Liverpool face tough European draw after knockout round qualification confirmed Liverpool may not quite be assured of progress to the Champions League knockout stages just yet.
Liverpool’s journey to the Champions League knockout phase remains uncertain, but it pales in comparison to the intense drama experienced by their Academy team earlier this week.
During their final UEFA Youth League group-stage match against Girona, Liverpool’s under-19 squad, reduced to 10 players after Ranel Young’s first-half red card, faced a 2-1 deficit with less than 10 minutes remaining. On the brink of elimination, Trent Kone-Doherty delivered a spectacular late equalizer, salvaging a crucial point to keep Barry Lewtas’s side in contention for the tournament’s top 22 and a place in the last 32.
Their advancement, however, hinged on other results. Hours later, their qualification was sealed when both Paris Saint-Germain and Bayer Leverkusen failed to secure victories.
Expressing his satisfaction, Lewtas remarked, “I’m thrilled we’ve advanced. We started strong against Girona. Playing away in Europe is always challenging, but we controlled the game well and deserved our early lead.
Although the red card was a setback, I’m proud of the team’s response. Trent’s goal was exceptional, and despite Girona’s relentless second-half pressure, I feel we earned the draw with just 10 players on the field.”
Young’s ejection, occurring only six minutes after Jayden Danns scored the opening goal via penalty, was a point of contention for Lewtas.
“It’s frustrating because Girona didn’t even receive a yellow card,” he said. “For us to be shown a red was harsh, but that’s football. We had to dig deep to secure a result against an unbeaten team. The resilience we displayed was outstanding.”
Liverpool concluded the group stage with eight points, securing home victories over Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen, earning a draw at AC Milan, and suffering defeats to RB Leipzig and Real Madrid. Their 19th-place finish means a tough road ahead, as they will face one of the top six teams in the opening round of the knockout stage.
Despite the challenge, Lewtas remains optimistic. “We’ve faced six strong opponents and delivered competitive performances,” he noted. “The standard in this competition is incredibly high.
The loss at Leipzig was deserved, but the defeat to Real Madrid was disappointing because we conceded early and missed opportunities. Overall, the team has shown strength, but at this level, even small errors can make a
big difference.”
