Can Qarabag exploit Liverpool’s fragile defence in a must-win Champions League tie?

Liverpool host Qarabag FK at Anfield in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League league-phase finale.

The Reds fell to a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League at the weekend. However, Arne Slot’s side secured a comfortable 3-0 victory at Olympique de Marseille last time out in the Champions League.

Qarabag kept their playoff hopes alive by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 in a five-goal thriller.

Match preview

Liverpool and Qarabag will meet for the first time in European competition – all three previous meetings between sides from England and Azerbaijan in the Champions League have been between Qarabag and Chelsea (two wins for Chelsea, one draw).

Qarabag lost seven of their first eight meetings with English sides in Europe, but they did avoid defeat in the most recent one in the Champions League this season (2-2 v Chelsea on MD4).

The Atlilar have played four previous matches away from home against English sides, losing all four by an aggregate score of 13-1. Their only away game against an English opponent in the Champions League saw them losing 6-0 against Chelsea, back in September 2017.

Since Arne Slot took charge of Liverpool in 2024, the Reds are the team with the highest win percentage in the UEFA Champions League (76.5%), winning 13 of their 17 European games under the Dutchman.

Qarabag have won the joint-most points from losing positions in the UEFA Champions League this season (7 – level with Barcelona), including coming from behind to win 3-2 against Eintracht Frankfurt in their most recent game in the competition.

Liverpool lost their previous European home game in a 4-1 defeat versus PSV. However, across 117 home games in the European Cup/Champions League, the Reds have only lost consecutive matches on one previous occasion: 2-1 losses v Lyon and Fiorentina between October and December 2009.

Qarabag have named fewer starting XI changes (5) than any other side in the UEFA Champions League this season, and they haven’t made more than one change to their XI in any of their seven matches this term.

As well as having the most goals and goal involvements for Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League this season (7 – 4 goals, 3 assists), Dominik Szoboszlai also ranks first for chances created (18), possession won (47), progressive carries (62) and line-breaking passes in the final third (39).

Camilo Durán has been directly involved in five goals in seven games for Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League this season (4 goals, 1 assist). His four goals in 2025/26 are twice as many as Qarabag scored as a team in their previous Champions League campaign (2 in 2017/18).

Team news

Liverpool

Joe Gomez was forced off with an injury after he collided with Alisson Becker in the Bournemouth defeat and he’s unavailable.

He joins Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley in the host’s infirmary, while Federico Chiesa is a doubt after missing both Marseille and Bournemouth games with a knock.

Qarabag FK

Kady Borges is the only absentee with injury, while Ramil Sheydayev is ineligible.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Endo, Gakpo, Mac Allister, Ngumoha, Ekitike.

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