Last season, Liverpool banished the demons of their 2018 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid by lifting the trophy.
A 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital was enough to secure the Reds their first European title since 2005, and their path to retaining the trophy will be partially laid out on Thursday when the group stage draw for this year’s edition of the tournament is made.
The draw will take place on Thursday 29th August at 5pm (BST), and Liverpool fans will be hoping for a kinder set of opponents than last year.
The eventual champions emerged in second place from their difficult group last season, winning three and losing three in games against Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Crvena Zvezda, and a smoother ride would be appreciated by fans of Jurgen Klopp’s team this year.
Which teams in particular will Liverpool be hoping to avoid – and meet – in the draw from Monaco?
1/7 Liverpool’s hardest and easiest Champions League draws
The Reds are defending their title after clinching a sixth European crown in Madrid last season
EPA
2/7 Toughest draw from pot 2: Atletico Madrid
Few teams possess the defensive capabilities to subdue Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but if any side can keep those players at bay, it’s Diego Simeone’s
AFP/Getty Images
3/7 Toughest draw from pot 3: Inter Milan
Inter are a genuine dark horse this year, much improved by the additions of coach Antonio Conte and striker Romelu Lukaku
AFP/Getty Images
4/7 Toughest draw from pot 4: Lokomotiv Moscow
A trip to Lokomotiv is far from ideal, especially given that Liverpool can’t afford any slip-ups in the league
Getty Images
5/7 Easiest draw from pot 2: Benfica
Benfica are the least threatening option in a pot with both Madrid clubs, Dortmund, Napoli, Ajax and Shaktar
AFP/Getty Images
6/7 Easiest draw from pot 3: Club Brugge
Brugge are seemingly the safest draw from pot three, should they, as expected, emerge from their play-off with LASK. They could prove attractive with Inter, Valencia, Lyon and Leverkusen lurking from pot three
Bongarts/Getty Images
7/7 Easiest draw from pot 4: Slavia Prague
There a few potential banana skins in pot four (see Leipzig, Galatasaray, Lokomotiv). Slavia Prague shouldn’t be one of them.
Getty Images
1/7 Liverpool’s hardest and easiest Champions League draws
The Reds are defending their title after clinching a sixth European crown in Madrid last season
EPA
2/7 Toughest draw from pot 2: Atletico Madrid
Few teams possess the defensive capabilities to subdue Liverpool’s front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but if any side can keep those players at bay, it’s Diego Simeone’s
AFP/Getty Images
3/7 Toughest draw from pot 3: Inter Milan
Inter are a genuine dark horse this year, much improved by the additions of coach Antonio Conte and striker Romelu Lukaku
AFP/Getty Images
4/7 Toughest draw from pot 4: Lokomotiv Moscow
A trip to Lokomotiv is far from ideal, especially given that Liverpool can’t afford any slip-ups in the league
Getty Images
5/7 Easiest draw from pot 2: Benfica
Benfica are the least threatening option in a pot with both Madrid clubs, Dortmund, Napoli, Ajax and Shaktar
AFP/Getty Images
6/7 Easiest draw from pot 3: Club Brugge
Brugge are seemingly the safest draw from pot three, should they, as expected, emerge from their play-off with LASK. They could prove attractive with Inter, Valencia, Lyon and Leverkusen lurking from pot three
Bongarts/Getty Images
7/7 Easiest draw from pot 4: Slavia Prague
There a few potential banana skins in pot four (see Leipzig, Galatasaray, Lokomotiv). Slavia Prague shouldn’t be one of them.
Getty Images
See the above gallery for Liverpool’s best and worst case scenarios in Thursday’s draw.
