Liverpool have a rich history in the European Cup and Champions League, having won the continent’s most prestigious footballing prize six times.
They have their sights set on more glory this season, too, having reached the knockout stages of the 2022/23 competition as runners up in the group.
Here’s what they need to do to win the Champions League.
Liverpool route to the Champions League final
Liverpool’s awful opening day defeat to Napoli proved to be their undoing. While they won the remainder of their Group A games to finish level on points with the Serie A entertainers, a two-goal head-to-head goal difference saw the Reds come second.
That opened up four possible teams for Liverpool to face in the 2022/23 last 16; Bayern Munich, Benfica, Porto and Real Madrid.
As fate would have it, Jurgen Klopp’s side were pulled out to face Real Madrid, the same opposition that beat the Premier League outfit in last season’s chaotic final in Paris. They’ve met at a similar stage in the competition in recent years, too.
In the 2020/21 quarter finals, a 3-1 first-leg success helped Real see off an injury-stricken Reds before a goalless return fixture at Anfield.
To win the Champions League this season, Liverpool will have to destroy some demons and finally claim victory over Real, something which they haven’t done in over 12 years.
Liverpool did famously put the Spanish giants to the sword across two last-16 games in 2008/09, earning a particularly memorable 4-0 win at Anfield to go through to the quarter finals. However, the more recent history paints a different picture.
Two Champions League final defeats have been tough for Klopp’s side to take and their form so far this campaign doesn’t hint at a lengthy run in Europe, either.
However, should they overcome Real, they will then await the quarter-final and semi-final draws, which take place on the same day, to discover their route to the final.
When is Liverpool vs Real Madrid?
The exact dates of the ties are still to be confirmed, but the first legs of the last-16 stage of the 2022/23 Champions League are due to be played on 14, 15, 21 and 22 February, with the returns taking place on 7, 8, 14 and 15 March.
Liverpool potential knockout stage opponents
Some massive clubs remain in the hunt for Champions League glory this year.
Liverpool have played and beaten Paris Saint-Germain before. The Ligue 1 giants have to face Bayern Munich in the last 16, with one major contender certain to be knocked out.
Draw restrictions on groups and associations end for the quarter-final and semi-final draws, so Liverpool could come up against Manchester City, Chelsea or Tottenham if they each succeed in their last 16 ties. Another game against Napoli also can’t be ruled out.
Where is the Champions League final?
The final, to be hosted at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, is on 10 June. The stadium previously hosted the 2005 final between Liverpool and AC Milan and was due to stage it again in both 2020 and 2021, but Covid-19 complications saw the games moved on both occasions.
