Liverpool have ensured they will be in pot one for next season’s Champions League group-stages after ending their 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England.
Having stormed to the Premier League title this season, Jurgen Klopp’s side had already booked their place in Europe’s elite tournament for 2020/21 in mid-February as victory over Norwich City and results elsewhere saw them cement a top four finish with months to spare.
And while a league title win has seemed inevitable since the turn of the year, the Reds have now officially confirmed their status as top seeds for next year’s continental competition.
Next season’s group-stages will be drawn based on the 2019 UEFA country coefficients, which takes into account countries and clubs’ performances in European competitions from 2014/15 to 2018/19.
The league champions from the top six ranked nations (Spain, England, Italy, Germany, France and Russia) are drawn in pot one, alongside the reigning Champions League and Europa League champions, theoretically guaranteeing an easier draw.
Liverpool were drawn from pot one in this year’s edition of the Champions League, having secured their spot as reigning holders, and found themselves facing off against Napoli, Red Bull Salzburg and K.R.C. Genk.
However, they were drawn from pot three in both 2017/18 and 2018/19 due to their overall coefficients ranking, setting up clashes with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Sevilla in the process.
While the Reds have already comfortably won their domestic league, it’s a very different story around the continent.
In Spain, Real Madrid have managed to get themselves back on equal footing with Barcelona since their season's restart as they once again look certain to vie for the La Liga title, while Juventus boast a four-point advantage over Lazio in Italy in the Serie A title race.
Meanwhile in Germany and Russia, Bayern Munich have secured yet another Bundesliga title while Zenit St Petersburg lead FC Krasnodar by nine points.
Paris Saint-Germain are also joining Liverpool in pot one after Ligue 1 was curtailed early.
And with plenty of football also still to be played in both this season’s Champions League and Europa League in a revised format during the summer, the Reds face a wait before an idea of who they can face in next year’s tournament really starts to take shape.
