Liverpool could potentially have a group of death in the Champions League.
According to a report by AS, the group seeding for the Champions League group stage are almost complete and Liverpool’s slot in either group two or three depends on the qualifying tie between PAOK and Benfica.
The Reds managed to reach the Champions League final last season in a terrific run by Jurgen Klopp’s men, but reigning champions Real Madrid proved a step too far in Kiev as the Spaniards won a third successive title.
Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to the La Liga side coupled by their fourth-place finish in the Premier League has seen them seeded as England’s fourth team – behind Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
With four teams each from Europe’s leading leagues – Spain, England, Germany and Italy – automatically qualifying for Europe’s elite competition, the seeding has changed allowing for potential group of deaths.
So far, here are the names seeded for the group competition:
Group One: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, PSG, Lokomotiv Moscow.
Group Two: Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Manchester United, Shakthar Donetsk, Napoli, Tottenham Hotspur and Roma (one spot left).
Group Three: Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, CSKA Moscow and Ajax (three spots left).
Group Four: Club Brugges, Galatasary, Inter Milan, Hoffenheim, Young Boys and AEK Athens (two spots left).
Where will Liverpool be placed?
Liverpool’s spot is dependent on PAOK’s qualifying clash with Benfica tonight, with Spanish publication AS stating how the Reds will be placed in group two if PAOK go through and group three if Benfica succeed.
The two teams drew 1-1 in Portugal last week, therefore a 0-0 draw would be good enough for PAOK to go through in their upcoming second-leg in Greece.
Liverpool would surely be better off in group two, as to avoid the likes of Dortmund, Roma and Napoli.
A Benfica triumph, however, could see the Merseyside club potentially face a group of death, with possibly the worst possible outcome being placed in a group containing Barcelona, Napoli and Hoffenheim.
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