Liverpool FC face a potential tough draw in the Europa League on Friday with the English side likely to be in Pot 2.
Liverpool FC may draw the likes of Athletic Bilbao, Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Napoli, Villarreal, Marseille, and Basel in the UEFA Europa League group stage.
The Reds finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League and qualified directly into the group stages of the tier 2 European Competition.
Liverpool FC have failed to go past the round of 16 in any European competition, for the last five years. With UEFA co-efficient ranking determining the pots that teams find themselves in, Liverpool FC’s poor European record over the past few years means the Merseyside outfit may be in Pot 2.
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The top 12 teams go into the pot 1. The Reds are currently 11th best, but they may not remain so if Dortmund, Ajax, Ruben Kazan and Athletic Bilbao qualify for the group stages.
Rubin Kazan drew 1-1 in their first leg against Macedonian side Rabotnicki. While Dortmund are currently leading Norwegian outfit Odd 4-3, with Athletic Bilbao hosting Zilina hoping to overcome their 3-2 loss. Ajax are 1-0 in the lead against Jablonec and will hope to keep their advantage as they travel to the Czech Republic.
Tottenham are also in Pot 1 and will avoid facing Liverpool FC or Southampton.
The draw for the Europa League group stage has been scheduled on Friday, August 28 in Monaco with the final qualifying games that will decide Liverpool’s fate taking place tomorrow. Liverpool FC will be hoping that not more than 1 out of Dortmund, Bilbao, Rubin and Ajax go through.
