Liverpool is handed two significant disadvantages by UEFA, while Man City and Arsenal gain ground

Liverpool has been informed of the Champions League schedule by UEFA, which includes the dates and times of each encounter. The Reds are disadvantaged in two ways.

Liverpool has received schedules for all eight of its Champions League group stage matches; Arne Slot’s team will face some challenging matches over the next few months, according to UEFA.

Liverpool’s opening game of the campaign is slated to take place on Tuesday, September 17, in between games against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, at the San Siro. The first home match between Wolves and Crystal Palace takes place on Wednesday, October 2, at Anfield against the Italian team Bologna.

After that, Liverpool plays host to Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, November 5 (between Brighton and Aston Villa), and then goes to RB Leipzig on Wednesday, October 23 (between Chelsea and Arsenal). On Wednesday, November 27, Southampton and Manchester City will play against Real Madrid in a thrilling match. Next up comes another Spanish foe, as Liverpool travels to Girona on Tuesday, December 10, following Everton and preceding Fulham.

The final two Champions League games are scheduled for January. In the week leading up to the trip to Bournemouth, the Reds will play PSV on Wednesday, January 29, in Slot’s home country of the Netherlands, after hosting Lille, a French team, on Tuesday, January 21, which is between Brentford and Ipswich.

The timing of the European games in relation to other significant Premier League games is just as critical as their sequence. And when it comes to that, Liverpool is less fortunate than Arsenal and Manchester City, two possible title challengers.

On Sunday, October 27, the Reds head to the Emirates Stadium to play Arsenal. Wednesday night sees Liverpool away at RB Leipzig in the midweek before the big game. Arsenal plays against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, which gives it an extra day off, in addition to having a home game (which means it doesn’t have to travel).

When Liverpool plays Manchester City at the end of November, they will be at a similar disadvantage. The Reds and Pep Guardiola’s team play at home in Europe on Wednesday, but Manchester City is hosting Feyenoord while Slot’s team takes on Real Madrid in a massive match.

Whether Liverpool can make a more persistent Premier League title campaign than it did the previous season is still up in the air, but the games against possible competitors at the top might be crucial because the margins are narrow. UEFA’s scheduling has given Slot and his players a little more work to accomplish in both situations.