Liverpool will discover their path to the Champions League final on Friday, facing either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray in the last-16, with dream and nightmare scenarios mapped out
08:55, 26 Feb 2026
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Liverpool remain on the hunt for Champions League glory(Image: Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images))
Liverpool will learn their route to the Champions League final on Friday, with Europe's elite competition now poised to enter the last-16 stage.
The Reds are aware they will meet either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray next month, with the former having confirmed its progression by defeating Club Brugge on Tuesday, while the latter required extra time to eliminate Juventus in Turin on Wednesday.
However, it's not merely the last-16 fixtures that will be determined on Friday. The contemporary format of the Champions League, which was initially introduced last season, means Arne Slot and his team will also have their potential journey to the final in May outlined.
Now that the final 16 sides remaining in the tournament are confirmed, we can examine what that might ultimately look like - and there exists the possibility of either an ideal or daunting scenario for the Reds....
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Ideal scenario
There are naturally only two possibilities for the last-16 in Galatasaray or Atletico Madrid, and whichever team Liverpool draw will determine which section of the bracket they're positioned in. At the risk of this proving premature, the section that Atletico occupies does possess the potential to be the more straightforward path - on paper at least.
Should Liverpool navigate another encounter with Diego Simeone's outfit, then a quarter-final meeting with Newcastle appears to be the preferable option, provided the Magpies can overcome either Chelsea or Barcelona. Defeat Eddie Howe's side and Reds supporters would certainly relish a semi-final against the competition's surprise package Bodo/Glimt.
While that may appear highly improbable, it remains a possibility, and would represent the ideal route to securing a place in the final.
There remains a prospect of a relatively favourable path to Budapest on the other side of the draw. Overcoming Galatasaray could set up a quarter-final against Chelsea, which is perhaps the more palatable option compared to Paris Saint-Germain or Barcelona, with the possibility of a semi-final encounter with Sporting CP.
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Nightmare scenario
Either side of the draw could present Liverpool with a daunting prospect. What constitutes the true nightmare scenario may well hinge on whether you consider Galatasaray or Atletico the stiffer challenge.
Either of those last-16 ties could set the Reds on a collision course with Barcelona in the quarter-finals, followed by Arsenal in the semi-finals.
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Equally, there exists the possibility of a rematch of last season's meeting with PSG in the quarter-finals, while Bayern Munich or Manchester City in the semi-finals would hardly be a welcome prospect, particularly having already suffered two defeats to Pep Guardiola's side this season - and nor would Real Madrid.
Regardless, Liverpool will be among the favourites to go all the way to the final, and should that materialise, the Reds will be brimming with confidence in claiming their seventh European crown.