"Liverpool" under Arne Slot, experiencing a five-match winless streak in the EPL and having dropped to sixth place, will host "Karabakh" at Anfield on January 28, 2026, in a Champions League match.
A victory will secure the Merseysiders a direct spot in the Round of 32. The crisis is exacerbated by injuries to central defenders: due to injuries to Gomez and Leoni, as well as the absence of Konate, Virgil van Dijk remains the only experienced player in this position.
"Liverpool" is striving for the Champions League knockout stage amid a crisis in the league and personnel losses.
Ahead of the crucial Champions League match against Azerbaijani "Karabakh," scheduled for January 28, 2026, at Anfield, Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot expressed concern about the current state of the team. A five-match winless streak in the English Premier League, culminating in a 2-3 loss to Bournemouth on January 24, has undermined the morale of the squad, despite stable performances in the European tournament.
A victory over "Karabakh" in the upcoming match will secure the Merseysiders a place in the top eight of the Champions League group stage and a direct spot in the Round of 32, bypassing the playoff stage. At the same time, in the national championship, "Liverpool," the reigning champions of England, has dropped to sixth place in the standings, trailing the leading "Arsenal" by 14 points. Slot noted on Tuesday, January 27, that in a club of this magnitude, it is impossible to ignore external criticism when the team is not competing for the title.
The coaching staff is particularly concerned about the situation in central defense. After the match with "Bournemouth," Joe Gomez was injured, and Ibrahima Konate is absent due to the tragic passing of his father. Giovanni Leoni has been out since September 2025 due to a torn cruciate ligament in his knee, leaving Virgil van Dijk as the only experienced central defender available to Slot. Right-back Conor Bradley is still recovering from knee surgery. The coach confirmed that there are no available specialists for the central defender position besides van Dijk, and in extreme cases, a midfielder will have to be utilized. Slot also pointed out the objective difficulties in maintaining game balance amid a series of injuries.
A positive piece of news for "Liverpool" is the return of left-back Andy Robertson, despite reports in the press about interest from "Tottenham Hotspur." Slot expressed hope that the Scottish player would remain at the club under the current transfer market conditions.
"Karabakh," which previously drew 2-2 with "Chelsea" in November 2025, achieved a comeback victory against "Eintracht Frankfurt" last week, reviving its chances of continuing in the tournament. A victory at Anfield would guarantee the Azerbaijani team a place among the 24 best teams of the group stage and participation in the knockout stage. Slot assessed the opponent as an organized and difficult team to play against, demonstrating the ability to withstand top clubs. At the same time, the Liverpool coach noted the paradox of the current season: strong performances in the Champions League negatively affected performances in the Premier League in the days following European matches.
The upcoming match is of fundamental importance for both teams: for "Liverpool" — as an opportunity to secure a place in the leading group of the tournament and partially compensate for failures in the national championship, for "Karabakh" — as a chance to advance past the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in history.
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