Liverpool Champions League pathway becomes clearer as two likeliest options emerge

Liverpool avoided the Champions League play-offs after finishing inside the top eight spots, but will be keeping an eye on how its potential last-16 opponents are getting on

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Liverpool avoided the Champions League play-off by finishing in the top eight of the league phase, meaning Arne Slot and his players have this midweek and the next one off.

Given the hectic schedule and the lack of options due to injuries and a limited pool of players for Liverpool to pick from at the moment, that was a huge boost. But the Reds can still keep an eye on developments in Europe in the meantime.

In the last-16, Liverpool knows that it will face one of Galatasaray, Juventus, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid. A draw will pair the winner of one of those ties with the Reds and one with Spurs.

On Tuesday, Galatasaray hammered 10-man Juventus by five goals to two, taking a commanding lead in that clash. The Italian side, at home next midweek, faces an uphill battle to progress.

Then on Wednesday, Club Brugge came from two goals down against Atletico Madrid, only for the Spanish outfit to retake the lead via a Joel Ordonez own goal and Christos Tzolis to level things up again.

It would appear, with Galatasaray winning by a three-goal margin, that it will be one of the two options that Liverpool could face next. Atletico Madrid, having drawn 3-3 in Belgium, will expect to get the job done in the reverse leg, but Club Brugge has given itself a chance.

Teun Koopmeiners scored twice for Juventus in the first leg of its play-off against Galatasaray(Image: Getty Images)

Looking further ahead, should Liverpool beat whoever it faces next, the rest of the competition is taking shape too.

PSG came from behind to beat fellow French side AS Monaco, with the winner of that match-up going on to face one of Barcelona or Chelsea in the last-16 before a potential meeting with Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Benfica and Real Madrid faced each other again, just a few weeks after the Portuguese side secured a spot in the play-offs in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating the Spanish giant thanks to goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's header.

UEFA is currently investigating alleged racist abuse directed at Vinicius Jr in that game.

Borussia Dortmund took charge of its tie with Atalanta, winning 2-0 in the home leg. Any one of those four sides is a potential semi-final opponent should Liverpool make it that far.

Liverpool — as a top-eight qualifier — will host the second leg of their last-16 tie at Anfield. The round of 16 draw is on February 27, a couple of days after the second legs in the play-offs are concluded.

Liverpool.com says: Right now, it is hard to see the Reds going all the way in the Champions League. However, with some luck in the draw and a continuation of their recent improvement, you never know.

Arne Slot's men have looked best in Europe this season, but playing teams over two legs, when elimination is a possibility, is completely different from the group phase when the pressure is essentially off.