Liverpool's first encounter in the new Champions League phase will be away at AC Milan on September 17, UEFA said in a fixture announcement on Saturday. Arne Slot's team then returns to Anfield for a match against Bologna on October 2 before going to RB Leipzig on October 23. Liverpool's next two games appear to be their most challenging, as they play Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5 and Real Madrid on November 10.

Liverpool will then travel to Girona (Dec. 10) before facing Lille at home on Jan. 21. Their last match will be away at PSV Eindhoven on January 29. The new group stage system combines 36 clubs onto a single league table. Each team will play eight games before the knockouts, two more than in previous years, with the last round of matches taking place simultaneously. The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of sixteen. Teams finishing ninth to 24th place will progress to a knockout play-off round.