A supercomputer has predicted the outcome of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and it doesn't make for positive reading for Liverpool fans.
The Reds are one of the favorites to go all the way this season despite a tough league phase draw landing them the likes of AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and reigning champions Real Madrid , yet Arne Slot's side have been backed to make a real go of it following a one year absence from the competition.
But perhaps it's no surprise given five of the starting XI from the Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 are still at the club, with some impressive additions also bolstering the side since. On top of that, there is also a new manager in charge, while Anfield is renowned for being a European fortress.
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However, according to Grosvenor Sport's supercomputer, Liverpool will not be crowned champions once more this season - although it does predict the Reds to make the semi-finals, at least, following an aggregate victory over Premier League rivals Arsenal in the previous round.
Using their probability model, which is not determined by human predictions or bias, the data specialists constructed an average league table based on 1,000 simulations of the Champions League fixtures, which takes into account a team’s current strength (based on factors such as league position and form) and betting market odds.
They predict the top eight teams after eight games, who will qualify for the Round of 16 automatically, will be Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich , Barcelona , Manchester City , Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and Atalanta.
Surprisingly, Liverpool falls down as far as 18th in the league phase standings, meaning it must play a two-legged knock-out phase fixture in order to make it through to the last 16.
This is because out of its eight games against AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid, Girona, Lille and PSV Eindhoven, the Reds won just three and lost four - drawing the other - to finish on 10 points with 13 goals scored and 12 conceded.
Nonetheless, Slot's side secured a 1-0 aggregate victory over AS Monaco in its knock-out phase fixture to advance to the last 16, where they come up against last season's Europa League foes Atalanta for a place in the final eight.
Following a 1-1 draw in Italy in the first leg, Liverpool was then held to a 0-0 stalemate at Anfield in the reverse fixture. However it appears they progressed to the quarter-finals on penalties, to take on none other than Premier League rivals Arsenal.
The supercomputer predicted the Reds would walk away from the first leg at the Emirates Stadium with a 2-2 draw, before pulling off an impressive 2-0 victory in the second leg at Anfield to book themselves a spot in the final four of the Champions League.
As it happened, however, Liverpool would come up against reigning champions Real Madrid, where history would repeat itself once more as the Spanish giants defeated the Reds with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
After a 2-2 draw on Merseyside in the first leg, Carlo Ancelotti's side pipped Slot's men to a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in the following game to ensure they progressed to the final to face Man City. In the end, however, it would be Pep Guardiola's side who were crowned champions following a 2-0 win.
Local News
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