The Stats Zone
February 9 2023, 22:44 · Alex Lawes

2022-23 UEFA Champions League knockout stage team preview: Liverpool

2022-23 UEFA Champions League knockout stage team preview: Liverpool

IN BRIEF

Manager: Jurgen Klopp

Group stage performance: 2nd (LWWWWW - vs Ajax, Napoli, Rangers)

UEFA Champions Leagues/European Cups: 6 (1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 2004/05, 2018/19)

Last season’s performance: Runners’ up

SO FAR…

Liverpool have had a really difficult season so far, across all competitions, and they began their UEFA Champions League group stage really poorly, too, with a 4-1 defeat away to Napoli but they recovered well and the following five performances and results were probably all in their top six or seven performances and results throughout the season.

After their shock hammering at the hands of the relentless and remarkably impressive Neapolitans, Liverpool ended up nearly topping the group but fell short thanks to that result hurting their head-to-head record.

They came from behind to defeat Ajax in a hard-fought match in the second game of the groups and followed that up with four more wins, scoring 16 goals and conceding just two in the five wins.

In that impressive run of form, they came from behind at Ibrox to hammer Rangers by seven goals to one, after being level at half-time. Mohamed Salah scored the quickest ever UEFA Champions League hat-trick in the second-half of that match.

WHAT ARE LIVERPOOL’S CHANCES IN THE KNOCKOUT STAGES?

Last season, Liverpool came so close to winning the quadruple. They won both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup by defeating Chelsea on penalties in the respective finals. They lost the league title on the final day of the season to Manchester City with City scoring three goals in five minutes after the 73rd minute to come from 2-0 down and then lost the UEFA Champions League final to Real Madrid, again.

The Reds have struggled to replace their ageing midfield and have had to cope with further defensive issues. For example, both Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are expected to miss both legs of their Last 16 tie against Madrid.

Jurgen Klopp’s reign may well be coming to an end this season and if it isn’t then a UEFA Champions League run will be required. Fortunately for the six-time European champions, they are facing a Real Madrid side that are stuttering and the pressure is mounting on their boss, Carlo Ancelotti.

Liverpool have been knocked out in the Round of 16 or earlier in just one of their last five entrances into the competition, all under the management of Klopp.

ODDS TO WIN THE 2022-23 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 11/1

Odds used are the best at Oddschecker at the time of writing