Liverpool is on the brink of making history as it prepares to host Bologna in the Champions League. The Reds, fresh from a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Wolves in the Premier League, are set to welcome last season's Serie A surprise package to Anfield this Wednesday.
Just two weeks ago, Arne Slot's side kicked off the new Champions League format with a 3-1 win over Italian giants AC Milan. This unique combination of opening fixtures is what sets Liverpool apart.
No club has ever begun their Champions League journey with consecutive matches against teams from the same country. However, thanks to UEFA's new format this season, which ditches the traditional group stage involving four teams from different countries, Liverpool will be the first to do so.
The Reds are set to face two Italian teams in quick succession, a pattern that will continue throughout most of the eight-game league phase. Slot and his team will then take on two German sides — RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen — followed by Spanish teams Real Madrid and Girona, before wrapping up against Lille from France and PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands.
UEFA's only stipulation regarding fixture arrangements is that teams can't face opponents from Pot 1 in their first two or last two matches. This means Liverpool could have requested back-to-back games against teams from the same country, potentially aiding Slot's squad in adapting to specific foreign league styles, reports the Mirror.
However, come the final whistle, the Reds won't be overly concerned with records; the outcome is what truly counts. Bologna lost many of their top players during the summer, including manager Thiago Motta, forward Joshua Zirkzee and defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Newly appointed manager Vincenzo Italiano has only managed one victory in his first six Serie A matches. Their season has been characterized by draws, so it wasn't shocking when their inaugural Champions League match ended in a goalless draw against Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk.
Slot will be eager to secure all three points against Bologna, particularly with a daunting run of fixtures looming after the international break following an away game at Crystal Palace on Saturday. Liverpool is set to face Chelsea, Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton (twice), Leverkusen, Aston Villa, Southampton, Madrid, Manchester City, Newcastle, Everton and Girona before the holiday season.
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