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Liverpool ended the UEFA Champions League league phase in first place even with the Reds’ campaign concluding with a loss against PSV Eindhoven.

Arne Slot brought a heavily weakened side to the Netherlands with key players such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all staying at home at Anfield as Liverpool fell to a 3-2 loss against PSV.

Although Jayden Danns made Liverpool history, the Reds simply did not have the quality to come away with a result in Eindhoven, not like the scoreline mattered as the Merseyside giants still finished the league phase of the Champions League in top spot.

And with the first stage of the new format now done, Liverpool know who they could face next in the last-16, with Joe Cole picking out one team who Slot should fear heading into the knockout stage of the competition.

Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking on TNT Sports, the former Liverpool midfielder noted that PSG will be a big test for the Reds if the Anfield side end up facing the reigning French champions, who despite finishing in 15th ended the Champions League in strong form with a 4-1 win away to VfB Stuttgart.

Cole said: “They’re a young team, Barcola on the left who’s come in for Mbappe has been in absolutely scintillating form, Enrique’s really got them going again, there’s signs that they’re starting to belive again in this squad, so that would be a terrible draw for Liverpool, but PSG won’t be thanking them again.”

With the draw for the next round set for Friday, Liverpool will soon find out who they will face in the last-16 of the Champions League, with the Reds still needing to play waiting game as to who they could potentially play later this year.

Yet with PSG ending the league phase with such a flourish and Liverpool finally losing in Europe, the two sides potentially meeting could be a big test for the Reds, who will be aware of the damage Luis Enrique’s side can do in this sort of form.

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Liverpool claiming top spot means the Reds could face one of four sides who finished between 15th and 18th in the Champions League standings, meaning one of AS Monaco Benfica, Brest and the aforementioned PSG will take in the Anfield side later this year in the last-16.

Finishing in the top two, in theory, hands Liverpool an easier ride in the knockout stages of the Champions League, though as mentioned by Cole, facing PSG will be quite the test with the French side in high spirits after tonight’s win in Germany.

Indeed, Liverpool know they are one of the favourites for the Champions League this season, and a confident win and performance in the last 16 will go a long way in Slot guiding the Reds to their seventh Euoprean title.

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