Liverpool in Champions League Group Stage
Emre Can struck twice as Liverpool convincingly defeated Hoffenheim 4-2 at Anfield on Wednesday to reach the Champions’ League group phase for only the second time since 2010.
Germany midfielder Can found the net twice in the opening 21 minutes, either side of Mohamed Salah’s first Anfield goal following his move from Roma, before substitute Mark Uth replied for the visitors. Hoffenheim old boy Roberto Firmino netted a fourth goal in the second half and Sandro Wagner’s late header proved anecdotal as Jurgen Klopp’s men completed a 6-3 aggregate victory.
Now unbeaten in 15 home games against German teams, Liverpool will learn their group-stage opponents in Thursday’s draw in Monaco, which will feature five English clubs for the first time.
Liverpool join Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, who qualified via the Premier League, and Manchester United, who engineered their own Champions League return by winning last season’s Europa League.
Liverpool will be making their first appearance in the Champions League proper since 2014-15, when they were eliminated in the group stage. Sport24 McGregor’s positive attitude ahead of the Irishman’s showdown with Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas.
UFC double-champion McGregor and fiveweight world boxing champion Mayweather meet at the T-Mobile Arena on Sundayt, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with the pair having already traded several heated exchanges ahead of the bout.
McIlroy has been seen ringside at a number of high-profile contests in recent years, although had to give away his tickets to Mayweather’s last competitive fight against Manny Pacquiao - the same weekend he won the WGC-Cadillac Match Play.
The Northern Irishman met McGregor after his victory over Nate Diaz in UFC 202 last summer, with McIlroy looking forward to seeing how he’ll fare in uncharted territory this weekend.
“I’m intrigued,” McIlroy said on Wednesday. “He (McGregor) talks a good game. If you just listened to his press conferences and what he said, you would think he is the guy with the 50-0 boxing record.
“Some of the stuff he does wouldn’t be my cup of tea, but he believes 100% in himself and believes he’s going to go out on Sunday night and shock the world.
“Imagine if McGregor knocks him out in the first couple of rounds? They’d get even more for the rematch and would be even bigger. I just don’t know what that zero on Mayweather’s record is worth, and that’s his legacy.”