Tottenham were beaten 2-0 by Chelsea on Thursday night and the defeat has impacted Liverpool’s 2024/25 season dramatically as the Reds have officially qualified for the Champions League.
The Merseyside club were absent from Europe’s top competition this season and one of their main goals for the campaign before a ball was kicked would have been to bring Champions League football back to Anfield.
That has now been officially achieved following Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sit third in the Premier League table, 15 points ahead of fifth-placed Spurs, who have four games left to play.
Liverpool are England’s most successful club in the competition and some of the Reds’ greatest moments throughout their history have occurred in Europe’s elite tournament. Champions League organisers will be delighted to have the Merseyside club back in the draw as Anfield comes alive when European football is in town.
The Reds will have a new manager in Arne Slot for the 2024/25 campaign and this news will make the Dutch coach’s life much more straightforward as it will be easier to convince players over the summer to come join his project at Anfield.
The Champions League has a new format for Liverpool’s return
The Champions League will look a lot different for the 2024/25 campaign as UEFA have decided to change the format. A new league format including 36 clubs will replace the current 32-team group phase.
Each side will play eight matches against eight different teams – four at home and four away – between September and January. The top eight finishers in the league phase advance directly to the last 16, while sides placed ninth to 24th will contest two-legged play-offs to reach the knockout stage.
Liverpool will be among the favourites to win the Champions League next season and although things have been tough for the Reds in recent weeks, this is something to be cheerful about.