The Reds need a win at Anfield to guarantee direct passage to the round of 16, and Arne Slot could certainly do with a win and a convincing performance to ease the mounting pressure on him, amid a disappointing start to 2026 for his team.
The Merseysiders are among the more disciplined teams in the Champions League this season, with only three of the other 35 competing sides collecting fewer than their total of eight yellow cards ahead of the final matchday of the competition phase.Who scored).
UEFA’s suspension rules for the Champions League explained
The rules regarding suspensions in European club competition are laid down in Article 63 of UEFA regulations for the tournamentwith players and team officials facing a one-match ban if they collect three yellow cards before completion of the quarter-finals, at which point all disciplinary records will be wiped out.
There is also the possibility of further suspension being triggered for ‘any subsequent odd-numbered caution’ after crossing the three-match limit (i.e. if a player were to receive a fifth booking before the end of the quarter-finals, he would receive another match ban).
Currently the only two Liverpool players with multiple yellow cards are Jones and Conor Bradley (Who scored), and that is now a moot point in the latter’s case due to a serious injury that will sideline him for the rest of this season.
Jones is currently the only Liverpool player at risk of ban
Although the Reds currently have a much wider disciplinary reach than most other teams in the Champions League, the risk of suspension for our number 17 slot poses a dilemma for tonight’s match.
Will he start the 24-year-old and risk being ruled out for our first knockout match, or will he be aware that fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are already on one booking each and could walk a tightrope if booked against Qarabag.
If Liverpool were to have the luxury of being guaranteed a top eight finish (as they were at this point last season), all players with yellow cards to their names could be sent to the bench or even rested altogether.
Unfortunately, with the Reds still needing a win to avoid an unwanted two-legged play-off in February, Slot will have to go with a strong line-up from the start, hoping his team can reach the 60-minute mark in a comfortable enough position to then be able to switch at safety.
Following the completion of the league stage tonight, we will have a much better idea of LFC’s future route to the final once the knockout brackets have been determined. Hopefully we can go into our next European match without any major risk of losing a crucial player to suspension.
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