Liverpool recovered from a poor season in 2022/23 to send Jurgen Klopp out in good fashion.
The Reds had consistently been one of the best teams in Europe during Klopp’s almost nine-year tenure.
However, they dipped considerably in the German’s penultimate season at Anfield, finishing fifth in the Premier League and crashing out of the Champions League in the last-16.
With Klopp determined to put things right though, the Reds rallied to finish third. Their Europa League quarter-final finish was a disappointment, but Klopp has left the Liverpool squad in a good place for Arne Slot to pick up.
Liverpool will be back and Champions League for the season ahead and if UEFA’s new European club rankings are anything to go by, they should certainly be challenging.
UEFA release new European club rankings
It has hard to put an expectation on what Liverpool should be doing in continental competition next season.
However, this is Liverpool. The club has an incredible link with the European Cup in particular. It’s part of Liverpool’s history that whatever state the team is in, they should be competitive in Europe.
That was a tradition richly upheld by Klopp during his time with the Reds. The 57-year-old added to Liverpool’s impressive trophy history on the continent.
For Slot, things will be slightly different. The 45-year-old has managed in the Champions League before, coming third in a group with Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Celtic last season.
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At Liverpool though, much, much more will be expected. Under Klopp Reds supporters had become used to being one of the biggest boys in the schoolyard, but expectation may initially need to be managed under his successor.
Not so, according to UEFA themselves, though. The new UEFA European club rankings have Liverpool as the fourth best club on the continent ahead of the new season, one place above last year.
Based on the past five campaigns, Liverpool have accumulated a co-efficient score of 96. They are someway off the three in-front of them, though.
Bayern Munich are in third, with 108 points, Real Madrid in second on 119 and Manchester City lead the way with a score of 123.
What about the other English clubs?
This is a really interesting list from UEFA as it is done relatively scientifically. There is no subjective calls, it is calculated via a rigid ranking system.
As a result, there are a couple of surprising outcomes. Despite being really poor for two consecutive years, for example, Chelsea still somehow find themselves in ninth place.
The Blues are the third best English side, with Manchester United not too far off in 14th. Then – a little shockingly – come West Ham in 16th place, with Arsenal sitting way down in 19th.
And the Gunners aren’t the only big side to be in a slightly embarrassing position. Barcelona sit just one spot above them in 18th, while Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus are in 22nd and 23rd respectively.
Out of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ sides, Tottenham are the lowest, coming in 45th in the rankings.
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