LAGOS NOVEMBER 4TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Liverpool have been banned from playing Real Madrid in next season’s UEFA Champions League should both clubs qualify for the league phase, due to a unique UEFA regulation.
The rule, outlined in paragraph 16.03 of the UEFA Champions League regulations, prevents two teams from being drawn against each other with the same home venue for three consecutive seasons, as reported by Liverpool Echo.
Arne Slot’s side defeated Madrid 2-0 at Anfield last season and will host the Spanish giants again this week. However, UEFA’s competition committee has confirmed that the Reds and Los Blancos cannot be drawn together in the 2026/27 league phase of the tournament.
“If any teams that already played against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season are again drawn against each other, with the same home team, in the 2025/26 season, those teams cannot be drawn against each other with the same home team in the 2026/27 season,” UEFA regulation states.
That means if Liverpool and Real Madrid qualify for next season’s Champions League, they will be kept apart in the league-phase draw, at least for fixtures involving Anfield as the venue.
Liverpool head into Tuesday’s clash with Real Madrid having lost six of their last eight matches in all competitions, though they earned a morale-boosting 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid boast a perfect record in this season’s Champions League competition and currently top the Champions League phase standings.
The UEFA regulation ensures this week’s meeting at Anfield will be the last time the two European heavyweights face each other at the venue in a Champions League group-stage game for at least two years.
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