Two defeats and a draw from their first three matches in Group A left Liverpool in the mire and needing a Houdini-like escape act to stay alive
The 2024-25 Champions League is the first to be run under the "Swiss system", in which each team play eight matches in a group phase that will not finish until late January.
Eddie Howe's side were ruthless in boosting their Champions League qualification hopes while 19th-placed Leicester became the first side in English Football League history to suffer eight successive home league defeats without scoring.
The loss was the joint-heaviest defeat by a side already crowned Premier League champions. Arsenal were beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in 1997-98 in the game after they clinched the title.
Liverpool reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 10 years as Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino struck decisive blows to secure a 2-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday that completed a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Tuesday
AC Milan scored a 4-0 win over Fenerbahce with Andrei Shevchenko scoring all four goals in their Champions League Group E victory.
Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0 on Wednesday.
European champions Liverpool will start their title defence against Total Network Solutions of Wales in the Champions League's first qualifying round next month.
The final was delayed by 36 minutes after thousands of Liverpool supporters were unable to get into the Stade de France for the match
Man City to face Spurs in League Cup
Gakpo says Dutch skipper Van Dijk persuaded him to join Liverpool
Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona 4-2 at home to knock them out of the Copa del Rey
Manchester United climb into sixth place with 3-0 West Ham win
The Portuguese can expect a hostile reception in Valencia, who had to suffer 15 of his goals for Real Madrid and are returning to the Champions League for the first time in three years.
Head coach Juergen Klopp said last week a potential change in Liverpool's ownership would not affect his commitment to the club and played down talk of a sale.
Luka Modric has signed a one-year contract extension with Real Madrid
AC Milan will have to be perfect defensively when they host Premier League side Liverpool in their Champions League opener at San Siro, manager Paulo Fonseca said on Monday.
Both sides had already qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League and all that was at stake was first or second place in the group.
The two-legged ties will be played from February 16.
Bayern will pay a fee in the region of 35 million pounds ($42.71 million) for the signature of Mane
Arsenal, who trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by 12 points with nine games remaining, host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final next week.
Five-times European champions Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat at Lille after a late goal by forward Eden Hazard while Juventus beat underdogs Fulham 3-1 in Europa League last 16 first leg matches on Thursday.
'This team is really good and we have invested a lot in it. Now we have to work with that'
The Portuguese champions snatched the winner when the Brazilian met a Petit free-kick after 84 minutes.
Deportivo Saprissa beat Sydney FC 1-0 to set up a dream semi-final with Liverpool at the FIFA Club World Championship
Images from Europa League matches played across Europe on Thursday.
In other ties, Serie A champions Juventus face Europa League winners Atletico Madrid and Barcelona take on Olympique Lyonnais.
Images from EPL matches played on Wednesday
The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe's elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat.
Brentford pulled off their latest English Premier League shock by beating Liverpool 3-1 at home.
Former European champions Liverpool and Inter Milan sealed their berths in the Champions League last 16 but last season's finalists Chelsea still have work to do after a 1-1 draw at Girondins Bordeaux on Wednesday.
Koopmeiners leads Atalanta past Milan into Coppa semis
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-1 on penalties to reach the final for the second time in three seasons.
Liverpool reached the Champions League final after riding their luck to contain a fired-up AS Roma in a 4-2 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday that sent them through 7-6 on aggregate.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has noticed an increase in opposing teams adopting a man-marking approach.
