Liverpool's road to the 2025 Champions League final starts with the defending French champions.

Liverpool were far and away the best team in the Champions League league phase and finished atop the standings with 21 out of 24 possible points. Their only defeat came against PSV Eindhoven on the final matchday when Arne Slot rested his best players.

The Reds automatically advanced to the round of 16 and had to wait over a month to learn what team they would face first in the knockout stage. After the conclusion of the knockout phase playoffs, the Champions League round of 16 draw cemented the competition's full bracket and revealed the tough opponents standing in Liverpool's way on the road to Munich.

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Liverpool's Road to the 2025 Champions League Final

Liverpool's road to the 2025 Champions League final is as follows:

  • Round of 16: Paris Saint-Germain
  • Quarterfinals: Club Brugge or Aston Villa
  • Semifinals: Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, PSV or Arsenal

Liverpool's cruel reward for finishing first in the league phase is drawing PSG in the round of 16. The French giants dismantled Brest in the knockout phase playoffs, scoring 10 goals across two legs, and have not suffered a defeat across all competitions since November.

If the Reds make it past PSG, then they play either Club Brugge or Aston Villa. Although Liverpool will like their chances against either side, they will be wary of Aston Villa. Unai Emery's men just held Liverpool to a 2–2 draw in the Premier League.

Liverpool will be hoping to face Arsenal or PSV in the semifinals, but they will likely play Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid. The Reds already defeated Real Madrid in the league phase this year, but they have not faced Atlético Madrid since 2021.

Check out the full bracket below.

Who Could Liverpool Face in the 2025 Champions League Final?

Liverpool could face one of the following teams in the 2025 Champions League final:

  • Benfica
  • Barcelona
  • Borussia Dortmund
  • Lille
  • Bayern Munich
  • Bayer Leverkusen
  • Feyenoord
  • Inter Milan

The standout among the eight opponents is Barcelona. Hansi Flick's men are the favorites to reach the final from the right side of the bracket and could meet Liverpool in Munich.

The last time Liverpool and Barcelona met in the Champions League, the Reds completed a second leg comeback in the 2019 semifinals. Liverpool buried four goals at home to get past Barcelona and reach the final, where they went on to defeat Tottenham Hotspur.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool's Road to the 2025 Champions League Final.