Liverpool's Champions League group stage fixtures confirmed
By Max Cooper
Liverpool's Champions League group stage opponents for the 2021/22 edition have been confirmed, after the 2019 winners were drawn in Group B alongside Atletico Madrid, Porto and AC Milan.
The Reds were placed in pot two for the European draw, which was made in Istanbul on Thursday evening.
When does the 2021/22 Champions League group stage begin?
As is traditional, the group stages of the Champions League get underway in mid-September, concluding in the first week of December.
- Matchday one - 15 September - Liverpool vs AC Milan (20:00 - BST)
- Matchday two - 28 September - Porto vs Liverpool (20:00 - BST)
- Matchday three - 19 October - Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool (20:00 - BST)
- Matchday four - 3 November - Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid (20:00 - GMT)
- Matchday five - 24 November - Liverpool vs Porto (20:00 - GMT)
- Matchday six - 7 December - AC Milan (20:00 - GMT)
The Reds knew they were set to avoid some of Europe's giants in this season's group stages after the usual suspects failed to win their domestic leagues. Pot one is reserved exclusively for last season's Champions League and Europa League winners, as well as the teams who won their domestic league titles.
That meant that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain were all drawn from pot two alongside Liverpool, making it impossible for them to face each other in the group stages.
Liverpool will be hoping to improve on last year's Champions League quarter-final exit, when they were knocked out by Spanish giants Real Madrid. They have started the current term well, winning two of their three Premier League games, most recently drawing with fellow title contenders Chelsea before the international break.