Liverpool will hope to perform better than they did in Istanbul during the league phase. The Reds were beaten 1-0 in late September and never really got going in a pressure-cooker atmosphere. That setback was the second in a four-game stretch of defeats that dimmed early optimism and paved the way for an underwhelming season.
The transition to the Swiss Model' for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons has fundamentally changed how the Champions League knockout stage is structured. The process begins with the knockout phase draw taking place on February 27, 2026 which features 16 teams. This group consists of the top eight finishers from the league phase, who are seeded and received a bye,' and the eight winners from the knockout playoffs.