2025/26 UEFA Champions League: prospects of Liverpool

Liverpool return to the Champions League as Premier League champions under Arne Slot, who secured the title in his first season in charge in 2024–25.

England now sends six clubs into the group stage, thanks to Tottenham’s Europa League win, boosting competition but maintaining Liverpool’s elite presence.

This is great news both for British football fans, who can watch the matches of their favorite teams, and also for professional bettors who will be able to find much more profitable surebets on BetBurger.

Squad reinforcements & shape

The summer window reflects Liverpool’s intent to evolve. Key arrivals include:

• Florian Wirtz, signed for a club-record fee, expected to slot into the creative number 10 role and unlock defences as the team’s new offensive engine.
• Hugo Ekitike, added up front to replace outgoing talent, bringing press-driven versatility and finishing potential.
• Jeremie Frimpong and Miloš Kerkez reinforce the fullback wings, matching Slot’s style of width and forward motion.

These additions complement established stars like Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, who anchored midfield in 2024–25 and will be pivotal orchestrators in Europe.

Remaining weaknesses and expected tactics

Despite strength in attack, centre‑back depth is a concern. With Jarell Quansah’s departure, Liverpool have only three senior central defenders, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Joe Gomez, which could become a vulnerability deep into the knockout rounds. Rumours also link Liverpool to a move for Alexander Isak, but negotiations remain fluid.

As for tactics, Slot’s preferred 4-2-3-1 or fluid variants see Wirtz as the new creative hub behind the lone striker, flanked by Salah and Gakpo (or Ekitike as focal forward).

Midfield is anchored by Szoboszlai and Gravenberch, offering tactical flexibility, pressing resilience, and balance. Young talents like Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni may also earn minutes, adding youthful energy in cups and early Champions League matchdays.

However, when it comes to professional bettors, they don't really care about a team's weaknesses and tactics, because they make a profit on arbitrage betting regardless of the match result. Want to know how it works? Take a look at an example of an arbitrage situation.

Champions League Prospects

Liverpool’s blend of creative firepower, midfield control, and pressing ethos makes them a serious contender for deep runs. They now must prove:

• Consistency in defense under high pressure.
• Integration of new arrivals into Slot’s dynamic system.
• Health and squad rotation across dense fixture lists given the expanded competition.

Despite English opponents stacking six teams into the group stage, Liverpool’s squad and managerial momentum give them the edge in domestic and European arenas alike.

Conclusion

Liverpool head into the 2025–26 Champions League with genuine ambition and renewed balance. The additions of Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, and Kerkez hint at a team evolving its identity, fluid, creative, and high pressing. If defensive squad depth can be shored up and integration is smooth, they are firmly in the frame for a deep European run, possibly even lifting the coveted trophy in Budapest in May 2026.