Curtis Jones will be returning to face his former club very soon after leaving for Inter Milan, after Liverpool's Champions League matchups for the 26/27 season were revealed on Thursday
Newly signed FC Internazionale player Curtis Jones poses for photos during his unveiling event at FC Internazionale Headquarters
Curtis Jones will be returning to Anfield just weeks after leaving Liverpool(Image: Photo by Pier Marco Tacca - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)
Curtis Jones will face his former club just weeks after his move to Italy, with Liverpool's Champions League matchups revealed.
On Thursday, Liverpool's league phase opponents were unveiled, with the club set to face eight of Europe's best sides, though it must be noted that, when the Reds face each squad, the fixtures will have to be finalized at a later date. What's more, Liverpool has shown its propensity to do well in the early phase of the Champions League.
That said, just weeks after he opted to move to Inter Milan, drawn by the fans' passion for the club during a visit, Jones will face his former club yet again.
In the Champions League this season, Liverpool will play Atletico Madrid (H), Inter Milan (A), Porto (H), Club Brugge (A), Villarreal (H), Fenerbahce (A), Lens (H), and LASK (A).
Liverpool will travel to San Siro once again, with Inter Milan hosting the Reds in a rematch of the pot one draw from last season. A late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai proved to be the difference-maker in the matchup, though both squads have changed since then.
Among the differences between that matchup and the upcoming clash is that Jones will no longer be suiting up in Liverpool red but rather in Inter Milan blue. It comes after the 25-year-old admitted that his visit to San Siro last season influenced his decision to leave Anfield.
Newly signed FC Internazionale player Curtis Jones attends his unveiling event at FC Internazionale Headquarters
Curtis Jones has officially left Liverpool after 16 years at the club(Image: Photo by Pier Marco Tacca - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)
"It feels amazing," Jones said with Inter's official club channels, as quoted by Football Italia. "I’ve wanted to come to Inter for a while now, so I’m really excited.
"I’m a Liverpool lad, a Scouser, and I’ve spent my whole life there. But at this stage of my career, I wanted to take the next step, and I think this is the perfect club for me to do that.
"The biggest thing was the feeling I had last season when I played against Inter in the Champions League and experienced the passion their fans have for the team.
"Of course, you can also talk about the trophies, the club’s history and all the great players who have worn this shirt. But the fans were the decisive factor.
"I was out on the San Siro pitch and I could hear them singing and supporting the players throughout. Coming from Liverpool, I’ve always been used to that kind of love and support, that strong connection with the fans. I hope I can build that same special bond with the Inter supporters."
That said, the star will have to face a club that he knows has been dominant in the early phase of the Champions League, though it remains to be seen how they will perform under Andoni Iraola.
Since the introduction of the new format, which involves eight matches and a league table that brings all teams together, Liverpool finished first during the first campaign. Last season, the Reds finished in third in the overall standings.
In the knockout rounds, however, Liverpool has been knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in consecutive seasons.