The Champions League gets underway next week and UEFA have made a late change to the competition’s rules that could affect LiverpoolA view of the UEFA Champions League trophyA view of the UEFA Champions League trophy(Image: Photo by Kristian Skeie – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

UEFA has implemented a last-minute change to European competition squad rules just days before the Champions League gets underway, with Liverpool potentially in line to benefit. The Reds will kickstart their involvement in the competition with a clash against Atletico Madrid at Anfield in gameweek 1 next week.

Arne Slot’s side reached the last-16 of the Champions League last season where they were beaten in a penalty shootout by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool will now be hoping to have a much better return in the competition this term, with the final taking place in Budapest in May next year.

Liverpool will be one of six English teams taking part in the Champions League this season. They will be joined by Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds will face Atletico, Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan, Marseille and Qarabag in the league phase of the competition.

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Thanks to a rule change made by UEFA, Liverpool and every other club across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League will now have the opportunity to modify their registered squads throughout the league and group stages, reports the Mirror.

“The Executive Committee approved an amendment to the 2025/26 UEFA men’s club competitions’ regulations to admit the temporary replacement of a maximum of one outfield player with long-term injury or illness during the league phase until matchday 6 included,” read a statement from UEFA on Thursday.

“The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure.”

Matchday six no longer represents the final matchday in the Champions League since the new format was introduced last season. Liverpool’s sixth league phase fixture of the tournament will be against Inter Milan on December 9, after which they will then face Marseille and Qarabag in their final matches before the play-off stage.

UEFA has also confirmed that Atletico Madrid’s home stadium, the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, will host the 2027 Champions League final. Liverpool have fond memories of the stadium, having won the 2019 final against Tottenham Hotspur to be crowned European champions for the sixth time.

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