(Video) Jamie Carragher rages against UCL format after hearing who Liverpool could face in last 16
Jamie Carragher was left bemoaning the current format of the UEFA Champions League after hearing of Liverpool’s prospective opponents in the round of 16 of the competition.
The Reds finished third in the league phase with 18 points from a possible 24 after thrashing Qarabag 6-0 on Wednesday night, and they’ll be assured of home advantage for the second leg in the last 16 and, if they get there, the quarter-finals.
When they next play in the tournament in March, they’ll face one of Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, Juventus or Club Brugge. Curiously, our first two European games this season were against the former two, beating Diego Simeone’s side at Anfield before losing in Istanbul.
Carragher hits out at revamped Champions League format
Carragher was on punditry duty for CBS Sports Golazo last night when he discovered which four teams Liverpool could meet in the round of 16, and he felt that Arne Slot’s side were handed a raw deal considering how highly they finished in the league phase standings.
He threw his pen down on the desk in disgust as he raged: “I’ve just seen who Liverpool’s potential opponents are. Honest to God, this new format, I’ve had enough of it.
“We finished top last year and we got Paris Saint-Germain. We finish third this year and – listen to this – Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatasaray or Juventus. If you finish third, you can’t have them.”
However, Carragher’s fury turned to laughter after he was told that Manchester City could potentially face Real Madrid or Inter Milan at the last-16 stage.
Liverpool needn’t be fearful of any prospective last-16 opponents
Liverpool have had unpleasant memories of facing Atletico and Galatasaray in the recent past, and two more matches against a team they already met in September probably wouldn’t be top of any Kopite’s wish list.
A two-legged tie against either Club Brugge or Juventus would evoke recollections of famous European victories from previous generations (1976, 1978, 2005), although any meeting against the Bianconeri would be laced with sadness from the Heysel disaster of 1985.
We take Carragher’s point that the Reds may have expected theoretically easier opponents after finishing third, but the reality of Champions League football is that no team which gets to the last 16 is a pushover.
Having already beaten the likes of Arsenal, Inter and Real Madrid this season, Liverpool needn’t be daunted by any of the four teams they could face next in Europe – respectful, yes, but not fearful.
At this point in the competition, the most important thing was to finish in the top eight and avoid the unwanted burden of an additional two-legged play-off in February.
Thankfully the Reds have done that, and after a hectic nine-game January, Slot will no doubt welcome having just five matches next month, especially with our injury problems continuing to mount.
You can view Carragher’s reaction to hearing Liverpool’s prospective last-16 opponents below, via @CBSSportsGolazo on X:
Jamie finding out Liverpool's potential RO16 draw:
Jamie finding out Manchester City's potential RO16 draw: pic.twitter.com/yp3ZFpTYJ4
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 28, 2026
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