Liverpool Champions League draw: Reds learn 2020 group stage opponents

Jurgen Klopp’s side are back and looking to better last season’s effort after exiting at the last 16 stage thanks to Atletico Madrid’s victory at Anfield

Sadio Mane will be key to Liverpool in the Champions League (Getty)

Liverpool will play Ajax, Atalanta and Midtjylland in this season’s Champions League group stage following today’s draw in Switzerland.

Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League champions were drawn in Group D along with Eredivisie champions Ajax, who reached the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition in 2019, last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists Atalanta of Serie A, and tournament debutants Midtjylland.

Liverpool, who won the competition in 2019 by defeating Tottenham Hotspur, were eliminated last term by Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid at the last-16 stage.

There was great frustration for Klopp et al with the Spaniards sitting in, absorbing pressure and essentially perfectly executing a smash and grab at Anfield after extra time.

The Reds edged out Napoli for top spot last term at this stage in a hard-fought battle with the Italians, who won and drew in both games. Red Bull Salzburg and Genk finished in third and fourth respectively.

Here is the full group-stage draw for the 2020/21 Champions League:

Group A: Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzberg, Lokomotiv Moscow.

Group B: Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Borussia Monchengladbach.

Group C: FC Porto, Manchester City, Olympiakos, Marseille.

Group D: Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, Midtjylland.

Group E: Sevilla, Chelsea, Krasnodar, Rennes.

Group F: Zenit St Petersburg, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio, Club Brugge.

Group G: Juventus, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv, Ferencvaros.

Group H: Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United,  RB Leipzig, Istanbul Basaksehir.