LIVERPOOL’S win over Salzburg on Tuesday set up a possible tie with Real Madrid in the Champions League last-16.
Monday’s draw will pit the Spanish giants against one of the seeded group winners having come second to Paris Saint-Germain.
With teams from the same country and group ruled out at this stage, there will be five clubs in the hat for Liverpool to land.
Real join Lyon and Borussia Dortmund as the only certain qualifiers ahead of the final matches on Wednesday night.
A startling 3-0 loss to PSG to kick off Group A set the tone as Madrid drew at home to the French side and Club Brugge in their bid to reclaim the trophy they won three times in a row until the Reds’ triumph last campaign.
Lyon snatched their place in the last-16 when coming from two goals down to draw against Group G leaders RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.
And Jurgen Klopp’s old team Borussia relied on Inter Milan losing at home to Barcelona to follow the Catalans through in Group F.
Five teams are jostling for the final two slots, both runner-up positions with all seeded matters settled.
It is all to play for in Group C as Shakhtar Donetsk lead Dinamo Zagreb by a single point with Italian side Atalanta another point back.
The already-qualified Manchester City head to Croatia to face Zagreb while Shakhtar host Atalanta, knowing a win will secure their passage.
Will Liverpool return to the Metropolitano and face Atletico?Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Serial knockout contenders Atletico Madrid are leaving it late to qualify too.
Diego Simeone’s side welcome the eliminated Lokomotiv Moscow to the Spanish capital on Wednesday in protection of a point advantage over Bayer Leverkusen – who host Juventus.
An Atleti win could set up a return to the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano for Liverpool nine months after they beat Spurs in the final.
Klopp’s men will find out who their last-16 rivals will be when proceedings begin at 11am on Monday with ties to be played across February and March.
Erling Braut Haaland throws water bottle in strop after Liverpool score second Champions League goal against Red Bull Salzburg
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
