Liverpool are looking to go one step further than they did last time out when they begin their sixth successive season in the Champions League in the 2022-23 group stage.
The Reds won six out of six in their group and scored 13 times in three knockout stage ties to reach the final in 2021-22, when they were edged out by the only goal of the game in the final in Paris against Real Madrid.
Perennial contenders in recent seasons, Liverpool lifted the Champions League in 2019 by winning an all-English final against Tottenham a year before ending their 30-year wait for a Premier League title.
Their place in this season’s competition was never in doubt during a tight race to finish top of the 2021-22 Premier League, only finishing a point behind champions Manchester City because of a decisive goal by their rivals in the final nine minutes of the season.
This time around, Jurgen Klopp’s side are generally considered third-favourites with bookmakers to win the final, behind City and Paris St-Germain and slightly ahead of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
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Napoli vs Liverpool
Liverpool’s opener in the 2022-23 Champions League takes the Reds to opponents who they have never scored an away goal against in three attempts.
Top of Serie A and unbeaten in their first five league matches, Napoli’s excellent form to begin Luciano Spalletti’s second campaign in charge makes them dangerous for visitors who have dropped points in three of the six games that have made up their own stuttering start to the season.
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| Date | September 7 | September 7 | September 7 | September 8 |
| Time | 20:00 | 15:00 ET | 15:00 ET | 05:00 AET |
| TV channel | BT Sport 2 | – | – | – |
| Streaming | BT Sport app, BTSport.com, LiveScore app, | ViX, VIX+, Paramount+ | DAZN | Stan Sport |
In the US, Spanish-language coverage of the Champions League is available on fuboTV, which also offers a free trial to new subscribers.
In Canada, every Champions League game streams live on DAZN.
For Australian fans, Champions League matches are streamed on Stan Sport.
Who do Liverpool play in the Champions League group stage?
The path to the 2022/23 final in Istanbul is taking shape and Liverpool now know the group stage opponents they must navigate.
Finishing top of their group will ensure Liverpool get the best route possible in the round of 16. Only the top two advance from each group.
Liverpool have been drawn in Group A and will face Ajax, Napoli and Rangers in the group stage.
The odds to win/qualify from Group A are currently:
| Club | Odds: Win, Qualify (USA: FanDuel) |
Odds: Win, Qualify (UK: SkyBet) |
Odds: Win, Qualify (Canada: SportsInteraction) |
Odds to win group (Australia: Bet365) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | -210, -1100 | 2/7, 1/12 | 1.30, 1.04 | 1.28 |
| Ajax | +550, +100 | 11/2, 10/11 | 6.56, 1.92 | 7.50 |
| Napoli | +700, +110 | 6/1, Evens | 7.03, 2.02 | 7.50 |
| Rangers | +1500, +280 | 14/1, 3/1 | 18.45, 7.25 | 15.00 |
Odds correct as of Sept. 5
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Ajax
The Dutch champions and four-time European Cup winners were dumped out of the Champions League in the last 16 to Benfica last season; had they reached the quarterfinals, they would have faced Liverpool.
Alfred Schreuder is embarking on his first season in charge of the Amsterdammers after Erik ten Hag left for Manchester United in the summer.
Napoli
Now coached by Luciano Spalletti, Napoli saw their Champions League campaign end at the last-16 stage last term as Barcelona progressed at their expense.
These teams beat each other 1-0 at home in the group stage in 2018/19, when Liverpool finished in second above the Partenopei on goal difference.
The following season, Napoli were the only team to beat the Reds in Group E as both sides progressed to the last 16.
🎯 Darwin Nunez had more shots at goal (7) than passes completed (6) vs. Everton. #EVELIV #EFC #LFC pic.twitter.com/qLWztTnWwz
— Sporting News Football Club (@sn_footballclub) September 3, 2022
Rangers
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side beat PSV in a Champions League qualifier over two legs to reach the group stage for the first time since 2010/11.
During that season, Rangers shared a group with eventual finalists Manchester United, finishing third behind the Red Devils and Valencia.
Liverpool’s Champions League fixtures 2022/23
This season’s Champions League group stage is densely packed to accommodate the start of the FIFA World Cup in November. Here are the dates and times around the world of Liverpool’s matches, with home games denoted by (H) and away fixtures by (A).
| UK | US | Canada | Australia | |
| Napoli (A) | September 7 (20:00) | September 7 (15:00 ET) | September 7 (15:00 ET) | September 8 (05:00 AEST) |
| Ajax (H) | September 13 (20:00) | September 13 (15:00 ET) | September 13 (15:00 ET) | September 14 (05:00 AEST) |
| Rangers (H) | October 4 (20:00) | October 4 (15:00 ET) | October 4 (15:00 ET) | October 5 (05:00 AEST) |
| Rangers (A) | October 12 (20:00) | October 12 (15:00 ET) | October 12 (15:00 ET) | October 13 (05:00 AEST) |
| Ajax (A) | October 26 (20:00) | October 26 (15:00 ET) | October 26 (15:00 ET) | October 27 (05:00 AEST) |
| Napoli (H) | November 1 (20:00) | November 1 (15:00 ET) | November 1 (15:00 ET) | November 2 (05:00 AEST) |
MORE: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp opens up on ‘strange’ Bournemouth result
Liverpool in the Champions League
As well as that triumph in 2018-19, Klopp has guided Liverpool to two other Champions League finals in his seven seasons at the helm, losing to Madrid last season and in 2018, when Gareth Bale scored twice.
Before then, Liverpool won the European Cup – the previous incarnation of the Champions League – in successive years in 1977 and 1978, as well as in 1981 and 1984.
Their victory in Istanbul in 2005 was arguably the most dramatic Champions League final of all time.
Opponents AC Milan took the lead in the first minute and were 3-0 up by half-time, when legend has it that some Liverpool fans in the stadium were sufficiently disheartened to make their exit.
Legendary captain Steven Gerrard launched a remarkable response by scoring the first of three Liverpool goals in eight second-half minutes. Their comeback was completed by a penalty shootout win.
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