Liverpool host Qarabag in the Champions League as the Reds aim to secure a top-eight finish in their final league phase match of the campaign.
Liverpool vs. Qarabag
Champions League (8) | Anfield
January 28, 2026 | 8pm (GMT)
The Champions League has been a source of relief for Liverpool this season as they have jolted from methodical to disorderly in their various competitions.
There is only one objective on Wednesday and that is qualification in the top eight, a feat only guaranteed by beating Qarabag.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool will be without Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez after neither of them trained with the squad on Tuesday.
Konate missed Liverpool’s last two games due to the death of his father, while Joe Gomez went off injured on Saturday having clashed with Alisson as they attempted to prevent Bournemouth‘s first goal.
Arne Slot did have Chiesa back, though, after the attacker got injured in the warm-up before playing Marseille, which led to him missing the trip to Bournemouth.
Liverpool Predicted XI
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 24, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike on the pitch before the FA Premier League match between Bournemouth AFC and Liverpool FC at Dean Court. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With Konate and Gomez absent, Liverpool are expected to play Wataru Endo at centre-half alongside Virgil van Dijk, with Jeremie Frimpong on the right and Milos Kerkez or Andy Robertson at left-back.
In midfield, Curtis Jones has been a substitute for the last two matches, so he could come back in as Alexis Mac Allister makes way.
Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike is also expected to return to the starting XI, having only been on the bench against Bournemouth.
Predicted LFC XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Endo, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike
How Liverpool can finish in the top eight
Champions League Table: Who can still finish in the top 8
Pos Club GD Pts
1 Arsenal (Q) +18 21
2 Bayern Munich (Q) +13 18
3 Real Madrid +11 15
4 Liverpool +6 15
5 Tottenham +8 14
6 PSG +10 13
7 Newcastle +10 13
8 Chelsea +6 13
9 Barcelona +5 13
10 Sporting CP +5 13
11 Man City +4 13
12 Atlético Madrid +3 13
13 Atalanta +1 13
14 Inter Milan +6 12
15 Juventus +4 12
(Q) – Already qualified for the last 16.
Liverpool have already secured qualification from the league phase, but a finish in the top eight, which would mean skipping the play-off round and going straight into the last 16, isn’t yet confirmed.
Heading into the final matchday, Liverpool are fourth with 15 points and a goal difference of six. A win would guarantee passage to the round of 16.
If Liverpool were to draw, there are eight different teams that could realistically go above the Reds. If Liverpool were to lose, there are 11 teams that could go above them.
Put simply, a draw could just get Slot’s side over the line; a loss could see Liverpool drop out of the top eight.
Qarabag’s form
Qarabag Form: Last 5 Games
Fixture Result Score
Kapaz (H) L 0-2
Eintracht Frankfurt (H) W 3-2
Gabala (A) W 2-1
Sabah (A) L 1-2
Araz-Naxcivan (H) W 5-1
While they may be minnows in comparison to the European behemoth of Liverpool, Qarabag have been quietly performing well in the Champions League this season.
With 10 points from seven matches, they have beaten Benfica, Copenhagen and Frankfurt this season, as well as Shelbourne, Shkendija and Ferencvaros in qualifying.
They did suffer a surprise 2-0 loss at home to Kapaz in the Azerbaijan top flight at the weekend, but they made 11 changes, so the result shouldn’t have a bearing on Wednesday’s match.
Did you know?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 16, 2022: A vgeneral view of Anfield with the Liverpool skyline in the distance pictured after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
By playing against Qarabag, Liverpool will now have faced a club in Europe whose name starts with 25 of the 26 letters of the alphabet. The exception is now only the letter ‘X’!
The Azerbaijani side will make the longest journey of any team ever to make a visit to Anfield for a competitive game against Liverpool – a trip of some 2,583 miles.
Liverpool have won 13 of the last 14 Champions League group/league phase games played at home; the last group loss at Anfield came in 2009 against Fiorentina.
Arne Slot: “Andy Robertson is part of the team”
Liverpool have ended talks with Tottenham for now over the sale of Andy Robertson due to Roma reportedly not being willing to send fellow left-back Kostas Tsimikas back to Liverpool without a replacement.
Slot now says he expects Robertson to stay, explaining: “Robbo is part of the team tomorrow evening [against Qarabag], and he has been part of this squad and this club for so many years.
“Happy to have him, good that he’s available because that’s quite important for us at the moment! He will be part of the team and nothing happened from my side.
“It’s hard to say anything definitive in this world, but I expect him to stay, yes.”
Who is the referee for Liverpool vs. Qarabag?
LONDON, ENGLAND - Thursday, November 13, 2025: Referee Ivan Kruzliak during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Group K match between England and Serbia at Wembley Stadium. England won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool vs. Qarabag will be refereed by Ivan Kruzliak from Slovakia, with assistance on the sidelines from compatriots Branislav Hancko and Jan Pozor, while Peter Kralovic acts as fourth official.
Meanwhile, Dutch official Pol van Boekel is on video assistant referee duties and will be assisted by Jan Boterberg from Belgium.
Referee Kruzliak has taken charge of Liverpool three times before, the Reds winning all three, the last being at home vs. Genk in 2019.
When is the next round of the Champions League?
MARSEILLE, FRANCE - Wednesday, January 21, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai walking out before the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique de Marseille and Liverpool FC at the Stade Vélodrome. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The play-off round legs will take place either side of a trip to Nottingham Forest, with the first leg on February 17 or 18 and the second on February 24 or 25.
If Liverpool finish in the top eight, they’ll go straight through to the round of 16.
The first leg of a last-16 tie will take place on March 10 or 11, and the return leg will be on March 17 or 18. Falling between those games is a home match against Tottenham.
Follow the match with TIA
Liverpool vs. Qarabag is live on TNT Sports 2 with kickoff at 8pm (GMT).
TIA’s matchday live blog will be up and running from 7.15pm, with Henry Jackson tasked with keeping you entertained and up-to-date.
Come on you Reds!