The progress of Liverpool in the Champions League of this season was even more impressive than their Premier League form, in which the Reds won seven victories of seven games prior to Wednesday evening's trip to PSV Eindhoven.
As a result of that perfect record, Arne Slot chose to leave some of his big names at home for the trip to his native Holland, with Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold among 12 first teamers in the matchday Squadron missed the game.
Slot made his decision safe in the knowledge that the Reds are guaranteed to end the first or second in the new extensive Champions League, and in sporting terms those positions essentially mean the same.
As people get a grip on how the new format works, several questions have been asked about what the Reds in the knock -out phase of the tournament are waiting. So this is what we know prior to the kick -off.
Where does Liverpool end in the Champions League table?
The Reds are guaranteed to be the first or second in the 36 team League phase whatever happens in Eindhoven. If they win or pull against the Eredivisie side, they will finish the top, while they will also finish the top if they lose and do not beat Barcelona atalanta at home.
Is there a difference between the first and second ending in the Champions League?
Not really, other than in the bank account. Every victory in the competition phase is worth around £ 1.7 million, with each trek around £ 587,000. Each position in the table is worth around £ 230,000, with the team that completed the top of around £ 8.3 million, plus a bonus of £ 1.6 million for a top eight place.
The first and second teams in the table are placed on either side of the bracket for the knockout phase of the competition, which means that they cannot encounter the rest of the tournament to the final.
Who plays Liverpool in the round of 16?
The key positions to pay attention here are the teams that end 15 to 18th in the competition phase. Liverpool plays a team that ends in one of these positions, regardless of whether they are the first or second.
Prior to Wednesday's matches, the teams that are 15th-12th are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus and Celtic, but this will change considerably during the evening. When the competition is finally decided, the 15th place plays 16th in the Play -Ooff and the 17th plays 18th. The winners of these matches play a side that first came in second and first played their home leg. Liverpool and the other top two-team are guaranteed an away game in the second stage of their last 16-drawing game, but a draw will then determine home and road legs in the future. The draw for the Playoff round takes place on Friday at 11 am in the UK, when Liverpool will have a clearer idea of their next opponent.
Who could play Liverpool in the quarterfinals?
That is of course still far away, but the teams that end first and second in the competition phase (Liverpool Plus another one) will be placed in the same quarter of the draw as the sides that end in the seventh and eighth in the competition phase, earning them Last 16 place.
The teams that finish seventh and eighth face the winners of the play -offs between the ninth and 23rd and 23rd and 24th and 24th and 24th of the teams in the competition phase.
Comments