Liverpool finished top of the Champions League table despite losing 3-2 to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
They finished on 21 points thanks to seven wins and one defeat with Barcelona, Arsenal and Inter Milan finishing joint second on 19 points.
Despite the defeat, Liverpool spent the entirety of the first phase of this season’s Champions League in top spot and so they should, in theory, get an easier draw for the Round of 16 phase.
Well, that might not be how things transpire with former Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole worried that the Reds will get a difficult opponent given how many top sides finished lower than expected.
Joe Cole fearful that Liverpool will face PSG in the UCL Round of 16
Speaking as a presenter on TNT Sports, Joe Cole spoke about how Liverpool could now get a “terrible draw” although only time will tell.
Cole said: “They’re a young team, Barcola on the left who’s come in for Mbappe has been in absolutely scintillating form, Enrique’s really got them going again, there’s signs that they’re starting to believe again in this squad, so that would be a terrible draw for Liverpool, but PSG won’t be thanking them again.”
Liverpool, after finishing first, will face one of four sides that finished between 15th and 18th which could be any one of PSG, AS Monaco, Benfica or Brest.
The draw for the next round of the Champions League will take place on Friday but Arne Slot and his players won’t be too concerned about facing PSG even if they have refound themselves after losing Kylian Mbappe in the summer.
Liverpool have regularly proved this season that they are capable of going toe to toe with any side in the world and PSG will likely be no different.
The Reds tasted defeat for the first time in Europe this season but given the rotation of the side, it’s not too disappointing a loss but it does mean they were unable to become the 14th team to win 8/8 Champions League group stage games.
While that may not be something Slot loses sleep over, it does underline how impressive the Reds have been under his guidance in just his first half-season at the helm.