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Following the conclusion of the UEFA Champions League group stage draw, Liverpool fans will be delighted to have avoided some of the toughest rivals in Pot 2.
Instead, they’ve faced Ajax, Atalanta and FC Midtjylland in what will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting groups for purists of offensive and fluid football.
Liverpool could have been drawn alongside Philippe Coutinho’s Barcelona or Atlético de Madrid’s newly signed Luis Suárez, so you can feel like they’ve received a favorable hand in this year’s group stage.
While Ajax and Atalanta are not easy to convince, they are not far from being European soccer powerhouses either.
Jurgen Klopp’s men will have to be wary of their opponents as both sides have qualified on merit.
Meanwhile, the Champions League minnows and Danish champions FC Midtjylland will enjoy the opportunity to come out at Anfield in a competitive match.
The Group D draw will have been music to the ears of Midtjylland kitman Jorn Kjaer, as the man with a liver bird tattooed on his chest is a lifelong red.
Here’s a closer look at each of Liverpool’s Group D opponents.
Ajax
Led by Erik ten Hag, the Dutch champions remain intense and energetic despite losing players like Hakim Ziyech, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt in recent windows.
Liverpool arguably represents a modern version of Ajax, with each player considered an attacker with possession and a defender when possession is lost.
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Dusan Tadic has remained in Amsterdam since his run to the semifinals in 2018/19 alongside David Neres and Daley Blind, while Quincy Promes, previously linked with a move to Anfield, has been added to their ranks.
Under ten Hag, Ajax represents a high-stakes brand of fluid soccer, which bodes well for Liverpool’s three forwards.
Atalanta
Atalanta is incredibly strong on the offensive side of the game. With Gian Piero Gasperini, they are very well trained and fluid when possession is assured, and their underlying performance numbers are truly impressive.
According to Statsbomb numbers, last season they ranked fifth against all clubs in Europe’s top five leagues in expected goals by 90 (excluding penalties) and were fourth in goals scored by 90 behind only Bayern Munich, PSG and Manchester City.
His remarkable xG numbers stem from his shooting, with the Italian team averaging 18.5 attempts per 90 in Serie A last season, just behind Manchester City’s average of 19.2 and ahead of 17. , 9 Bayern.
Against players like Josip Ilicic, Papu Gómez and Duvan Zapata, to name just a few, Liverpool’s defenders will have their hands full.
FC Midtjylland
Run by Brian Priske, Midtjylland will be relatively unknown to the vast majority of football fans in England, but it is a unique club. Its owner, Matthew Benham, is dedicated to analytics and is also the owner of the Brentford Championship Club.
Their approach to recruiting is comparable to Liverpool’s, and they are interested in looking for subtle edges on the field. Midtjylland will arguably be more dangerous in dead ball situations than in open play, and the Danish team is known for spending a lot of time on set pieces behind the scenes.
There are parallels between each of these four teams, including serving coach Thomas Gronnemark who works with every team other than Atalanta, but it is clear that Liverpool are a huge favorite to lead the group.
Ajax are well organized and packed with extremely exciting young talent, while Atalanta is at the other end of the spectrum, embodying chaotic attacking energy and a core of seasoned Serie A fans.
Liverpool are highly unlikely to be embarrassed by any of these three opponents, but Klopp’s men must not be satisfied. Anything other than first place in Group D will be a disappointment.
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