The last round of the UEFA Champions League does not cause too much trouble for some teams. In fact, it is about Liverpool and Barcelona, who currently occupy the top two spots on the table, and that will remain the case even after tonight’s final round. Liverpool, who are visiting PSV in Eindhoven this evening (11PM), need just one point to secure first place in the group. There is even a scenario where they could remain in pole position despite a loss if Barcelona fails to defeat Italian side Atalanta. A victory would further demonstrate the strength of Arne Slot’s team this season, achieving a perfect record—eight wins in eight matches.Champions League night like no other – it’s time for date with destiny!The Dutch manager addressed similar calculations in the pre-match press conference, stating that, in the end, it doesn’t really matter which position his team finishes in.Liverpool’s coach is actually right because the new Champions League format ensures that the top two teams in the group stage will face opponents ranked 15th, 16th, 17th, or 18th in the knockout phase. Ultimately, everything comes down to the luck of the draw.”It has taken me a while to understand this new format but I’m now 100 per cent sure it doesn’t matter if you end up first or second.‘Because we are guaranteed to play the team that is 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th, and then it’s down to the draw. We can’t drop to third. It has no impact on the league table but we will be trying to win. A wise man once said to me he’s never seen anything good come from losing a game.My squad is a choice for the long-term. The (fringe players) do not need to prove themselves, we know what their quality is, but we are playing many, many games and the ones we left behind could have played but we need to think long-term. Help them get their freshness back”..@LFC head coach Arne Slot admits he has broken with his usual preparation methods by planning for two matches at the same time after naming a weakened squad against PSV Eindhoven pic.twitter.com/CR5dY5A7nj— PA Dugout (@PAdugout) January 29, 2025 Certainly, the Reds have earned the luxury of resting players in the final round. Alongside the injured Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota, and Curtis Jones, several key players will also be absent from the squad for this match, including Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, and goalkeeper Alisson.🔴 Liverpool have travelled to Eindhoven without nine of their biggest stars – can they complete an unbeaten League Phase campaign in the Champions League tonight against PSV? pic.twitter.com/QAbwIneHcs— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) January 29, 2025 As strange as it may sound for a coach to rest his players in a Champions League match, in this case, it’s completely logical. What Liverpool is facing in the upcoming fixtures is a tough away game against Bournemouth, followed by a match against a wounded Tottenham in the EFL Cup.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 8Wednesday 23.00: (1.60) Aston Villa (4.20) Celtic (6.00)23.00: (1.80) Barcelona (4.00) Atalanta (4.50)23.00: (1.02) Bayern (17.0) Slovan B. (75.0)23.00: (8.00) Brest (5.30) Real Madrid (1.40)23.00: (6.00) Dinamo Zagreb (4.30) Milan (1.53)23.00: (1.37) Dortmund (5.10) Shakhtar (7.75)23.00: (5.60) Girona (3.70) Arsenal (1.65)23.00: (1.70) Inter (3.90) Monaco (5.50)23.00: (2.20) Juventus (3.35) Benfica (3.35)23.00: (1.12) Leverkusen (12.0) Sparta Praha (19.0)23.00: (2.15) Lille (3.50) Feyenoord (3.60)23.00: (1.18) Man.City (7.75) Club Brugge (13.0)23.00: (3.05) PSV (3.70) Liverpool (2.35)23.00: (9.00) Salzburg (5.00) Atl.Madrid (1.35)23.00: (1.50) Sporting (4.30) Bologna (6.50)23.00: (3.90) Sturm (3.50) RB Leipzig (1.95)23.00: (3.60) Stuttgart (2.45) PSG (2.75)23.00: (2.60) Young Boys (3.50) Crvena Zvezda (2.80)***odds are subject to change***
