Who could Liverpool face in Champions League last 16? Potential opponents for draw today | OneFootball

The Reds finished top of the league phase but tough knockout tie is on the cards next

Sailing through: Liverpool finished top of the Champions League league phase

Getty Images

Liverpool could be handed a tough Champions League last-16 test when the draw takes place this morning.

Arne Slot’s side sailed through the league stage to finish top of the standings, despite losing their final game to PSV Eindhoven.

In the new league phase format, the top eight teams progressed straight through to the last 16 and avoided an extra two-legged knockout play-off tie.

The teams from ninth to 24th were thrown into a play-off stage to confirm the eight unseeded teams in the last-16 stage.

Who will Liverpool face in Champions League last 16?

After finishing top of the league stage, Liverpool were drawn to face either the winners of the play-off ties between the 15th and 16th seeds, or the 17th and 18th seeds.

You would assume that would set up a relatively easy passage to the quarter-finals, but their four possible opponents heading into the play-offs were Paris Saint-Germain, Brest, Benfica or Monaco.

Benfica progressed past Monaco 4-3 on aggregate after a dramatic 3-3 draw in Portugal on Tuesday before PSG followed up their 3-0 first-leg win over Brest with a 7-0 thrashing in the second leg.

Liverpool will see their opponent confirmed - be it PSG or Benfica - during the last-16 draw on Friday, February 21.

The first leg of those ties will be played on either March 4 or March 5, with the return fixtures a week later.