Liverpool vs Qarabag: Confirmed starting lineups in Champions League as Gravenberch starts in defence

Liverpool are hoping for another restart when they host Qarabag in their final Champions League match of the league phase.

The Reds slipped to sixth in the Premier League with a 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday and face the Azerbaijani side looking for a morale-boosting win.

The six-time European champions start the final matchday in fourth but need a win to be absolutely certain of qualifying automatically for the round of 16.

Qarabag remain in contention to finish in the top 24, with positions between ninth and 24th ensuring a two-legged play-off tie in February to reach the last 16.

Here’s how the sides shape up.

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Liverpool starting line-up vs Qarabag

Arne Slot has made two changes to the team that beat Marseille away last week. Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson come in for Joe Gomez and Milos Kerkez.

Gomez is not fit for a place on the bench, so Ryan Gravenberch moves into defence alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool starting XI: Alisson, Frimpong, Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Endo, Kerkez, Chiesa, Nyoni, Nallo, Morrison, Ngumoha

Qarabag team news

Qarabag XI: Kochalski, Cafarquliyev, Medina, Mustafazada, Silva, Jankovic, Bicalho, Zoubir, Montiel, Andrade, Duran

Subs: Mmaee, Kouakou, Akhundzada, Addai, Bolt, Kashchuk, Qurbanli, Bayramov, A. Huseynov, B. Huseynov, Ramazanov, Buntic

How to watch Liverpool vs Qarabag: TV and online streams

Liverpool versus Qarabag kicks off at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on Wednesday. In the UK, the match is on TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports Ultimate and can be streamed via the Discovery Plus app.

To watch elsewhere in the world, click HERE to find your local rights holder.

Liverpool vs Qarabag stats

• Liverpool and Qarabag will meet for the first time in European competition
• Qarabag lost their first seven meetings with English sides in Europe before a draw with Chelsea earlier this season
• Qarabag have played four previous matches away from home against English sides, losing all four by an aggregate score of 13-1

When is the Champions League knockout phase?

Knockout phase play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Round of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and May 5/6 2026
Final: May 30 2026 (Budapest)

When are the Champions League draws?

Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: February 27 2026

Champions League 2025/26 format

In a change from the previous group stage format conducted until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.

Four of those matches will be at home and four away, with the opponents determined according to four seeding pots split by rankings.

Teams will play two opponents from each of those pots – one against a team from each pot at home and one away. The results decide the overall standings in one league.

The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.

Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.

English teams in the Champions League: Why are there six clubs?

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle all qualified as the top five teams in the Premier League.

There were five places for English teams because extra positions are awarded according to Uefa’s co-efficient rankings, which are based on the overall performances of nations across European competition over a season.

Spurs qualified as Europa League champions, despite losing 22 and winning only 11 of their 2024/25 league games and finishing 17th.

When is the Champions League final?

The final will take place on May 30 2026 at the The Puskas Arena in Budapest, which opened in 2019 and is home to Hungary’s national team.

The arena hosted a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League final, when Sevilla beat Roma on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Liverpool Champions League squad 2025/26

Liverpool’s List A Champions League squad has been registered until the round of 16 in February 2026, when clubs can register a maximum of three new players within the existing limit of 25.

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman

Defenders: Joe Gomez, Endo, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez, Connor Bradley, Andy Robertson, Jeremie Frimpong

Midfielders: Florian Wirtz, Domink Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch

Forwards: Alexander Isak, Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Rio Ngumoha, Federico Chiesa

List B submissions, comprised of players born after January 1, 2004 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.

Midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Trey Nyoni and forward Jayden Danns are initially on List B.