Jamie Carragher has ‘had enough’ of the new Champions League format already after seeing who Liverpool could draw in the last-16.
Their 6-0 demolition of Qarabag at Anfield on Wednesday night ensured a third place finish for Arne Slot’s side in the overall group stage table.
But their reward for performing well appears scant, with a probable match-up against European heavyweights Atletico Madrid or Juventus in the first knockout round.
On CBS Sport’s Golazo show, Carragher bemoaned the draw having seen the Reds dumped out of the competition last time by eventual champions PSG despite finishing top of the group.
He said: ‘I’ve just seen who Liverpool’s potential opponents are, honest to God, this new format I’ve had enough of it.
‘We finished top last year and got PSG, we finished third this year, listen to this, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatasaray or Juventus, and we finished third!
Jamie Carragher took a swipe at the Champions League format on Wednesday night
Liverpool smashed Qarabag on Wednesday night to seal a third-place group stage finish
Fellow pundit Micah Richards then chimed in with: ‘But you’re the mighty Liverpool.’
Carragher replied: ‘I know but what I’m saying is if you finish third you can’t have them, you can’t have Atletico Madrid in there, Juventus.’
He then took a shot at Man City and what he perceives as the easy rides they get in tournaments before having to eat his words.
‘You know what (to Richards), I’ve never known a team so lucky with draws than Man City in my life, they get the FA Cup final every year and just play League Two teams,’ he said.
He was then corrected by Nico Cantor, who informed the desk: ‘City actually face one of Benfica, Bodo/Glimt, Inter Milan or Real Madrid.’
Carragher burst out laughing and said ‘I’ll take that’, shaking Richards’ hand.
Liverpool endured some serious blips during a strange group stage, losing heavily at home against PSV and being downed by Galatasaray in Turkey.
But they beat Marseille and Inter Milan away, Real Madrid at home and ultimately did enough to secure a third-place finish.
They tore their Azerbaijani opponents apart on Wednesday night to help lift the gloom of their last-gasp defeat by Bournemouth and Premier League woes.
Arne Slot’s side could face one of Atletico Madrid or Juventus in the last-16
The one blemish of the night was a serious looking muscular injury to Jeremie Frimpong, leaving the Reds without any fit right-backs.
He is added to a list of absentees which includes: Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate.
The latter two of that quartet are hopefuls for Saturday’s game against Newcastle – but it is still a stark worry for a team who missed out on signing England defender Marc Guehi this month.
‘Let’s see on Jeremie,’ Arne Slot said, talking about Frimpong’s injury.
‘We also go into a schedule of one game a week which would usually mean less injuries. But you’re never sure.’
