Liverpool will find out their Champions League opponents on Monday.
The teams entering the round of 16 have been finalised after Wednesday’s action.
Liverpool are among two other English teams representing the Premier League in Europe’s biggest club competition.
Jurgen Klopp’s team finished top of Group D so will avoid a number of other group winners including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester City, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.
The teams Liverpool can face
There are a number of potentially fascinating encounters lying in-store for the Reds and a number of teams Klopp will hope Liverpool avoid.
According to The Mail, the most likely Champions League draw for Liverpool is against Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.
This would be considered a favourable draw for the Reds, as would FC Porto, Sevilla or even Lazio.
The Three toughest opponents
Barcelona
Even in the midst of what is considered to many as a club crisis, Barcelona still represent a very dangerous proposition.
Just four wins from 10 La Liga matches would argue differently but as Liverpool have found out in the past, in a two-legged encounter with Lionel Messi, anything is possible.
The Catalonia giants are still discovering their identity and searching for momentum under manager Ronald Koeman. Facing Barcelona in February 2021 could see them finally begin to click.
Not the worst potential draw, but one definitely worth avoiding.
Atletico Madrid
If there is one draw Kopites would bite your hand off to avoid it would be against Diego Simeone’s well-drilled outfit.
Atletico got the better of Liverpool last season and Klopp will be eager to avoid going up against such a defence orientated team a second year running.
The Spanish outfit are by far the most in-form team in the pot with Atletico currently top of La Liga – six points clear of current holders Real and with a game in hand.
Atletico have lost just once all season, a 4-0 defeat to Bayern in October, and with the likes of Luis Suarez, João Félix, Saúl Ñíguez and Yannick Carrasco at Simeone’s disposal, this is a team that could certainly do damage to Liverpool.
RB Leipzig
Liverpool will also want to avoid German upstarts RB Leipzig, who are gridlocked in a title race in the Bundesliga with Bayern.
Under manager Julian Nagelsmann, Leipzig are arguably the most exciting and dangerous upcoming team in Europe – as Manchester United discovered on Wednesday.
With the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Marcel Sabitzer and Ibrahima Konaté all at Nagelmann’s disposal, avoiding Leipzig at such an early stage of the competition would be most welcomed.
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