One win away from sealing automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16, Liverpool welcome Qarabag FK to Anfield on Wednesday night for the final round of the league phase.
The Reds arrive on the back of a commanding 3-0 victory over Marseille in their most recent European outing, while Qarabag kept their own knockout ambitions alive with a dramatic 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Liverpool’s turbulent domestic form has not fully spilled over into Europe this season. Aside from setbacks against Galatasaray and PSV Eindhoven, Arne Slot’s side have largely delivered on the continental stage and remain firmly in control of their own destiny.
Few expected the reigning Premier League champions to dominate Marseille at the Orange Velodrome, but goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, either side of a Geronimo Rulli own goal, underlined Liverpool’s attacking authority. That result marked their fourth win from five Champions League matches and left them fourth in the 36-team table.
Two points clear of ninth-placed Barcelona, Liverpool know that victory on Wednesday will guarantee a top-eight finish and a direct route to the last 16, bypassing the playoff round altogether. Anfield has long been a fortress in this competition, even if the recent shock defeat to PSV brought an end to a remarkable 16-game home winning run in the league phase.
Domestically, however, questions have resurfaced. Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth ended a lengthy unbeaten run and left Slot still searching for his first league win of 2026, adding an extra layer of pressure heading into this decisive European night.
Qarabag, by contrast, travel to Merseyside with little to lose and plenty to dream about. The Azerbaijani champions have already exceeded expectations in the league phase and sit 18th with 10 points, two clear of Napoli just outside the knockout places.
Their thrilling win over Frankfurt on matchday seven was arguably the result of the round, and while they have never progressed beyond the group stage of a Champions League campaign, a place in the playoffs is now within touching distance.
History, though, is not on their side. Qarabag have failed to win any of their eight previous UEFA meetings with English teams, losing seven, and they come into this clash on the back of a surprise domestic defeat to Kapaz. That loss came with heavy rotation, however, as head coach Qurban Qurbanov clearly had Anfield firmly in mind.
Even defeat on Wednesday may not spell elimination if results elsewhere fall kindly, but Qarabag will need to defy history once more if they are to leave Anfield with anything tangible.
Injuries & Suspensions
Liverpool’s defensive resources are stretched. Joe Gomez has been ruled out after picking up an injury against Bournemouth, while Ibrahima Konate remains absent following the passing of his father. As a result, Wataru Endo is expected to deputise at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk.Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley remain sidelined, but Federico Chiesa returned to training earlier this week and could be involved. Andrew Robertson is also expected to return to the lineup after Liverpool reportedly halted his proposed move to Tottenham Hotspur.
Qarabag will be without Brazilian playmaker Kady Borges through injury, while striker Ramil Sheydayev is ineligible. Otherwise, Qurbanov has a near fully-fit squad at his disposal and is expected to recall the side that defeated Frankfurt, with Camilo Duran leading the attack after scoring twice last week.
Possible starting lineups
Liverpool:Alisson; Frimpong, Endo, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Nyoni; Gakpo, Mac Allister, Ngumoha; Ekitike
Qarabag FK:
Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Jankovic, Bicalho; Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir; Duran
Expert Prediction
Liverpool 4-1 Qarabag
