Editions
Los 40 USA
Scores
Follow us on
Hello

Champions League

Three ways Liverpool can qualify for the Champions League round of 16 today against Lille

The Premier League leaders, spearheaded by Mohamed Salah, have won their six opening UCL games, taking them to the brink of qualification.

El delantero egipcio tiene doble dígito en goles y asistencias durante la actual campaña de Premier League, pero lo histórico es que lo hace previo a la Navidad.
John SibleyAction Images via Reuters

Liverpool have enjoyed a sensational 2024/25 season so far under Arne Slot, who has guided The Reds to the top of the Premier League and to the brink of direct qualification for the Champions League round of 16.

The Merseysiders take on Lille at Anfield on Tuesday (January 21) and will be expected to officially clinch their spot in the last 16. There are three ways they can do so.

Which teams qualify for the Champions League round of 16?

Before we investigate further, remember, the top eight teams in the league phase qualify directly for the round of 16, which will be played in the first two weeks of March.

The other eight teams will be decided by the knockout phase playoffs, which will see teams who finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase go head to head. The two-legged playoff will be held in the second and third week in February.

Liverpool’s six wins in a row at the start of the league phase mean they are best placed to be the first team to secure a top-eight finish and direct qualification for the last 16. This is how they can do it.

What Liverpool need to qualify for the UCL round of 16

A win against Lille at Anfield will ensure they finish in the top two, not just the top eight. Only Barcelona will be able to catch them, although that’s only if they defeat Benfica in Lisbon on Tuesday.

A draw against their French opponents will also be enough to clinch a top-eight place. That would take them onto 19 points, which only seven other clubs can match if they win their two remaining league phase fixtures.

Liverpool could even seal direct qualification for the round of 16 if they were to lose, although they would need a potentially unlikely sequence of results to go in their favour.

As it stands, 11 teams could still match or better their current tally of 18 points. Barça would be able to catch them on matchday eight no matter what, so they would need four of the next 10-ranked teams (Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Brest, Lille, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid and AC Milan) to drop points on matchday seven to qualify this week.

All in all, one point from their remaining two games at home to Lille and away to PSV Eindhoven (Wednesday, January 29) will seal the deal.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

Rules