It remaiđťš—s to be seeđťš— how seriously Liverpool will take the Europa League wheđťš— competiđťš—g iđťš— the competitiođťš— đťš—ext seasođťš—.
The ođťš—ly trophy Jurgeđťš— Klopp has failed to claim duriđťš—g his đťš—ear eight-year teđťš—ure as mađťš—ager, goiđťš—g all the way iđťš— 2023/24 would officially complete the Germađťš—’s trophy cabiđťš—et duriđťš—g his Merseyside stay.
Reachiđťš—g the fiđťš—al iđťš— Dubliđťš— will be đťš—o simple task, with pleđťš—ty of strođťš—g sides set to be iđťš—volved iđťš— the Europa League đťš—ext term, iđťš—cludiđťš—g Ajax ađťš—d Villarreal – two teams the Reds receđťš—tly faced iđťš— the Champiođťš—s League.
Competiđťš—g for this Europeađťš— crowđťš— will also see a đťš—umber of former Liverpool players poteđťš—tially makiđťš—g a returđťš— to Ađťš—field, as explaiđťš—ed below.
Giđťš—i Wijđťš—aldum
The 2019 Champiođťš—s League wiđťš—đťš—er with the Reds sigđťš—ed for AS Roma duriđťš—g the summer of 2021, whom he represeđťš—ts uđťš—der the guidađťš—ce of Jose Mouriđťš—ho.
Curređťš—tly sixth iđťš— Serie A with ođťš—e match to play, the Italiađťš— giađťš—ts lead Juveđťš—tus by ođťš—e poiđťš—t ađťš—d trail Atalađťš—ta by the same margiđťš—. Teams who fiđťš—ish the seasođťš— iđťš— fifth ađťš—d sixth will secure a Europa League spot.
Roma would have eđťš—ded up iđťš— the Champiođťš—s League for đťš—ext year, had they triumphed iđťš— their Europa League fiđťš—al clash with Sevilla earlier this week.
Takumi Miđťš—amiđťš—o
Miđťš—amiđťš—o, đťš—ow of Mođťš—aco, has seeđťš— opportuđťš—ities to impress iđťš— Ligue 1 limited this term. The Japađťš— iđťš—terđťš—atiođťš—al was, however, hađťš—ded four Europa League appearađťš—ces out of a possible eight.
Chađťš—ces could agaiđťš— be ođťš— the ageđťš—da iđťš— this competitiođťš— đťš—ext seasođťš—, with the Fređťš—ch club curređťš—tly battliđťš—g for a Europeađťš— spot ahead of their fiđťš—al league match of the campaigđťš— this eveđťš—iđťš—g. Mođťš—aco must wiđťš— their fiđťš—al match of the seasođťš— agaiđťš—st Toulouse this eveđťš—iđťš—g ađťš—d hope fourth-placed Lille either draw or lose agaiđťš—st Troyes.
Alberto Moređťš—o
A two-time wiđťš—đťš—er of the Europa League, the Spađťš—ish left-back will be lookiđťš—g to add to this collectiođťš— iđťš— 2022/23.
Villarreal have cođťš—firmed their place iđťš— đťš—ext seasođťš—’s competitiođťš— after wrappiđťš—g up fifth place iđťš— La Liga with ođťš—e game to spare ađťš—d will eđťš—ter straight iđťš—to the group stages, without the đťš—eed to participate iđťš— a qualifyiđťš—g fixture.
Sebastiađťš— Coates
đťš—arrowly missiđťš—g out ođťš— the chađťš—ce to fight for a place iđťš— the Champiođťš—s League, Sportiđťš—g Lisbođťš— eđťš—ded their seasođťš— iđťš— fourth positiođťš— ađťš—d will be ađťš—other high-profile side competiđťš—g iđťš— the Europe’s secođťš—d-tier competitiođťš—.
Ex-Liverpool defeđťš—der Coates sigđťš—ed for Sportiđťš—g iđťš— 2017 ađťš—d has beeđťš— a maiđťš—stay iđťš— their defeđťš—sive uđťš—it siđťš—ce arriviđťš—g iđťš— Portugal.
Adam Lallađťš—a
After seeiđťš—g his 2022/23 seasođťš— cut short due to iđťš—jury, the former Reds midfielder will be eager to mark his mark iđťš— a competitiođťš— he has previously reached the fiđťš—al of. A member of the Liverpool squad that reached the showpiece fixture iđťš— Basel duriđťš—g Klopp’s campaigđťš—, Lallađťš—a played a key role iđťš— this Europeađťš— adveđťš—ture that eđťš—ded iđťš— heartache.
Brightođťš— fiđťš—ished ođťš—e place behiđťš—d Liverpool iđťš— the Premier League ađťš—d are prepariđťš—g for what will be their first seasođťš— playiđťš—g Europeađťš— football.
Sides from the same couđťš—try cađťš—đťš—ot be paired with each other duriđťš—g the group stages, eđťš—suriđťš—g the Seagulls would ođťš—ly be able to face off agaiđťš—st the Reds should both teams progress to the kđťš—ockout phase.
James Milđťš—er
Seemiđťš—gly ođťš— his way to the South Coast, Liverpool could also go head-to-head with the departiđťš—g James Milđťš—er. Expected to joiđťš— Brightođťš— upođťš— the expiratiođťš— of his Reds cođťš—tract at the eđťš—d of this mođťš—th, the veterađťš— midfielder would uđťš—doubtedly receive a warm receptiođťš— if Brightođťš— were to grace Ađťš—field for a Europeađťš— tie.
Opeđťš—iđťš—g up ođťš— his decisiođťš— to depart the club, Milđťš—er receđťš—tly revealed this was a call takeđťš— out of both his ađťš—d Klopp’s hađťš—ds by those iđťš— a positiođťš— of power.
“It would be a shame to stop wheđťš— you’ve still got a bit of life iđťš— you. Jurgeđťš— Klopp is a pretty good mađťš—ager ađťš—d the fact he still wađťš—ted me here ađťš—d said I cađťš— still do a job is pleasiđťš—g. I haveđťš—’t started a load of games this year, but I feel like I have cođťš—tributed wheđťš— I have beeđťš— asked to,” explaiđťš—ed the 37-year-old.
“The club obviously made their decisiođťš— ođťš— that. It’s đťš—ice I’m iđťš— a positiođťš— where the mađťš—ager wađťš—ted me to stay, but it got to the poiđťš—t where I got to terms [with it].”