Beaten in the Champions League final last time out, Liverpool will have to overcome tough opposition in Group C if they are to go all the way this season.
The Champions League group stage draw took place on Thursday where Liverpool were drawn in Group C alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade. Jurgen Klopp’s charges were always set to be faced with a tough draw after being placed in pot 3 but they would have hoped for a slightly easier hand than they’ve been dealt.
No one rises to the challenge of a tough European night like Liverpool do, though, and the club’s supporters have remained optimistic. After all, no one would have wanted to be drawn against last season’s beaten finalists.
Rival fans, however, seem less convinced by Liverpool’s chances of progressing from the group stages with some going so far as to suggest that an early exit from the competition awaits the club.
In order to avoid that, Liverpool know that they will need to secure results against either Napoli or PSG. The most likely of the two clubs to progress from Group C will come from this trio with Red Star Belgrade likely to offer little other than an entertaining away day. There are no easy games though, especially in a group of teams who all know how to win.
PSG pose the biggest and most obvious threat. The Parisians are the reigning Ligue 1 champions and are one of the few sides in the world who can boast an attacking line-up to match that of Liverpool’s. The Reds’ have made drastic improvements in defense in recent months but the likes of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk will have to be at their best to stop the goalscoring threat of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Liverpool met Napoli during a preseason friendly and came away with a resounding 5-0 victory. It would be foolish to see that result as a sign of things to come though as Napoli are a class outfit. The side from Naples narrowly missed out on the Serie A title last season and, similarly to PSG, are one of the best attacking outlets in Europe.
Red Star Belgrade are the obvious minnows in Group C and not much will be expected from them. While they shouldn’t be written off completely, the Serbian champions are the weakest side on paper and their task won’t have been made easier by the departure of star striker Aleksandar Pesic during the transfer window.
If Liverpool are able to progress from Group C they stand a genuine chance of challenging for the title again. The club’s near miss from last season illustrated why it has such a rich history in Europe and they will be looking to draw from that pedigree again this time around. They might have been drawn alongside some tough opposition but with the quality of their squad and the investments made in the market, Liverpool are as good a side as any.