Liverpool beat PSG 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday evening as they continue their quest towards their seventh European title.
Alisson Becker put in a career-defining performance against PSG on Wednesday as Liverpool put themselves in pole position to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Of course, the big question is, how far can Liverpool go in the Champions League this season?
Jamie Carragher doesn’t think Liverpool will win the Champions League, but after storming through the league stage, the Reds are certainly contenders.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Rio Ferdinand has been making some predictions about the Champions League this season, and he’s seemingly changed his mind about how far Liverpool will get.
Rio Ferdinand changes his mind on Liverpool’s Champions League chances.
Earlier this season, Rio Ferdinand named Liverpool as the favourites to win the Champions League trophy.
Indeed, Ferdinand said that Liverpool were favourites to win the competition earlier this year, but, now, he’s given a different view.
Ferdinand now has Real Madrid as his winners of the Champions League, while he believes Liverpool will be knocked out at the semi-final stage.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand made a number of other predictions about Europe’s top competitions this season.
| Rio Ferdinand predictions | |
|---|---|
| Champions League winner? | Real Madrid |
| How far will Liverpool go | Semi-final |
| How far will Aston Villa go | Quarter-final |
| How far will Arsenal go? | Quarter-final |
| Champion League Golden Boot winner | Raphinha |
| Europa League winner | Manchester United |
| Europa Conference League winner | Chelsea |
Liverpool’s route to the Champions League
Ferdinand has changed his mind about Liverpool’s Champions League chances, and while it’s unclear why his stance has changed, it may have something to do with Liverpool’s route to the final from here.
Indeed, Liverpool have been given a very difficult draw in this season’s Champions League, and there are plenty of bumps in the road ahead.
| Liverpool’s likely route to Champions League glory | |
|---|---|
| Last 16 | PSG |
| Quarter-finals | Aston Villa |
| Semi-finals | Real Madrid |
| Final | Barcelona/Bayern Munich |
PSG dominated Liverpool in the first leg of their tie, despite the Reds coming away as 1-0 victors, while Aston Villa potentially await as quarter-final opponents.
The formbook suggests that a clash with Real Madrid awaits Liverpool should they reach the semi-finals.
Liverpool beat Real Madrid in the league phase of the Champions League, but Madrid have since improved as Kylian Mbappe has found his feet at the Bernabeu, so much so that Mbappe is a Ballon d’Or contender again after his recent form.
Meanwhile, if Liverpool are to reach the final, another tough test awaits, likely in the shape of Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
Liverpool, of course, have a chance of winning the Champions League, but, as Ferdinand says, they may not be considered favourites for the competition at this point.
