Prague
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Salzburg

The play-off round takes place over two legs, they will be played on August 20/21 and August 27/28 – concluding on the eve of the draw.

The clubs who do not win their ties will drop down into the Europa League for 2024/25, so all is not lost.

Clubs already qualified

England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa

Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atletico Madrid

Germany: Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund

Italy: Inter, AC Milan, Juventus, Bologna, Atalanta

France: PSG, Monaco, Brest

Rest of Europe: PSV, Feyenoord, Sporting, Benfica, Club Brugge, Celtic, Sturm Graz, Shakhtar Donetsk

When is the first draw?

The draw for the first stage of the Champions League will take place in Monaco on August 29.

With the competition growing in size, balls will not be drawn and instead, an automated computer system will allocate teams with seven different opponents.

Half the games will be played at home and the other half away, with no repeat fixtures.

• EXPLAINED: New Champions League format for 2024/25

Key dates

There is an increase in the number of games and that leaves plenty to keep an eye on when it comes to fixture and draw dates for the competition. For example, the initial phase doesn’t finish until January:

• League draw – August 29
• Matchday 1: September 17-19
• 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
• Matchday 7: January 21/22
• Matchday 8: January 29
• Play-off draw – January 31
• Knockout play-offs: February 11/12 and 18/19
• Last 16/quarter-final/semi-final draw – February 21
• Last 16: March 4/5 and 11/12
• Quarter-final: April 8/9 and 15/16
• Semi-final: April 29/30 and May 6/7
• Final: May 31 (Munich)