Can Liverpool win successive Champions League titles?

Liverpool’s glorious night in Madrid marked the end of a remarkable run from the city’s superpowers - with Real having won the three previous European crowns. Now they’ve ended that reign, could the Reds emulate, or even surpass, that success with their own streak? 

They're joint third favourites with William Hill at 7/1 alongside Juventus and Real Madrid to take the title for the second season in a row. Manchester City are 3/1 favourites with Barcelona close behind on 5/1 but many would argue that current form and momentum gives the Reds a fantastic shot at another title.

Group stages

Liverpool's Group E competition includes Napoli, Salzburg, and Genk and while it's not the easiest group the reigning champions could have been drawn in, there's confidence they'll prevail. Napoli are, without a doubt, the biggest competition in this group and could provide the Reds with a bit of a headache. 

However, the world class quality of Klopp's squad in players such as Salah, Firmino and Mané is more than enough to top this group let alone sneak through in second. The squad will also feel the boost of Van Dijk winning the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award for 2018/19.

Assessing the groups

From Group A, it's hard to see any other outcome than Real Madrid and PSG making it through - but neither team are without their worries internally. The unrest between the Real Madrid fans, Zinedine Zidane and Gareth Bale rolls on, despite an apparent change in attitude from the Welsh superstar pleasing the manager. Plus new signing Eden Hazard missed the start of the season due to injury, meaning the side have struggled. In Paris, the unrest resulting from Neymar Jr's tumultuous summer will be felt for some time. Two sides that might be considered as contenders, therefore, aren’t in the greatest of shape.

Looking at Group B, Bayern Munich and Tottenham are the clear escapees. Premier League fans will have witnessed Spurs in weakened form, and Bayern's new signing Phillipe Coutinho is struggling for fitness.

Manchester City are sure-fire winners of Group C, while Juventus and Atletico Madrid will breeze through Group D and Barcelona will almost certainly rise to the top of Group F - all four of these squads look like strong prospects looking ahead to the knock-out stages.

From the remaining two groups RB Leipzig, Chelsea and Ajax will qualify, but it looks unlikely that they'll worry any of the higher ranked sides.

Strong squad

There are challenges for all the challengers to overcome - but it isn’t just this that brings confidence of more joy on the Kop for Klopp - the state of Reds’ squad also brings a big source of optimism.

With the group stages of the Champions League coming up on September 17, Jurgen Klopp has submitted Liverpool's squad for the competition which includes the following players:

List A: Alisson, Elliott, Firmino, Salah, Gomez, Henderson, Keita, Lallana, Lonergan, Lovren, Mane, Matip, Milner, Origi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robertson, Adrian, Shaqiri, Fabinho, Van den Berg, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum.

List B: Alexander-Arnold, Brewster, Jones, Kane, Kelleher, Larouci, Lewis.

This squad is littered with world-class and emerging talent and should have all the tools available to safely make it through to the knock-out stages providing all players stay fit. Many members of last year’s squad can still get even better - and the start of the Premier League season suggests they’re hungry for yet more success.