Liverpool's draw card for the Champions League draw
Liverpool will return to the Champions League this season(Image: Valerio Pennicino - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
View Image
Liverpool are a step closer to finding out their Champions League league phase opponents following the conclusion of the third qualifying round on Tuesday night. The Reds will find out which eight sides they will face on August 27 when the league phase draw takes place, with 29 of the 36 clubs making up this year’s tournament already known.
The final seven berths will be decided by the Champions League play-off round. And those seven ties have now been confirmed, with the ties set to be played on August 18-19 and August 25-26.
In the league path, Lyon will face Fenerbahce after overcoming 10-man Sparta Prague 4-2 on aggregate. Former Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton was on the scoresheet for the Ligue 1 outfit as they won 3-0 at home in the second leg to set up a clash with the Turkish giants following their own 3-0 aggregate win over Sturm Graz.
NEC will face Bodo/Glimt in the second league path qualifier, after clinching a surprise 2-1 AET aggregate win over 10-man Olympiacos.
Bodo/Glimt also required extra-time to see off Union Saint-Gilloise 6-5 on aggregate, as they clinched a late 3-2 home win to progress against their 10-man opponents, who received a further two red cards after the final whistle.
In the champions path, Celtic will face LASK in a tie that had already been prior to the play-off round with both sides only entering the tournament at this stage.
Levski Sofia beat Kairat 2-0 on aggregate to set up a final qualifying clash with AEK Athens, while Dinamo Zagreb’s hefty 7-1 aggregate win over Kauno Zalgiris, despite having a man sent off in their 2-1 second leg victory, has earned them a meeting with Viking.
Slovan Bratislava and Celje will face off after both coming through the third qualifying round successfully.
The Slovakians won 4-1 on aggregate against Mjallby AIF, while the Slovenians progressed after two late goals earned them a 2-0 second leg win over Ararat-Armenia to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
The final qualifier will see Hapoel Be’er Sheva face Sabah. The Israeli outfit clinched a surprise 2-0 away win over Red Star Belgrade, who had two players sent off, to advance 3-0 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijanis thrashed AGF Aarhus 4-0 at home to progress 5-2 on aggregate.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF ROUND
Champions path
Levski Sofia vs AEK Athens
Celtic vs LASK
Dinamo Zagreb vs Viking
Slovan Bratislava vs Celje
Hapoel Be’er Sheva vs Sabah
League path
Fenerbahce vs Lyon
NEC vs Bodo/Glimt
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE PHASE DRAW
Liverpool are already confirmed to be in pot one for the league phase draw later this month, along with holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Man City, Arsenal, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
With the Reds unable to be drawn against either Arsenal or Man City, they will face two from PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
Pot two is also confirmed and will be made up of Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, Sporting CP, Aston Villa, FC Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven.
Again, with Liverpool unable to face either fellow Premier League side, they will be drawn against two of the other seven sides.
Feyenoord, Lille, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray are already confirmed to be in pot three, with the final two berths decided following the conclusion of qualifying rounds.
The winners of Fenerbahce and Lyon will also go into pot three, with Bodo/Glimt completing the pot if they progress past NEC.
If Bodo/Glimt lose to NEC then victory for Dinamo Zagreb over Viking would see them complete pot three. But should the Croatians be knocked also, then the already-qualified Slavia Prague will instead go into the pot.
Meanwhile, VfB Stuttgart, Como and Lens are already confirmed to be in pot four, and they will be joined by the winners of Levski Sofia/AEK Athens, Celtic/LASK, Slovan Bratislava/Celje and Hapoel Be’er Sheva/Sabah.
Slavia Prague will also be in pot four if Bodo/Glimt and/or Dinamo Zagreb qualify for the Champions League league phase. NEC and/or Viking would then complete the pot if they instead progressed at the expense of the aforementioned pot three hopefuls.
Liverpool will face two sides from both pot three and pot four to complete their Champions League league phase draw.
Get YOUR Liverpool FC Newsletter
Get the best Liverpool FC news and analysis straight to your Inbox courtesy of the Echo!
Yours in just two simple steps.
POT ONE
Paris Saint-Germain
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Inter Milan
Man City
Arsenal
Barcelona
Atletico Madrid
POT TWO
Borussia Dortmund
AS Roma
Sporting CP
Aston Villa
FC Porto
Manchester United
Club Brugge
Real Betis
PSV Eindhoven
POT THREE
Feyenoord
Lille
Napoli
RB Leipzig
Villarreal
Shakhtar Dontetsk
Galatasaray
Fenerbahce OR Lyon
Bodo/Glimt OR Dinamo Zagreb or Slavia Prague
POT FOUR*
Dinamo Zagreb (if Bodo/Glimt progress) OR Viking
Slavia Prague (if Bodo/Glimt and/or Dinamo Zagreb progress)
NEC (if they beat Bodo/Glimt)
VfB Stuttgart
Como
Lens
Levski Sofia OR AEK Athens
Celtic OR LASK
Slovan Bratislava OR Celje
Hapoel Be’er Sheva OR Sabah